JUI announces nationwide movement against ‘rigged’ polls
Fazl says no to coalition govt, invites Nawaz to join opposition benches
ISLAMABAD (INP): The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) has rejected the results of the 2024 general elections, alleging that they were rigged and manipulated by global forces.
JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced a nationwide movement to protest against the ‘unfair’ and ‘unconstitutional’ elections, which he said broke the rigging record of 2018.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the JUI did not accept the legitimacy of the Parliament, which he claimed had lost its importance and relevance.
He said that the JUI would participate in the assemblies with reservations, but warned that the decisions would not be made in the house but in the field. He said that the elections were rigged and JUI was defeated at the behest of global forces, who wanted to impose their agenda on Pakistan.
“Defeating the JUI-F through poll rigging was a conspiracy of anti-Islamic elements. Our fault is that we played our role in mending the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is not acceptable to the US.
“Our fault is that we spoke up against Israeli action in Gaza and supported Hamas,” Fazl stated.
He added that the JUI-F was an ideological force and would not compromise on any of its ideological stances. “Our workers are determined to start a movement based on our history and sacrifices. If the establishment believes that elections were free and fair, then that means the army’s May 9 statement has been buried,” Fazl alleged.
He said that his party’s crime was that it supported Palestine and opposed Israel. He also said that he will call general meetings of all the four provinces to consult with his workers and prepare them for the movement.
He said that the JUI-F would not forge an alliance with any party.
Responding to a question about the voting Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that they were not allies of the government.
He invited Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), to come and sit in the opposition and join hands with him.
“I invite Nawaz Sharif to sit in the opposition jointly. This election broke the rigging record of the 2018 elections,” he maintained.
He said that they will remain in the assembly with reservations and the movement will go along.
He also clarified that he will not form any alliance with any party and that he is not subordinate to PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “We are not obedient to the PML-N and the PPP,” he added.
He said that their quarrel with the PTI is not of bodies, but minds. He said that they have ideological instead of personal difference with PTI.
The JUI-F chief said that the parliament had lost its popularity and democracy had lost its case. “It seems that the decisions will be made in fields, not in the House,” he added.
Fazlur Rehman criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan, alleging its role had been questionable since the beginning. He mentioned that the commission dismissed petitions submitted by JUI-F candidates against rigging.
Elaborating on the next strategy, Maulana Fazl said, “We will hold a meeting of our provincial general council in Balochistan on February 25 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on February 27. Additionally, two more meetings will be summoned in Karachi on March 3 and Lahore on March 5.”
