Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Tuesday that the government should immediately resign and announce fresh elections, asserting that the incumbent government did not represent the people’s mandate.
The demand was made during a meeting of opposition leaders at the residence of former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in Islamabad. The meeting was followed by a joint presser where the opposition leaders declared the February 8 elections “rigged.”
“This is not the people’s mandate. A government of choice has been imposed on the country,” Fazl said.
The JUI-F chief insisted that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should step down if it were truly independent. “If the ECP is autonomous and sovereign, it should resign immediately so that a new commission can be formed,” he asserted.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser expressed gratitude to all political leaders for attending the dinner.
“I am grateful to the entire leadership for their participation,” Qaiser said.
He raised concern over the prevailing political situation, saying that the current circumstances in the country were worrisome and that there must be supremacy of the constitution at this time.
Speaking on the occasion, former prime minister and Awam Pakistan (AP) party convener Shahid Khaqan Abbasi echoed the call for fresh elections, saying it was the only solution to pull the country out of terrorism and other crises.
Abbasi further said that the opposition discussed political, economic, and security issues during the meeting.
“All parties agreed that the current government does not represent the people, and demanded the release of political prisoners and the abolition of controversial laws like the (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act) PECA,” he said.
He added that consultations will continue in the coming days.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.