Fazl ridicules PTI govt for seeking ‘NRO’ from him

PESHAWAR: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, on Thursday ridiculed the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for seeking “NRO” from him, but said he would not give any NRO to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He was addressing a ‘million march’ aimed at upholding the honour of Holy Prophet (SAW) here.

The JUI-F chief pledged to launch a march towards Islamabad. “This gathering here in Peshawar is enough for Islamabad. We would soon march towards the capital,” he announced.

He said these protest rallies are not mere shows of power. These rallies carry a clear message for the government to give their rights to the people. “Your fake election is not acceptable to us,” he said.

The Maulana said that they would make no compromise on the ideology of the country and the belief in the finality and sanctity of Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW).

He was critical of the prime minister. He claimed that during his visit to the United States, Imran Khan admitted releasing the blasphemy convict Asia Bibi and presented it as an achievement to appease “his elders.”

The JUI-F chief termed Imran Khan a fake prime minister, saying that the ‘fake prime minister’ visited the US where he was not accorded any welcome rather a “government official “who was also part of the visit was given a warm welcome.

He said the religious forces were not against minorities in Pakistan. “We have been in the forefronts for protection of the rights of minorities in the country,” he said. But, he alleged, Imran Khan was supporting some specific marginalized groups, which have been working against Islam and Pakistan. The Maulana said the blasphemy law was not against non-Muslims. He explained that more than 500 cases under the law had been registered against Muslims in the country, while the number of non-Muslims charged under this law was not more than 50. He criticized the prime minister’s statement about tracing Osama bin Laden, saying Imran Khan said in the US that it was the information shared by the ISI which led the CIA to track down Osama. “This statement is so ridiculous. It caused extreme embarrassment to the whole nation as well as the military establishment”, he said.

The Maulana said due to the flawed visionless policies of the rulers, the economy had been pushed towards ruin. He said that it was for the first time in the history of the country that traders and business community staged a very successful strike against the government policies.

Speaking on the occasion, former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani said the opposition parties were all set to change the Senate chairman on August 1 and two months later the prime minister would be ousted from his office.

He levelled serious allegations of corruption against the provincial government. Durrani said that corruption worth billions of rupees was committed in the Bus Rapid Transit, Billion Tree Tsunami, Malam Jabba tourist resort and even education projects.