Tariq Saeed Peshawar
Reiterating that the February 8 elections were thoroughly rigged and the public mandate was stolen the Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday announced his party’s decision to boycott the upcoming by-elections.
“The right of franchise of the people of Pakistan was stolen, rather ambushed in the February 8, 2024, elections. The incumbent parliament is less public representative and more Establishment representative”. The former president of the 11 parties alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement that also included PML-N and PPP, declared in a video message adding under the given circumstances the JUI had decided to boycott the forthcoming By-elections.
Maulana Fazl also highlighted concerns raised by high courts regarding external influence and threats by the executive including some spy agencies to judicial independence as mentioned in their letter by the Islamabad High Court Judges.
He said none of the JUI candidates would take part in the By-elections at any stage. Maulana Fazl said the JUI-F has already rejected the results of the February 8 elections, citing concerns over their legitimacy, which it believes only favored the current government.
Instead, Maulana said, we will go to the public through a number of protests that he termed Awami assembly country wide adding we will also seek support of the other opposition parties in order to further strengthen our voice and our ranks.
The JUI chief also elaborated plans for nationwide protests, branded as the “Awami Assembly,” commencing from April 25 in Pishin, Balochistan, followed by Karachi on May 2 and Peshawar on May 9, with Lahore to be scheduled thereafter. He stressed the importance of uniting the nation to safeguard the right to vote and ensure electoral integrity.
