ISLAMABAD: The political heavyweight and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday demanded a thorough examination of the country’s current situation, saying “is this a parliament of people’s representatives or a setup put forth by the powerful military establishment”.
In his first speech in the National Assembly, he said it point-blank: “The creation of Pakistan is the result of overwhelming popular support from subcontinent’s Muslims […] neither the establishment nor the bureaucracy has any role in the creation of Pakistan”.
In the same breath, he continued that the need of the hour is that “we must look into the bitter reality as where stand the people and what the powerful military establishment has been doing”.
“What’s the reason question is being raised on the integrity of parliament? The people’s representatives here are being questioned? Is this the people’s parliament or is it an establishment’s appointed parliament,” he questioned.
“When are we going to break the establishment’s stranglehold… Pakistan was created through a democratic struggle and sacrifices but it stood nowhere in terms of political and economic stability,” he added.
The JUI-F chief openly backed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Qaiser’s demand for granting the right to the latter’s party to organise public gatherings, terming it the Imran-founded party’s “constitutional right”.
The PTI lawmakers in the National Assembly thumped their desks in support of Maulana Fazl’s remarks.
He went on to say that democracy in the country was weakened after politicians “compromised” on their principles on every occasion and now, the parliament has lost its supremacy as they cannot even pass a law independently.
Fazl also said that back-to-back “full and partial” martial laws have also shaken the democratic foundations of the country by ousting elected governments.
He pointed out that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was a witness to how a law related to an agreement between the federal government and seminaries had not been passed despite being tabled in the assembly with consensus.
The JUI-F supremo said that the party raised objections on the 2018 general polls just like it opposed 2024 general elections, terming it similarly “fraudulent” as the politicians “sold out democracy”, bringing the country to a complete standstill.
He criticised that his party leaders were stopped from electioneering ahead of the February 8 elections due to “threat letters”, pointing towards deteriorated law and order situation in their stronghold of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
He raised questions on the government’s tall claims of rooting out terrorism in the country. He criticised that 80 JUI-F workers were killed in a terrorist attack in Bajaur during the electioneering phase.
Fazl also called out the federal government for not raising its voice against Israeli actions that have killed over 34,000 Palestinians in the occupied territory.
He asked top leaders of the ruling parties – PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari– to leave the government and go to the masses.
He added if the people had voted for the PTI then it should be allowed to rule.
He further announced that his party planned to organise a “million march” in Karachi and Peshawar on May 2 and 9, respectively. He asked the government to refrain from creating hurdles in the JUI-F’s upcoming power shows.
The JUI-F chief said that his party was ready to start a new public movement against the prevailing governance system which is “unacceptable” to them.
Earlier, speaking on a point of order, Asad Qaiser of PTI termed the May 9 events a conspiracy against his party, alleging that it was orchestrated by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar.
“The nation has buried your narrative of May 9 in February. All four chief justices of provincial courts should be part of the judicial commission and probe the May 9 conspiracy, which was hatched by Mohsin Naqvi and the Punjab IGP,” he declared.
He also questioned the incumbent government’s double standards in allowing political parties to organise public gatherings, saying that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) gets permission to hold a rally but when PTI wants the same Section 144 is imposed.
Qaiser further said that cases were registered against PTI MNAs, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, over peaceful protests, while lawmakers from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) were arrested.
The PTI leader emphasised the need for a strong parliament and the rule of law in Pakistan and stressed the need for an independent judiciary and civilian supremacy, which are essential for a healthy democracy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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