Amidst widespread criticism of the 2024 nationwide election results by various political factions, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), persisted in dissecting the February 8 polls, while also forecasting the potential collapse of the system due to alleged interference from the establishment favoring a government of their preference.
“Establishment wants assemblies and people in them of their choice,” the political leader alleged while addressing a press conference alongside other party leaders in Peshawar on Tuesday.
“We received information before the elections that it has been decided to reduce the JUI-F’s inclusion [in the assemblies]. Different styles of rigging occurred in every polling station during the polls.”
“If they believe there was no rigging in the polls, then the narrative of May 9 appears to be buried. They are incapable of governing the country, and this system is on the verge of collapse. Those who cling to this system will soon find themselves in despair,” stated Fazlur Rehman.
The political leader noted no disparity between the alleged “rigging” in the 2018 and 2024 general elections. He emphasized that a public representative should not merely serve as a mouthpiece for the establishment.
However, he dismissed any notion of a threat to the country’s parliamentary system.
Following claims of election irregularities that bridged the gap between political adversaries, the head of the politico-religious party expressed the view that if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates secured a majority of seats in the recent polls, the party should rightfully be given the opportunity to form a government.
While refraining from explicitly naming PTI founder Imran Khan, who penned a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urging an election audit, Fazl cautioned against inviting foreign institutions to interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
He signaled JUI-F’s willingness to engage in dialogue if any party displayed genuine intentions to address its concerns. Fazl noted that his party had extended courtesies to PTI’s delegation in accordance with political norms.
As the leader of the multi-party alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which ousted the former Prime Minister Khan from office in 2022 through a parliamentary vote, the cleric criticized the detention of PTI founder. He stressed that he never derived satisfaction from the incarceration of any politician.
