No need for any guarantors: Fazl

MULTAN: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman categorically said on Thursday there was no need for any guarantors for fulfilment of the opposition demands. He was talking to the media at Gulgasht Madrasa Qasimul Uloom after attending a meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) south Punjab district and tehsil office-bearers and party’s Majlis-e-Shura. The meeting was held to discuss the PDM Multan meeting, scheduled for Nov 30. The Maulana said the PDM would not permit any guarantors to play any role to settle the matter.

Suppressing the media, politics and other institutions is a sign of dictatorship, he said, adding, “We do not negotiate or support it.

“We don’t want any guarantors at any stage of the PDM agitation.

“The institutions should not indulge in politics. However, we are looking towards political institution of the ECP for declaring 2018 general elections null and void and holding free, fair and transparent elections in the country afresh.”

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was sinking the fleet of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its continuation in power would mean destruction of the initiative. He said the government was enacting laws and paving the way for legalising corruption in CPEC.

“China is our sweetest friend, but the government has shattered its confidence after gradually rolling back CPEC,” he alleged.

“We don't want a bad relationship with the United States, but we want it on equality basis,” he added.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he respects institutions until they do not indulge in politics.

He said Imran Khan had been abusing the forces in the past, but he did not face any tough time.

The Maulana said a big public meeting was going to be held in Multan on Nov 30. Despite explosions, the PDM would continue holding public meetings, he added. All member parties of the PDM are in contact with each other, he said. People have expressed displeasure with the rulers in the meetings so far, he added.

Criticising publication of blasphemous sketches in France, he said the Muslim Ummah was protesting against this act and urged Muslim countries to boycott France and its products. He said time had proved that not Muslims but non-Muslims were extremists.

About the government warning to arrest the PDM leadership over violation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs), he said the authorities were at war with the “Quaid-18”. He said the government was far from any performance. He said the government attempted to create rift in the PDM ranks, but it failed badly.

The JUI-F chief said the government’s covert support to occupation of Kashmir by India was very dangerous. “We will have to take a principled position on Gilgit-Baltistan.”

About Peshawar blast, he said nothing had been done about the martyred children at state level.