By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Thursday said that ” any alliance that supports the 26th Amendment will be affiliated with government not the opposition”.
“It is not our objective to bring a government alliance,” in an interview to media veteran politician said.
“The government is standing over two pillars, the People’s Party and the JUI,” Muhammad Ali Durrani said. “The PPP or the JUI save it, when it faces difficulties,” he opined.
Durrani said that the 26th Amendment has suspended the constitution and ended the judicial system. “Maulana and the PTI’s participation in talks and support for the 26th Amendment was a mistake,” he said. “If a party confesses that supporting the amendment was a mistake, they can be contacted,” he added.
Muhammad Ali Durrani alleged that the federal government hatching conspiracies against the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Whenever the PTI will shake hand with the government, it will pick its pocket,” he said.
He claimed that the government has made a plan to get names for the new election commission from the opposition that could be compliant to them, as it had happened in the past. “The PTI should not participate in any consultation with the government,” he advised.
Earlier, Former information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has launched efforts to unite opposition parties on the one-point agenda of securing Imran Khan’s release from prison.
The move has come as a surprise to many as Mr Durrani is traditionally considered close to the establishment, having been a minister in the cabinet of former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf.
After remaining absent from the political scene for several years, he re-emerged ahead of the February 8 general elections.
Talking to media Mr Durrani rejected the impression that he was gathering opposition parties at anyone’s behest and claimed that he wanted to play his role as a facilitator to save the country from crisis.
On Monday night, Mr Durrani hosted a dinner in Islamabad, which was attended by a number of key political figures from opposition parties.
Those in attendance included PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Omar Ayub, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Shibli Faraz and Barrister Saif; JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman; PkMAP Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai; Jamaat-i-Islami leader Liaqat Baloch; as well as Safdar Abbasi and Sajid Tareen, among others.
According to a statement, leaders of the opposition parties agreed to work to get political prisoners released from jail and to further enhance their cooperation to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.
Mr Durrani claimed that this was an organic development, in line with the wishes of the people, rather than an ‘engineered’ move.
He also said the controversy of Form 45 and Form 47 should be addressed.
Talking to Dawn on the occasion, PTI leader Asad Qaisar said there is an understanding among opposition parties that their leaders should unite on the agenda of saving the country, the instability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and the state of the economy.
“We want Imran Khan to be released,” Mr Qaiser said. “We want the country to be run in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law. The present government does not enjoy the mandate of the people.”
