Pak asks cleric to end protests

Islamabad, Nov. 5: The Pakistan government has reached out to firebrand cleric-cum-politician, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is leading the first major bid to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan, to end the massive protest, which entered the fifth day on Tuesday. The right-wing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl leader is leading the protest, dubbed as ‘Azadi March’, in Islamabad, demanding Khan’s resignation, accusing him of “rigging” the 2018 general elections. Opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party have also thrown their weight behind the anti-government rally. Two different negotiating teams of the government reached out to the JUI-F in Islamabad. A delegation led by former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain met the cleric, hours

The movement to oust the Prime Minister will continue to move ahead and will never be on the back foot – MAULANA REHMAN, Pakistan cleric

after the government’s negotiating team led by defence minister, Pervaiz Khattak, held talks with the Rehbar Committee headed by JUI-F leader, Akram Khan Durrani, and discussed their demands, it said.

However, neither of the sides showed any sign of conceding any ground, the report said. Khattak and the Rahbar Committee will resume talks. Rehman asked his supporters to continue their anti-government protest with perseverance and courage, after the 48-hour deadline set by him for PM Khan’s resignation expired.