The JUI-F, being part of the treasury benches, should have been consulted prior to the announcement of the nomination of Mamnoon Hussain for the top constitutional slot. When asked whether the JUI-F would support the PML-N candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, he said Maulana had told Sharif that he would put forward the PML-N's request to back its candidate to his party.
"The JUI-F chief complained that had JUI-F been consulted on the candidate's name earlier, it would have given more worthy options," he said. Achakzai, however, quoted the Maulana saying that he would put the proposal of supporting PML-N candidate to party and will announce decision in this regard soon. He said the meeting also focused on country's security situation particularly the proposed anti-terrorism strategy.
While congratulating Nawaz Sharif on agreements with China, the Maulana said that economic revival and MoUs inking with China would only be made possible if peace was restored. He urged Sharif to take bold decisions regarding terrorism while formulating anti-terrorism strategy.
He said that JUI-F's stand was clear on talks with the Taliban and the Maulana reminded the Prime Minister that his party was also signatory to the last APC [all parties conference] held on February 28 under the auspices of JUI-F. "PML-N agreed in writing that it would back Jirga effort after coming to APC," he reminded the Prime Minister.
When Prime Minster asked Maulana Fazlur Rahman about submitting names for cabinet, the Maulana said that cabinet was a secondary issue for JUI-F. He said political and ideological priorities that had been agreed upon by PML-N would be the guiding principles for joining cabinet. Achakzai further quoted the JUI-F chief as saying, "We really look forward to seeing these priorities are made part of policy".
The Maulana also said that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments failed to respond to the people's expectations and observed that there was a need for a new contract in Balochistan as it could not even form a cabinet. "We are important stakeholders in Balochistan, the current set-up has failed; now we demand a new social contract for the political future of the province," he added.
The Prime Minister assured the Maulana that JUI-F's grievances would be addressed and it would be taken on board as a worthy coalition partner. The JUI-F chief was assisted by Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Akram Khan Durrani while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting.