JUI-F demands fresh elections without establishment’s role

ISLAMABAD:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday demanded fresh elections in the country without interference from the establishment and announced that his party would step up its movement for “fair and transparent” vote.

At a press conference at the end of the two-day meeting of the JUI-F Central Council or Majlis-e-Shura in Islamabad, Fazl said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wanted political talks, but for that purpose the party needed to create unanimity in its ranks.

Fazl told reporters that the party’s Majlis-e-Shura rejected the February 8 election results in its last meeting, and the central council endorsed that decision. “We will step up the movement for fair and transparent elections. The secret agencies should not interfere in the election process,” he said.

According to Fazl, the party meeting reviewed the matter pertaining to contacts with other political parties, including the government as well as the opposition PTI and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). However, he did not show any inclination towards any side.

“The Shura has determined that the government is not strong enough to address our concerns and those of other political parties. Therefore, what is the point in these talks until a principled agreement is reached,” he said.

“The contacts of the PTI delegations were also reviewed in the meeting. Concerns of the PTI are serious,” he said. However, the PTI had not formally announced a committee for talks so far, and the SIC stated the other day that there could not be any alliance with the Jamiat, he added.

Fazl believed that there was a lack of agreement among the PTI leadership on this issue. “The delegations from the PTI have spoken about it but no negotiating committee has been formed, so the PTI and the SIC [now the party of the PTI-backed independent lawmakers] should clear this confusion.”

However, he assured that the JUI-F would make any alliance workable if there was an atmosphere of mutual cooperation. “We have no hesitation to create a better political environment in the country,” the JUI-F chief told reporters.

Fazl announced that the central council had decided to wage struggle from its own platform without waiting for a formal alliance with other parties. “The Majlis-Shura agrees that the party will continue to play its constitutional role for the country and the nation.”

He stressed that political parties wanted solutions to problems faced by the country. The Constitution of Pakistan, he added, defined the scope of all institutions, including the army. “The entire nation stands with the army for national defence but any meddling in political affairs is a violation of their oath.”

The JUI-F chief opposed the Azm-e-Istehkam initiative of the government, saying there was a lack of clarity on this issue. He said all the past operations against terrorists had spurred terrorism 10 times. “The prime minister has explained the operation, but whom should people believe,” he asked.

“Today it is being said that action will be taken inside Afghanistan. Do you want to attack Afghanistan to cover up the failure in stopping terrorism inside Pakistan? Are you helpless against terrorists? There are many questions that I do not want to raise, lest they should create problems for the state.”

Fazl pointed out that the government promised to give Rs100 billion at the time of merging the former federally-administered tribal areas (Fata) with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. However, he raised the question as to “what happened to its implementation”?

He said: “We are told not to speak against state institutions, but when will the institutions realise the people’s plight.” He also said that he wanted the continuation of Pakistan’s relations with China but added that confidence of the Chinese investors had not yet been restored.

When asked about the resolution passed last week by the US House of Representatives that raised suspicion about the February 8 elections, Fazl urged the US to stay away from the internal affairs of Pakistan. However, he asked: “Isn’t it a diplomatic failure of Pakistan?”

Fazl said that Kashmir Solidarity Day will be observed on August 5, to condemn India’s unilateral action in the occupied territory, including stripping the region of its special status in 2019. He also supported the people of Palestine.