No harm if polls pushed ahead for a few days: Fazl

JUI-F chief says peaceful environment should be ensured in K-P and Balochistan first

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman warned on Monday that the law and order situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan was not conducive for electioneering, and suggested that no harm would come if the election date was pushed ahead for a few days.

Talking to the media in Dera Ismail Khan, the JUI-F claimed that shots were fired at his vehicle the other day, adding that it was insignificant to say that he was not in that vehicle when it was hit by bullets.

However, he said that the incident itself was a reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation.
“The situation in both K-P and Balochistan is very bad. The situation in Bajaur, Tank and other districts [of K-P] is in front of everyone, where attacks are happening frequently. “In such a situation, how will the election campaign be run,” Fazl told reporters.

“We want elections, this is a constitutional requirement, but a peaceful environment should be provided. People and businessmen are worried about security. Though security is provided to us, but not to every candidate,” he added.

According to Fazl, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidates were also worried about the security issue. He added that when he held a press conference in Islamabad, highlighting his concerns about the security situation “a threat letter came for me”.

For a peaceful environment, there is no harm if the elections are moved forward by a few days,” the JUI-F chief told reporters. In the present situation, he added: “If the turnout [in the February 8 vote] remains low for any reason, it will raise the possibility of rigging allegations.”