Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam have jointly declared that the elections held on February 8 were marred by rigging, signaling a potential threat to stability in the country.
This revelation came to light following a meeting between a PTI delegation and Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman on Thursday, where they deliberated on the post-election scenario. With this statement, it appears that like PTI, JUI-F also appears on a war path with the military establishment.
While both parties refrained from announcing specific measures such as protests, they affirmed their commitment to devising a comprehensive strategy for the future.
Hafiz Hamdullah of JUI categorically denounced the election results as ‘rigged,’ aligning the party’s stance with that of PTI.
Barrister Saif stated that Imran Khan had instructed PTI to engage with all parties sharing concerns about the integrity of Pakistani elections. He reiterated the consensus between the two parties that the people’s mandate had been compromised.
The PTI delegation, headed by Asad Qaiser and comprising Barrister Saif, Amir Dogar, and Fazal Khan, met Maulana at his residence in Islamabad, where they conveyed a personal message from Imran Khan.
The JUI delegation, including Senator Talha Mahmood and Hafiz Hamdullah, engaged in discussions with PTI regarding election rigging concerns and the broader political landscape.
Sources revealed that PTI extended an invitation to JUI to collaborate in opposition and address issues related to election integrity.
However, both parties chose not to entertain questions from reporters after the press conference.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, the chief of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam, boldly asserted that the vote of no-confidence resulting in the removal of Imran Khan from power was orchestrated at the instigation of General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lt. General Faiz Hameed.
During a TV interview, Fazal contended that not proceeding with the vote of no-confidence would have inevitably led to accusations of protecting Imran Khan, prompting him to take decisive action.
When asked by Malik if it was accurate to describe the vote as a plan orchestrated by the generals, with mere endorsement from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, Fazal responded with a laugh, expressing appreciation for Malik as the “right kind of journalist” who managed to extract the acknowledgment.
Fazal went on to reveal that leaders from all involved parties were not only in regular contact with the two generals but had also been explicitly directed by them on the course of action to be taken. This revelation raises questions about the extent of military influence in the political landscape of Pakistan.
He further noted that while there was a palpable resentment among the people over inflation, it was not uniformly felt across all regions. Interestingly, Fazal pointed out that the discontent had not been significantly experienced in Punjab and Sindh, with the brunt seemingly directed against his party, JUI, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
