ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday announced the boycott of the election process for the National Assembly speaker, deputy speaker, prime minister, and president. Talking to journalists at the Parliament House after the inaugural session of the National Assembly, the JUI-F chief categorically stated that the JUI-F will sit on the opposition benches in the parliament.

“We will not be part of the election of speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly and prime minister,” he announced.

To a question about JUI-F’s strategy for a protest movement, he indicated that he would soon give a call. “Wait for it. We will represent the nation soon,” he added.

In focus: Maulana Fazlur Rehman and alliance navigation

With regard to any contact between him and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, the JUI-F chief said that he had not met Nawaz Sharif so far.

He added that a delegation comprising representatives of the PML-N, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) had a meeting with him.

He added that though he had a “pleasant” conversation with them and made it clear that JUI-F will not be part of such a government which is being created through not the “true representatives” of the people.

He maintained that the JUI-F does not consider the current parliament as a true representative of the nation which came into being as a result of the “massive rigging” in the February 8 elections.

On Wednesday, a delegation of PML-N, PPP, and other allies met the JUI-F chief in a bid to win his support in the formation of the coalition government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024