The PTI and JUI-F on Thursday agreed on a single point that the February 8 general elections were not free and fair. Speaking to the media in a joint press conference, JUI-F senior leader Hafiz Hamdullah stressed that both parties agree that the February 8 polls were not transparent and were marred with rigging and irregularities. The long-held archrivals displayed utmost consensus and teamwork during their first-ever political interaction over the past several years. Both sides underscored that the case brought by the PTI on what happened in the February 8 elections, was also a case from before the JUI. According to the reports, PTI’s delegation offered JUI-F an option to join the party in its protests against alleged rigging in polls and Opposition in the parliament. The two sides discussed matters relating to government formation, while PTI also sought JUI-F’s support for its candidate for the slot of the country’s Prime Minister.
Historically, the JUI-F and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) struck into unceasing animosity and mostly remained at loggerheads over the past decades. Both major political groups remained at arm’s distance not because of their conflicting ideologies, bisecting manifestos and sameness of their target audiences but due to the like, dislike, personal views and adamontism of their leaders throughout the past. Interestingly, both opposing political sections agreed on a single point agenda that is rejection of recent polls which brought results contrary to their expectations. The hardcore religio-political group faced a serious backlash in the election while liberal far right PTI could not grab much public approval as it wanted.
Currently, both parties face similar issues and have equal opportunity to form their governments in the centre as well as provinces or to sit on opposition benches and wait for a suitable time to play the role of treasury. The history has brought the arch-rivals at an important cross road which provided them an opportunity to convert their animosity into teamwork and create new bonds of friendship and alliance. This interaction is amazing and should be viewed as an early dew drop in national politics. Ideally, all political groups must resist unnecessary hatred and war mongering in politics so constructive and healthy civic activities can take place in the country.
