Talks' offer rebuffed.

JUI-F CHIEF Maulana Fazlur Rehman has upped the ante against the government by refusing the latter's offer of talks.

In Lahore on Friday, the maulana appeared determined to carry out his 'threat' of a march on Islamabad on Oct 31. He stood by resolving not to back off as Mian Shahbaz Sharif told a media briefing about the PML-N's plans. Mr Sharif said his party was committed to holding the rally in the capital in two weeks' time, and repeated that the PML-N strategy after that would be decided later.

The former Punjab chief minister added his voice to the growing chorus calling for fresh elections in the country but chose not to answer questions about any tensions between him and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif over the JUI-F's forthcoming protest.

It appears that if Shahbaz Sharif had any reservations about the protest earlier, he was now reconciled to the idea of going ahead with it. The opposition's emphasis on Prime Minister Imran Khan's resignation and the demand for fresh elections have become more pronounced after the government came up with a committee to engage the aspiring protesters in talks. The formation of a committee, headed by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, was welcomed by many but dubbed as belated action by others.

According to one view, the government's offer of talks took the...