Establishment now 'capable' of handling internal matters: Maulana Fazlur Rehman

JUI-F chief claims democracy is weakening since election results after 2018 have been influenced by the army chief

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that the establishment is now capable of seriously addressing its internal matters.

Speaking to media representatives at his residence on Tuesday, Fazl remarked, "The establishment has finally started taking its internal issues seriously, perhaps they have now become capable of doing so."

He clarified that JUI will continue its movement independently, without any political alliances.

"Recent experiences with political alliances have not been positive. We neither want to embarrass anyone nor be embarrassed ourselves," he added.

Fazl also commented on the role of the opposition, saying, "We will play our role both inside and outside the parliament. There may be alliances with other political parties on an issue-to-issue basis."

Discussing the political landscape post-2018, Rehman claimed that the assemblies have lost their significance after 2018.

"Democracy is losing its case in this environment, election results are now shaped by the military chief's wishes".

He further criticised the current political system, stating, "Assemblies are now openly bought. Who can practice politics in such an environment?"

"Where money has become the only belief and politics revolves around it, public opinion and ideologies have no value. Now, the significance of assemblies depends on the street power you possess."

Fazl expressed concerns about the impact of political instability on the economy.

He maintained that if the state itself becomes unstable, it could lead to conditions like those in Bangladesh.

"In Bangladesh, the situation turned around in just 20 days because their mandate was a bubble. We do not want to head towards a scenario like Bangladesh," he warned.

The JUI chief added, "If we are guaranteed no interference in politics, we will have no objection to our defeat. We have concerns about the election results across the country, not just in Punjab and Balochistan, but also in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."

On possible talks with the current government setup, Fazl stated that while the party do not reject talks, "they lack the authority to negotiate. We meet with Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, but those who have real power should come forward for talks."

He emphasised his desire to fight the people's case at the national level, but only if their objections and concerns are addressed.

Touching on economic issues, the JUI-F chief criticised the influence of the IMF on Pakistan's budget.

"Our budget is now made by the IMF; our economy has fallen into their hands. There was a time when Pakistan refused to accept IMF's conditions, and they had to back down. Today, they have us by the throat and won't let us breathe," he said.

"After World War II, the colonial system ended. Now, poor countries are controlled economically, defensively, and politically. To break free from this, the nation must unite."