Fazl claims was offered Senate chairmanship to end sit-in

Rehbar committee to launch countrywide protests from Friday

PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that he was offered the position of Senate chairman as well as the Balochistan government in exchange of peaceful retreat from the Islamabad sit-in, where his supporters encamped for about two weeks.

“What do people know how many offers were made to me,” he told a press conference in Dera Ismail Khan on Thursday.

The JUI-F chief said his aim was not power but removing the ‘un-Islamic’ and ‘illegitimate’ government.

He criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for employing delaying tactics in the party's foreign funding case, which has been filed by Akbar S Babar, a founding member of PTI, and termed the premier's recent speech ‘vulgar’.

Maulana Fazl claimed that his Azadi March had portrayed the positive side of the religious community, and negated the impression that the seminaries and its students were linked to militancy.

He stressed that sacrifices rendered by the nation, especially by the workers of JUI-F, would not go in vain.

The JUI-F chief claimed that civil courts had announced verdict in the PTV and Parliament attack case but both the president and premier had requested for an exemption from appearance in court and were seeking acquittal.

Fazl said the case was lodged by the previous government but now the public prosecutor was the prosecutor as well as the complainant and his stance was tantamount to treason. He urged the court to take notice of the matter.

The JUI-F chief said opposition parties were united against the government and fresh elections were near, reiterating the demand for the PM to step down.

Meanwhile, the opposition-led Rehbar Committee has announced countrywide protests against the government from Friday.

The announcement came after a meeting in Peshawar with provincial convener Maulana Attaur Rehman and Iqbal Daudzai in chair.

The committee said all districts and divisional leadership had been informed about the decision.

ANP’s Sardar Hussian Babak, PML-N’s Rashid Mahmood, PPP’s Ayub Shah, Qaumi Watan Party’s Tariq Khan, Ahle Hadith’s Zakir Shah and PkMAP’s Mukhtyar Yousafzai also attended the meeting.

It was decided that the protests would start from Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan and Tank; demonstrations will be held in Malakand Division on November 25, Bannu on November 26, Mardan on November 27, Hazara on November 28, Kohat on November 29 and Peshawar Division on November 30.

The JUI-F marched on Islamabad on October 27. Upon reaching the federal capital, the party held a sit-in, which was called off almost two weeks later.

It then resorted to ‘Plan-B’ – blocking highways across the country. It has also been called off.