Shehbaz, Bilawal should pass the baton to PTI: Fazl

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has advised the ruling parties to relinquish the government and pass the baton to PTI while announcing a ‘million march’ against election rigging.

The JUI-F chief said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari should step aside and let the Imran Khan-led party take the helm as it has the majority in the National Assembly.

Addressing a session of the National Assembly presided over by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday, Fazl announced plans for a 'million march' to protest against the alleged rigging of the elections. He warned that any attempts to impede their protest would result in trouble.

He affirmed, "It is the right of PTI to hold a rally. I support the demand of Asad Qaiser. We also objected to the 2018 election and we object to this one (February 8 polls) too. If the 2018 poll was rigged, why the current one is not rigged today?"

The session saw Asad Qaiser, the opposition leader from PTI, raising concerns regarding human rights and advocating for the party's right to organise a rally.

Following Qaiser's address, Maulana Fazlur Rehman took the floor, stating, "The demand of Asad Qaiser is correct and it is the right of PTI to hold a rally.”

He added that while talks with PTI have not yet commenced, his party harbours no opposition to them.
Fazl urged a thorough examination of the country's current situation, expressing dismay over what he perceived as a diminishing role of the establishment and bureaucracy.

“The establishment and bureaucracy had no role in achieving this country… where does the bureaucracy and establishment stand today and where are the people?”

He stressed the need for transparency and fairness in the electoral process, cautioning against compromises that could undermine democratic principles.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the conduct of recent elections, the JUI-F chief criticised what he described as flaws in the electoral system. He remarked, "What kind of election is this where the losers are not satisfied and the winners are also upset… the winners' own leaders are rejecting their mandate."

He drew parallels with neighbouring India, highlighting economic challenges faced by Pakistan and questioning the nation's adherence to its Islamic identity.

“Where does democracy stand today? We compromised on the original and sold our democracy… we made our ‘masters’ with our own hands… today, we cannot even make laws of our own will. Just compare India and ourselves… both countries were freed on the same day… today, they (India) are dreaming of becoming a superpower and we are on the verge of bankruptcy… the forces behind the wall that control us make decisions but it is us who are humiliated in front of the whole world.”
 

“Every individual Pakistani owes Rs300,000 debt… we’ve turned the nation into a crowd. Obtained in the name of Islam, today we have become a secular state. Since 1973, not a single recommendation of the CII has been implemented. How can we be an Islamic country? We are begging to avoid bankruptcy and the IMF tranche is being celebrated today.”

Earlier in the session, Asad Qaiser had questioned the existence of basic human rights in the country and criticised the imposition of Section 144, which restricts public gatherings. He also expressed concerns about the weakening of the assembly, comparing it unfavourably to the Majlis-e-Shura of 1985.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which would give the legislative effect to the taxation proposals of the federal government.

The bill was taken by the House as the supplementary agenda and Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the bill.