ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of JUI-F, announced the complete rejection of the February 8 general election results. During a press conference, he also dismissed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s statement declaring the polls free and fair, alleging unprecedented rigging.
Fazlur Rehman claimed that the 2024 election rigging surpassed that of 2018, expressing concern over the diminishing importance of Parliament and democracy. He hinted at possible protests, suggesting that decisions may now be made on the ground rather than in Parliament.
Fazlur Rehman outlined the party’s next strategy, stating they would play their parliamentary role but with reservations. He alleged a conspiracy by anti-Islamic elements to defeat JUI-F through poll rigging and emphasized the party’s commitment to its ideological stances. The leader accused the ECP of having a dubious role since day one, claiming the electoral watchdog rejected petitions from JUI-F candidates.
The JUI-F chief announced upcoming meetings with the party’s local general council and events in Balochistan, KP, Karachi, and Lahore on specific dates. Additionally, he invited PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif to join the opposition, alleging that election results indicated bribes were taken from both successful and unsuccessful candidates.
Responding to a question, Fazlur Rehman clarified that JUI-F was not subservient to PPP and PML-N, emphasizing they were not coalition partners with the government. The previous day, Fazlur Rehman had informed PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif of the party’s reservations about what he termed as fraudulent elections, claiming their mandate was stolen.
