JUI-F’s Fazl accuses institutions of manipulating polls to strengthen grip on power

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday slammed the state institutions for allegedly manipulating election results to tighten their control on power in the country.

The JUI-F chief has repeatedly been calling the February 8, 2024, general elections more rigged than that of 2018 in his addresses to public gatherings. Last week, the Fazl-led party observed a wheel-jam strike in Balochistan against alleged rigging in the January 5 by-election for the provincial constituency PB-45 (Quetta-8), in which the PPP’s candidate was declared the winner by the Election Comm­ission of Pakistan (ECP).

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the maulana said: “Institutions manipulate election [results] to consolidate their authority, while politicians also make compromises [on their principles] to come to power.”

Authoritarian forces continue to grow stronger due to politicians’ weaknesses, the JUI-F leader added.

“Any institution that exceeds its Constitutional limits [the boundaries of the roles assigned to them under the Constitution] should review its behaviour.”

He added that JUI-F won the by-poll in Balochistan as per the Form-45.

“The tragedy is that this is the second election that people are not happy with.”

The cleric asserted that all institutions must stay within their Constitutional ambit, adding: “Today, parliament is useless.”

Stressing the need for fresh elections in the country, Fazl asked: “If there is room for a rigged election, then why not early elections.”

Responding to a question, the JUI-F leader expressed satisfaction over the ongoing negotiations between the ruling coalition and the embattled PTI.

He said: “I am a politician and always support negotiation. There are good hopes from the talks between the government and the PTI.”

The maulana said that politicians should not be behind bars.

“I wish that the issues are resolved through negotiations,” the JUI-F added.