Maulana Fazl steps up attacks on PM Imran, his ‘selectors’

In speeches in Bannu rally, PDM leaders accuse Imran Khan of unfulfilled promises

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Amir Maulana Fazlur Rehman stepped up his trenchant criticism against the government on Wednesday, as he addresses the opposition alliance’s public gathering in Bannu.

In his usual hard-hitting speech, Fazl slammed the establishment’s role the country’s political matters and said that the people of Pakistan would “hold Prime Minister Imran Khan and his selectors responsible for destroying” the country.

Fazl told the public rally, which was held in connection with the second phase of the 11-party alliance’s anti-government campaign, that his party would stage a protest in Karachi on January 21 against what he claimed the PTI government’s bid to recognise Israel.

In continuation of a series of protest against the government to press for its demand for the resignation of the prime minister, the PDM has already announced plans for a protest in front of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on January 19.

سیکرٹری جنرل پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن احسن اقبال اور صدر پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن خیبرپختونخواہ انجینئر امیر مقام کے بنوں جلسہ آمد کے مناظر pic.twitter.com/0bqpUhtRVz

— PML(N) (@pmln_org) January 6, 2021

 

The PDM chief warned that those providing support to “this government will be held accountable” “Now, the people want to take back their power of vote and give it to their rightful leadership,” he said. “Now the nation has risen and we [PDM] have given them a voice.”

Fazl said that the PDM “will never let anyone seize the resources” of the country. He urged the rally participants to get ready to march on Islamabad. PDM’s aim, he added, was to “restore” democracy and the supremacy of the parliament.

Also read: 'Game over' for Imran govt the day PDM resigns, Maryam says at Bahawalpur rally

Condemning the killing of 11 coalminers in Balochistan, he blamed the incumbent government for the lawlessness in Pakistan. Fazl told the rally that recent incidents of terrorism belied the government’s claim of restoring peace in the country.

He accused the government of damaging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He credited the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with bringing in “$70 billion Chinese investment”. He also said that during the PML-N’s tenure, “even the Indian prime minister came to our country”.

Fazl also questioned the sources of PTI’s funding. “A founding PTI member admitted that the party received funding from India, Europe and Israel,” Fazl said, adding that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had not held the party accountable for it.

He also criticised the government for threatening the opposition leaders with treason cases. “Leaders of the opposition consider people loyal to Imran Khan as traitors,” the JUI-F chief told the charged participants of the rally.

Speaking about the nearly two-and-a-half-year performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the JUI-F chief said that not a single promise of Imran Khan had been fulfilled. He congratulated the people of Bannu for “revolting against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government”.

pic.twitter.com/eKV8XD0OBU

— PML(N) (@pmln_org) January 6, 2021

 

Earlier, PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said in his address that when his party came to power in 2013, the country was facing power outages of over 13 hours a day, adding that 13,000 megawatts of electricity was added to the system during the government of Nawaz Sharif.

Describing Prime Minister Imran Khan a total failure, Iqbal claimed that former Pakistan captain even failed as a cricketer. “It was Javed Miandad, Inzimamul Haq and Wasim Akram who won the World Cup for Pakistan and not Imran,” he said.

He said while suicide bombings were an everyday occurrence in 2013, the PML-N had not only ended terrorism but also reinvigorated businesses, eliminated load-shedding and “turned darkness to light”.

JUI-F central general secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri accused the government of resorting to dictatorship”. He alleged that the government was humiliating the people through NAB in the name of accountability.

اگر ہم نے پاکستان کو جوڑ کے رکھنا ہے پاکستان کو مضبوط کرنا ہے تو پاکستان کے لوگوں کے ووٹ کی عزت اور حرمت کو ماننا پڑے گا.پی ڈی ایم پاکستان کے مستقبل کی تصویر ہے یہ پاکستان کے مستقبل کی اُمید ہے.@betterpakistan pic.twitter.com/lon8XFnhS2

— PML(N) (@pmln_org) January 6, 2021

 

Prior to today’s rally, a luncheon was organised for the PDM’s central and provincial leadership at the residence of JUI-F leader Akram Durrani. Besides Rehman, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Ahsan Iqbal, Ameer Muqam and other leaders had lunch there before heading to the rally venue.

Also read: Will not allow fake assemblies to complete term: Fazlur Rehman

On January 4, PDM chief Fazl had declared the opposition parties’ struggle against the PTI government a jihad – a holy war – and claimed that now it will be a sin to turn one’s back on this sacred mission.

“What we are doing through the PDM is commonly referred to as a movement when in fact it is a jihad-e-sharee [jihad as warranted by the sharia]. Struggling against this [PTI] government is a jihad and turning one’s backs on it will be a sin,” the Maulana said while addressing a huge rally organised by the 11-party opposition alliance in Bahawalpur district.

The JUI-F chief on Friday warned the military establishment that the PDM instead of marching to Islamabad could decide marching to Rawalpindi, where the headquarters of the Pakistan Army is located. And at the Bahawalpur rally on Sunday he reiterated that warning.

According to Fazl, the Pakistan Army should make it clear whether it backs Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government as he claims, so that the PDM may direct its movement towards the military establishment.

“This country is not a property of any dictator or any particular institution. It is also not under anyone’s occupation. This country belongs to its people,” he added.

He said the PDM consists of different parties with different points of views and different opinions and it is natural to have a difference of opinion regarding its roadmap. “However, we all are on the same page regarding the PTI led government and believe that it needs to go.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran said that the opposition's PDM posed no threat to his government.

While chairing a meeting of his spokespersons, the premier stated that the opposition's entire movement was to win a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO); "which I will not give,” he asserted.

The premier observed that the whole opposition united under one umbrella as soon as they started being held accountable.

He said the government had set the country's otherwise weak economy on the right path and that, this year, the government will focus on improving its performance and delivery.

During the meeting, PM Imran directed his spokespersons to highlight the government’s economic achievements.

The premier stressed that no society could progress without accountability, asserting that, "The process of accountability will continue".

(With input from News Desk)