Maulana Fazlur Rehman came and left empty-handed: Firdous Ashiq Awan

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting outright his statement, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, in a tit-for-tat reaction, claimed Wednesday JUI-Fazl Maulana Fazlur Rehman came and left Islamabad empty-handed.

She was giving her reaction to the Maulana’s statement a day earlier, in which he claimed that they had achieved the goal of sending the government home and said the days of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government had been numbered. “Now count your days, as your roots have been cut-off,” he had asserted.

The Maulana’s aggressive media talk coincided with the opposition parties’ Rahbar Committee decision to open all highways and roads, their workers had been periodically blocking, following their decision to end sit-in in the federal capital. It was also a coincident that former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also left for London for treatment the same day.

In a series of tweets, Dr Awan said people rejected the JUI-Fazl protest and undemocratic tactics proved that they did not support extremism. She added the people had thwarted all the plans of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and that was why he had to rely on the exit plan. She claimed that Maulana Fazlur Rehman came and left Islamabad empty handed. Dr. Awan maintained that the people had also rejected the roads block plan of the JUI-Fazl and that Maulana should not spoil his political future by creating hurdles of ego in the way of democracy. “Instead of showing political madness, Maulana Fazlur Rehman should go back to his constituency, she advised him.

About the government strategy to handle the Azadi March and sit-in, she said the government demonstrated democratic posture by showing patience. She remarked, “We also accepted the right of protest of JUI-Fazl”. She said the threats and speeches of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, which he had made against Imran Khan's sit-in were also part of history. She reminded him that it was the same Parliament where the son of Maulana Fazlur Rehman was sitting and enjoying all the perks.