Fazl’s mandate was not stolen, he was defeated: Gandapur

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Wednesday said that no one had stolen the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s mandate, but he had defeated him in the February 8 general elections and he had every proof for him in this regard if he still had any doubt about his defeat in the polls.

“Nobody has stolen his mandate as I have defeated him in the elections. He has rather been deceived by those whom Maulana sahib had always trusted and struck deals with,” said Ali Amin Gandapur while speaking to journalists at a ceremony held on the occasion of International Labour Day.

Gandapur is an arch-political rival of Maulana Fazlur Rahman in their native Dera Ismail Khan district and has defeated him in the elections multiple times.

“There is a difference between mandate theft and deceit. Since Maulana sahib has been a man of deals, he might have struck one with them again this time to win the elections. Now the question is if they had helped other people to win the elections through Form-47, then why didn’t they help Maulana sahib?” Gandapur wondered.

The chief minister said since Maulana sahib had been a part of each and every government in Pakistan, therefore, he might have many secrets and he should come out and clearly disclose those secrets if he was really serious and sincere in his stance.

“He has become quite old and must tell the truth to the nation that he had been holding for a long time. We will welcome Maulana Fazlur Rahman and appreciate his contribution if he has started telling the truth,” the chief minister stated.

Gandapur said there was a contradiction in Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s statements, saying he until now would take credit for toppling Imran Khan’s government and but then changed his position, claiming that Imran Khan’s government was brought down by the then Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. “I request him not to create confusion, be clear on each and everything,” he added.

“Imran Khan has never struck any deal and let me tell you once again that he will never strike one with anyone to seek his release from prison,” he told the journalists.

He, however, said that if Imran Khan decided to negotiate with the government, he would do it for the country and the people of Pakistan. The chief minister said the talks would not be kept secret.