Fazl says 'fake assemblies' unacceptable as JUI-F set to widen anti-govt movement

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has reiterated that “fake assemblies” are unacceptable as the politico-religious party is all set to widen its anti-government movement.

Addressing a mass public rally in Peshawar on Thursday, Fazl said: “Workers have once again given the message that fake assembly is not acceptable.”

The JUI-F leader, who believed that the 2024 general elections were more rigged than that of 2018, said "these governments are not the true representatives" of the people.

“We have brought the case of people's self-respect,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the JUI-F had also been calling the former PTI-led government “fake” before the two erstwhile political foes found an “ideological coordination” against the incumbent PML-N-led coalition government.

Slamming the then Imran Khan-led government, Fazl, in October 2018 said: “Fake' legislation carried out by a fake parliament has no legal value.”

Speaking at the public rally, the JUI-F supremo said: “I spoke for the rights of Pashtuns and Baloch.”

Talking about his party’s protest movement against the rigid elections, he said: “We have announced that decisions would be made in the field but not in the House [assembly].”

“Assembly is not our representative but this stage instead.”

Stressing the need for dialogues, the JUI-F leader said: “Threats will not work.”

Hinting at a “court arrest drive”, he said that the movement would no longer be limited to public meetings, saying: “[We] will fill the jails if the matter goes towards jails.”

JUI-F fighting for 'rights, not power'

Addressing a power show in Karachi last week, the JUI-F supremo said that his party was fighting for people's rights and the country’s sovereignty but not for power.

“We are loyal to Pakistan, but there is no value of national loyalty here,” Maulana Fazl said, adding: “Issue is not limited to elections, you [institutions] will have to change themselves in entirety.”

He had alleged that “manipulation of votes” and “sell” of all legislature “from Sindh Assembly to the President’s House” took place in the 2024 nationwide polls.

Pointing towards alleged manipulation of poll results, he had criticised: “Democracy has been eliminated from the country.”

“Those people sitting at the helm have made Pakistan a slave of America,” he had said, adding, "Pakistan is self-sufficient of competent people and natural resources."

The senior politician, who headed a multi-party alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — which successfully ousted the former prime minister Imran Khan’s government in 2022, had said that they were fighting for the sovereignty of the country.

He said a “drama” was staged in the name of general elections in 2024.