Fazlur Rehman slams govt over banning Ansar-ul-Islam ahead of Lahore Jalsa

LAHORE: PDM’s president and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has condemned the PTI government for banning his party’s youth volunteers wing, Ansar-ul-Islam, ahead of the vital PDM public meeting in Lahore on December 13, terming the move frustration and confusion in government circles.

In a statement Monday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the notification by interior ministry was mala fide and a stigma on the face of the PTI government which claimed to be the champion of democracy and justice. He alleged that the notification was aimed at pressurising and blackmailing a political party to desist it from just political struggle. He questioned why the government considered a volunteer body as militant when it has been a constitutional part of the party for decades and already registered with the Election Commission.

He said never in the past any government or election commission had raised any objection over Ansar-ul-Islam, but on the contrary the organisation was praised for its remarkable discipline and organisational skills in performing security duties of national and international public gatherings and providing relief duties during 2005 earthquake, floods and other natural calamities.

He also reminded the government that it was the same Ansar-ul-Islam which provided security duty of last year’s Azadi March in Islamabad, where not a single glass or flower pot was broken during the two weeks long activity.