Not electoral mechanism alone: Entire system needs to be changed, says Fazl

KARACHI: Slamming the results of February 8 general elections, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman alleged “manipulation of votes” and “sale” of all legislature “from Sindh Assembly to the President’s House” took place in the 2024 nationwide polls.

“We are loyal to Pakistan, but there is no value of national loyalty here,” Maulana Fazl said while addressing a power show in Karachi on Thursday. “Issue is not limited to elections, you [institutions] will have to change themselves in entirety.”

Pointing towards alleged manipulation of poll results, he criticised: “Democracy has been eliminated from the country.”

“Those people sitting at the helm have made Pakistan a salve of America,” he said adding that Pakistan is self-sufficient of competent people and natural resources.

The senior politician, who headed a multi-party alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — which successfully ousted the former prime minister Imran Khan’s government in 2022, said that they were fighting for sovereignty of the country.

He said a “drama” was staged in the name of general elections in the 2024.

Fazl said his political rivals thought that the JUIF would not be able to protest against election rigging “but our movement is not only for one day or one month”.

He also expressed concerns over the increase in terror incidents, saying that Pakistan can only prosper when rulers come to power through “people’s struggle”.

He added that his party’s struggle was not aimed at getting positions in the assemblies or ministries but “we are ready to fight for your rights as a solider”.

The politico expressed hopes that Pakistan will become a prosperous and developed country when the JUI-F comes into power via a public struggle.

Earlier this week, Fazl delivered an explosive speech on the National Assembly’s floor, blasting the government, outcomes of the 2024 nationwide elections, parliamentarians, bureaucracy, and the establishment on Monday.

He asked top leaders of the ruling parties — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PMLN) Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari — to leave the government and go to the masses. He added if the people had voted for the PTI then it should be allowed to rule.