Fazl won’t ‘lick boots’ to get to dummy parliament

JUI-F announces countrywide movement against alleged rigging in Feb 8 polls

ISLAMABAD:

Castigating the military establishment for what he termed the "most rigged elections" in Pakistan’s history, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has declared that his party will not "lick boots" just to secure membership in a nominal parliament. Fazl’s party, the JUI-F, has, in the meanwhile, also announced a nationwide movement against alleged rigging in February 8 general elections.

Addressing his party members and supporters after a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, Fazl said he expected that the February 8 elections would be free and fair.

However, he lamented, those hopes and the country’s Constitution got trampled on—on the election day. The JUI-F chief wondered what was the credibility of parliament in the wake of two consecutive controversial elections.

"If the establishment directly intervenes and chooses representatives from each constituency according to its own will, then they won't be representatives of the people. What kind of parliament would that be?” he said, adding that the candidacy of every lawmaker in such a parliament will become dubious.

He predicted that in the coalition government that is likely to be formed in the center, the two major parties—the PML-N and the PPP—will keep blackmailing each other while “someone else” will be pulling the strings behind the scenes.
The JUI-F chief said they are the flag-bearers of democracy and their elders are the founders of this Constitution. He said they want to safeguard the Constitution. However, he lamented that the Constitution has no significance now; it is just a piece of paper which holds no value.

He said even the parliament is not supreme as sovereignty rests with God. “But in Pakistan, we don’t even witness supremacy of parliament “as here our servants are our sovereigns.”

He claimed that in the February 8 elections, the establishment broke all records of rigging in the 75-year history of the country. Addressing the military leaders, he said: "Uniforms do not confer respect on a person; rather, it is the character within a uniform which inspires respect."

Fazl questioned the utility of joining a parliament which could not pass a legislation on its own and which only stamps its seal of approval on pieces of legislation imposed on it by the establishment.

He also questioned why his party should now continue electoral politics. “In the parliament, my power will depend on someone else but on the street, I will not need anyone else,” he said.

The JUI-F chief said militancy in the country is one the rise but the establishment is engaged in “other games”. He said the establishment considered itself beyond criticism and gets offended when people point the finger at it.

“They say we are defense forces and it is not justified to criticize us. I clarify that I do not criticize the country’s defense forces as long as they remain defense forces. But when they become political forces they become liable to be criticized.”
Fazl also criticized the mainstream political parties for their dual standards with regard to rigging.

He said the PML-N won almost a similar number of seats in both 2018 elections and 2024 elections. “in 2018, it had claimed that the elections were rigged but now [when it is able to lead a government] it says the elections are fair.”
He said the same was the case with the PTI as it also got almost the same number of seats in the 2018 and 2014 elections. “However, now that the PTI is not able to form a government, it says the polls were unfair.”

Fazl said only the JUI-F is the party which protested against rigging in 2018 polls and which also called these elections massively rigged.

Separately, the JU-F announced launching a movement against alleged rigging during the February 8 general elections.  JUI-F leader Aslam Ghauri, in a statement, said in the initial phase of the movement, meetings will be held at party level.
According to Ghauri, Maulana Fazlur Rehman will address these meetings and the first of such assemblies is set to take place on Thursday (today) in Islamabad. "Rigging in these elections has put 2018's rigging to shame," he said. "A mockery has been made of the public mandate".

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

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