Fazl demands 'fair polls' to restore stability

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman has sounded the alarm over the political turbulence in Pakistan, warning that the nation was teetering on the brink of disaster.

He called for transparent elections, asserting that the last polls were tainted by rigging, and accused the establishment of assembling a flawed parliament.

"The current assembly is not a true representation of the people, especially in Balochistan, where the masses are not being fairly represented," he lamented.

Addressing the business community on Sunday, he lamented that the country is in a precarious position where neither its Constitution nor institutions like parliament and the judiciary are safe from interference.

"The world is hesitant to engage with us economically, and our friendly nations are deeply worried about how to save Pakistan's economy," the JUI-F chief remarked.

He stressed that each institution was meddling in the affairs of others in a desperate bid to secure their own interests. "If every institution works within its boundaries and strengthens its role, we can find solutions," he urged.

He also warned that the continued erosion of constitutional values would lead to further instability.

"The permanent solution to these problems is transparent elections, and the supremacy of the Constitution must be upheld at all costs," he reiterated.

Separately, JUI-F General Secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri also called for immediate and transparent elections, asserting that the nation cannot afford to continue under such mismanagement.

He lashed out at the coalition government, saying that it has lost control of the country and is no longer capable of governing effectively.

He was speaking to media after offering condolences to JUI-F leader Dr Naseeruddin Swati, whose brother, Maulana Qari Muhammad Tayyab Haqqani, recently passed away. Haideri painted a bleak picture of the country's law and order situation, stating that the government has lost its grip.

"There is no government writ in any part of the country," he said, citing the ongoing lawlessness in Sindh's Kacha areas, where kidnappings have become a daily occurrence. He pointed out that in Balochistan, national highways are blocked at will, with no one to stop the lawbreakers.

The JUI-F also criticised the results of both the 2018 and 2024 elections, calling them fraudulent and alleging that they failed to bring stable governments. "Corrupt individuals are consistently imposed upon the public through rigged elections."

He also noted that even government officials have admitted they struggle to manage the country's affairs. "There is no significance to ordinances in the Constitution. They are meant for temporary use only."

Haideri stressed that the issue of Balochistan cannot be resolved through force. He called for serious attention to the legitimate demands in both K-P and Balochistan.

He also criticised the government for relying on the IMF, claiming that the current leadership has surrendered the country to the Washington-based lender, with false promises about reducing inflation.