Senate resolution for election delay backed JUI-F stance: Fazl

• "Delaying polls no disaster" as country faces threats: JUI-F chief.
• Says he had no prior info about Senate resolution for polls deferral. 
• Fazl also says people are being threatened of attending JUI-F rallies.

As the ongoing controversy surrounding general elections shadows the timely conduct of February 8 polls, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the Senate resolution for putting off the electoral process represented his party's stance. 

On Friday, an independent lawmaker in the upper house of parliament had moved a resolution seeking deferral of polls in the light of extreme weather and security situation in the country, which was adopted by a majority of 14 senators present in the legislature.

"Sky will not fall if polls are deferred for the betterment of the [security] situation," Fazl, said while speaking in Geo News' programme Jirga before his Afghanistan visit on Sunday, as senior politician continues to raise concerns about the security situation in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

The JUI-F cheif left for Kabul upon invitation from the Taliban-led interim administration in the neighbouring country. 

The visit comes at a point when ties between the two countries have gone sour in the backdrop of a spike in terror incidents in Pakistan, mostly claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned outfit. 

The JUI-F chief has time and again established that the situation in the country is not conducive for staging polls, as his party has come under attack at least thrice during the last six months due to being in the cross-hairs of banned outfits over the years.

The latest was a gun attack on the JUI-F's convoy in Dera Ismail Khan, but fortunately, he remained unharmed as he wasn't present there.

The controversy regarding the postponement of elections — already taking place after several delays next month — arose following the Senate approval of a resolution, seeking to put off polls.

However, a fresh resolution was tabled in the upper house on Saturday for the elections' conduct on February 8 as per schedule, while the Supreme Court was also moved to initiate contempt proceedings against senators involved in passing a resolution in the Senate for polls delay.

Speaking about the motion for delaying polls, Fazl said in the interview that the Senate resolution backed the JUI-F's stance on threats of terrorism. 

He, however, said that he had no prior information about the resolution. 

The JUI-F supremo was of the view that no significant electoral alliance was formed yet. The former PDM head added that he permitted his party leaders to go ahead with seat adjustments in their respective districts.

'Environment inadequate for polls'

He said that the situation is not adequate for the polls and election campaigns in KP and Balochistan, which have been worst hit by terror attacks throughout 2023. 

"People are being threatened through pamphlets warning them against attending JUI-F rallies," the seasoned politician said while calling on the relevant stakeholders to realise the "gravity" of the situation.

Fazl also claimed that he has received threats against attending specific rallies, saying he can no longer participate in political gatherings. 

He said that his party wants elections but suitable environment for it as well. He said the security situation should be made secure enough for the political party to reach out to voters.

Fazl expressed hope for some improvement in the circumstances in the country. He further added that his party would participate in elections if polls are "imposed on us anyway".

"We are not the ones running away from the elections," he said, addeding, “I believe in talks and mediation but one can move towards a comprehensive strategy only by looking at the ground realities for talks with the TTP." 

Responding to a question about a level-playing field, the politico said that this is a new term which is being used for a single party.

"There was the same blue-eyed boy yesterday and today, he is being supported," he said without naming anyone.

Pakistan remained a theatre of terrorism and violence in the year 2023 amid internal political conflicts, socioeconomic disparities, regional instability, and rising tensions with the militant groups operating in border areas adjacent to Afghanistan.

Fazl, on the other hand, has been consistently expressed grave concern over the peace and security situation in the country following consecutive attacks on his party

Last year in September, senior JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah was injured in a blast — that wounded 10 others — in Balochistan’s Mastung area, while in July 2023, at least 40 JUI-F workers were killed in a suicide blast that targeted the party’s workers’ convention in Bajaur’s Khar.

Unlike the JUI-F, almost all the major political parties have rejected the resolution for deferring the polls and stressed that the general elections must take place on the designated date.