JUI-F chief targeted the Federal Government for its incapability of handling the country’s affairs, especially terrorism in KPK.
Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman announced a nationwide protest after Eid and cleared his firm alliance with PTI.

Fazl-ur-Rehman Criticism:

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has announced a nationwide protest campaign against the federal government. The protests will begin after Eid Ul Fitr. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will also join this movement.

On Sunday, while talking to the media, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman criticised the government for not doing enough to tackle the security threats and rising corruption within the country. He also targeted the government for only focusing on Punjab rather than other provinces, as if Punjab were the entire country. He claimed that the ruling coalition is not concerned about the worsening situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Protest planning:

Maulana Fazl stated that JUI-F’s general assembly will meet soon to finalize the protest strategy. He dismissed the current parliament and government as “puppets.” However, he firmly expressed his alliance with PTI and announced a protest along with PTI. A final decision on the alliance with PTI will be made in JUI-F’s policymaking meeting.

Also Read: PTI And Opposition Gear Up for Post-Eid Protests Against Government

He acknowledged that many PTI leaders are in jail but said relations between JUI-F and the PTI have improved. However, he said the PTI should speak out against those who say bad words about Maulana and his party.

Security and Governance concerns:

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman expressed anger at governmental policies that prioritize a single province over the others. He expressed concern about security threats in Balochistan and KPK and questioned why other provinces are left to struggle alone.

However, he said, “If Punjab is safe, it does not mean that the rest of the country should suffer.” He also criticized Shehbaz Sharif for hosting Iftar gatherings instead of addressing national problems.

Questions the legitimacy of the Government:

Maulana Fazl challenged the legitimacy of the ruling figures like Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Mohsin Naqvi. He reiterated that these people have no electoral credibility. They are merely puppets in the hands of the foreign ruling authorities. In addition, he said Nawaz Sharif could play a crucial role in the political situation. However, he accused President Asif Ali Zardari of manipulating the political system. He alleged, “Zardari is the only person who can buy both the provincial assembly and the Presidency.”

Rejects Government role:

Upon being asked about his and his party’s closeness to PML-N, Maulana said that the party and he could not be part of the puppet government. He, however, clarified that the Federal Government begged us to join it, but the party refused. He described the government as a “dummy setup.”

He accused the authorities of increasing unemployment by firing employees from institutions like Pakistan Postal Services and the Public Works Department (PWD). He criticized the government and said, ” If the workers working in those institutions were incompetent and could not justify their positions there, then how do you justify keeping your positions?”

Criticizes Government’s foreign policy:

The JUI-F chief alleged that the government takes less interest in the country’s affairs and is more interested in the US interests. He alleged, “The government is offering scapegoats to the US. If necessary, they could even use me as a scapegoat to protect their rule.”

Addresses threats from TTP:

Maulana Fazl responded to threats from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also called Fitna-e-Khawarij. The TTP threatened him to stay away from politics and religious issues. He ridiculed those threats and said they were no more than a joke for him. He also said that merely his presence is enough to challenge their malicious deeds. Despite attacks on JUI-F leaders, he vowed that his party would not be silenced. He stressed that these threats would not stop them from maintaining peace in the country.

Calls for change in political system:

The JUI-F chief stressed the need to end unilateral decision-making. He said the government does not seek the confidence of other parties in the country’s affairs and solely makes decisions, leading to political instability. He blamed the establishment for Pakistan’s problems.

Urges diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan:

Maulana Fazl called on the government to hold diplomatic talks with Afghanistan to ease tensions. He also offered his services if needed to improve relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. JUI-F and PTI’s joint campaign may put additional pressure on the government in the coming months.