Shehbaz asks ex-ally Fazl to join ruling coalition

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday invited JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to become part of the ruling coalition led by the PML-N, as he visited the residence of his former ally to inquire about his well-being.

The premier also proposed the formation of a committee to address the prevailing political issues and asked the Maulana to join it. A source in the PM’s office confirmed that the JUI-F leader was asked to join the ruling alliance and also play his part by joining a proposed committee to resolve political tensions in the country.

A JUI-F spokesperson also confirmed this development. He said the Maulana refused to join the government at the request of the premier.

“I don’t think it’s true (that the JUI-F will join the government). Seeking power is not a part of our politics. We already had a better offer before the formation of the present government,” he claimed.

It may be noted that Maulana Fazl led an opposition alliance, namely the Pakistan Democratic Movement, during the PTI government. The PDM later formed a government in the Centre, led by PM Shehbaz Sharif, after the ouster of Imran Khan via a no-confidence motion in April 2022.

JUI-F spokesperson says offer turned down by party chief

Task Management System

Separately, PM Shehbaz instructed federal secretaries and heads of departments to personally utilise the Task Management System (TMS). He issued these instructions while chairing a meeting to assess the implementation progress of directives requiring federal ministries and departments to use the Task Management System.

The TMS is a modern software of international standards used to monitor instructions issued by the prime minister to federal ministries, and progress in this regard.

In a separate meeting on tax reforms, digitisation of the economy, and measures to boost revenues, the PM vowed to launch a crackdown against tax evaders and their facilitators.

Emphasising the importance of the Federal Board of Revenue, the prime minister said the tax watchdog played an important role in “running the economic wheel” and pledged to provide all necessary resources for its human resource development and digitisation. He claimed during the budget preparations, he had issued “clear directives to bring more people in the tax net and that the elite should be made to pay their due taxes”.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2024