With the intra-party elections of Maulana Fazlur RehmanÂ’s Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI-F) a couple of months away, the growing popularity Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and his differences over party policies with the top leadership have increased the chances for this cleric from Quetta to become the next secretary general of the JUI-F.Ahmed, who is currently the JUI-F deputy secretary general and deputy parliamentary leader of the six-party religious alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, in the National Assembly, has become estranged with his leaders Fazlur Rehman and Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi, the JUI-F chief and the secretary general, respectively. Known as the most popular leader among the JUI-F cadres, Ahmed has played a pivotal role in the campaign for fresh membership of the party, which ensured his success in the election for the secretary generalÂ’s post in August.
Party insiders said Hafiz Hussain Ahmed never had friendly relations with Fazlur Rehman and Ghafoor Hyderi for years, but after his removal as a member of the Supreme Council of the MMA as a JUI-F representative, such differences publicly surfaced for the first time. It has been learnt that Ahmed had never had good relations with the partyÂ’s elite and with his defiance to contest the secretary generalÂ’s post against the directives and desire of Fazlur Rehman has virtually left him alone. The JUI-F party elections are held every four years and according to its policy a campaign for new membership is launched before the elections. According to a JUI-F leader, who wished not remain unnamed, party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman tried to remove the differences mainly between Ahmed and Hyderi and sent a message to the former for a meeting with the party leaders but a formal response is awaited.