JUI-F announces movement against 'poll rigging'

Rigging in these elections has put 2018's rigging to shame, says party leader

ISLAMABAD:

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has announced that it will commence a movement against alleged rigging during the February 8 general elections. 

JUI-F leader Aslam Ghauri, in a statement, said that in the initial phase of the movement, meetings at different party levels will be held.

According to Ghauri, party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will address the meetings and the first of such assemblies is set to take place on Thursday (today) in Islamabad.

"The rigging in these elections has put 2018's rigging to shame," said the and added that a "mockery has been made of the public mandate".

Protests against electoral fraud

Previously on February 16, JUI-F Sindh staged a protest demonstration outside the Provincial Election Commission office in Karachi against the alleged electoral fraud.

JUI-F Sindh Secretary General Allama Rashid Mahmood Soomro addressed the gathering, stating that JUI-F has decided to launch a nationwide movement against “doctored election results.”

He asserted that Sindh has witnessed the worst electoral fraud, with constituency delimitations made to favour the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and appointments of Returning Officers (ROs) and the District Returning Officers (DROs) influenced by Wadera Shahi.

He lampooned the Sindh Election Commission, the bureaucracy and the state institutions, which according to him were helpless against the powerful waderas of Sindh on election day.

Maulana Soomro, while addressing the crowd, highlighted that police, Rangers, and army were not deployed at the sensitive constituencies in Sindh.

Read JUI-F eyes a slice out of power pie

On February 17 workers from Ghotki and Kashmore blocked roads from Kashmore, and workers from Sukkur blocked roads from Sukkur. The Sindh-Punjab border was also closed for an indefinite period. He demanded that NA-191 Kashmore, PS-02 Panu Aqil, and PS-22 Thul results be released according to Form 45.

Fazl rejects 'rigged' election results

Earlier, Fazl threw a political curveball by rejecting the "rigged" election results while extending an invitation to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to join him on the opposition benches instead of pursuing government ambitions.

The JUI-F refused to accept the electoral outcome lying down. He announced the party would kickstart nationwide protests against alleged electoral manipulation by "anti-Islamic forces."

During a press conference, Fazl expressed reservations about the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) role, alleging it had been “dubious from day one.”

"Our central committee has rejected the election results and expressed reservations about the role of the ECP, but JUI-F will play its role in the parliament and will attend it with reservations,” he stated.