After reelection as JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazl slams govt, demands fresh polls

PESHAWAR: Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been reelected unopposed as the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) for a five-year term during the party's intra-party polls held on Sunday.

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri was also elected unopposed for another term as the JUI-F secretary-general.

According to the party's spokesperson, the elections took place at a general council meeting at the Mufti Mehmood Markaz in Peshawar.

The meeting was attended by nearly 1,500 general council members from across the country, according to spokesperson Aslam Ghauri.

Following his re-election, the cleric criticised the incumbent government, stating that the "fake parliament lacks a legitimate mandate for a major constitutional amendment".

"We want a fresh [general] election," Fazl said during a press conference after the conclusion of the party's intra-party poll in Peshawar on Sunday. 

"This parliament does not deserve such a significant constitutional amendment."

The government pushed the proposed constitutional package amid speculation about a potential extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October this year, following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) request last month for the early issuance of a notification regarding the appointment of the next top judge.

The ruling coalition left no stone unturned to woo Fazl, with leaderships of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) holding a myriad of meetings with the cleric, but to no avail.

Detailing ongoing consultations with the PPP and the major opposition party — PTI, he said that the JUI-F and the said parties would share their draft amendments.

The politico stressed that such amendments should be brought forward which provides relief to the masses and strengthen democracy without compromising the sovereignty of parliament. "Judicial reforms should not be individual-centric."

The politico, who led the previous multi-party alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — that successfully ousted former prime minister Imran Khan from office in April 2022, criticised the government for disallowing the Imran-founded party to hold public gatherings and called it an undemocratic step.

He added that the PTI should be given permission to hold power shows.

However, he slammed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s threatening tone and termed it a "childish attitude".

He was referring to Gandapur's comment on recent clashes between PTI workers and the police during the Rawalpindi protest rally in which the KP chief executive threatened that his party would respond to every bullet, tear gas shell, and baton strike against its supporters.

Fazl flays Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Moreover, the cleric strongly condemned the Israeli fierce attacks on Lebanon that saw the martyrdom of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

He said that Israel achieved the second biggest target [after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's martyrdom] to hit the Palestinian movement.

He added that despite Nasrallah's martyrdom, "Jihad will be continued till the independence of Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Fazl warned that the fire that erupted in Lebanon by Israel could engulf the entire world. The politico urged the Arab countries to devise a combined defence system, otherwise, the flames of war would affect all of them.

PM congratulates Fazl on reelection

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif extended his congratulations to Maulana Fazl on his unanimous and unopposed election as president of JUI-F for the upcoming five-year term.

In his congratulatory message, the prime minister remarked that under Fazl's leadership, JUI-F has always effectively represented the people.

He emphasised that Fazl's election as the head of JUI-F will foster democratic values, also acknowledging his significant role in reinforcing the supremacy of parliament in the country.

The prime minister expressed confidence that the cleric's leadership and vision would undoubtedly elevate the JUI-F to new heights.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz also congratulated Maulana Haideri on his election as the party's secretary-general.