After being re-elected as the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) for the next five years, Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday derided Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s video statement announcing a “revolution” as “childish” and unbecoming of a man in his position.
Responding to a question on Gandapur’s video statement regarding his failure to reach Liaquat Bagh for a scheduled protest in Rawalpindi, Fazl said this is what happens when inexperienced people are elected to senior positions in government. Describing the vitriol in the statement as “childish,” he said a party worker could have issued the same commentary without carrying “dangerous” connotations of provincialism.
However, he stressed, so long as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was committed to holding peaceful rallies, it should be allowed to do so.
In his press conference, the JUIF chief also criticized the incumbent government, saying a “fake” Parliament lacks the mandate for constitutional amendments. “We want a fresh [general] election,” he reiterated, lamenting that his party had been denied its true mandate in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly through rigging. The ruling coalition has been trying to secure the JUIF’s support for a proposed set of constitutional amendments, as it lacks the two-thirds majority required for major legislation. Thus far, the Maulana has refused to side with either the government or opposition, stressing on dialogue to resolve the situation.
Stressing that any proposed amendments should be aimed at providing relief to the public and strengthening democracy without compromising the sovereignty of parliament, he said judicial reforms should be individual-centric. He said the PPP, JUIF and PTI were all working on separate drafts for the proposed amendments, adding they would work to evolve consensus on them in the coming days.
Fazl also strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on Lebanon that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. This, he regretted was the second biggest target achieved by Israel after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in its assault on the Palestinian movement. “Jihad will be continued till the independence of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he vowed, warning that the Lebanon strike could spread globally.
Earlier, Fazl was re-elected unopposed as the JUIF chief for the next five years in the party’s intra-party polls. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri was similarly elected unopposed for another term as the JUIF secretary-general.
In a statement, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif congratulated Fazl on his victory, adding that under his leadership the JUIF had effectively represented the people.
Sharif said Fazl’s election would foster democratic values and acknowledged his significant role in reinforcing the supremacy of Parliament. He hoped the JUIF’s leadership and vision would undoubtedly elevate his party to new heights.