PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazl Rehman here on Sunday warned ‘the forces’ that kept his party out of parliament that he would take the matter to streets through public agitation.

“Those, who kept JUI-F out of parliament, must listen that we will raise our voice against their injustices and cruelties on streets,” he said while addressing through video link the office-bearers of his party from Peshawar, Mohmand and Khyber districts.

The meeting at Mufti Mahmood Centre was convened to discuss arrangements for protest rally of JUI-F on May 9 against the alleged rigging in the previous general elections.

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Without naming any leader or party, Mr Rehman said that those, who had constantly raised concerns over the rigged elections held in 2018, were silent on the rigging in February 8 general elections.

4,000 volunteers to provide security to JUI-F rally on May 9

He alleged that general elections in 2018 were rigged and the same drama was repeated in the February 8 elections. “Those, who fought for powers, got powers through rigged elections,” he added.

He said that JUI-F played leading role against elections’ rigging whenever it was reported. He added that Maulana Mufti Mehmood had also led a movement against such rigging in 1977.

The JUI-F chief said that their elders had fought war for the independence of the subcontinent and they created awareness among people through Azadi March. He said that they were independent and would never accept subjugation. Since independence of Pakistan, he said, it was irreparably damaged politically, economically and democratically.

He said that they would fight in ‘public assembly’ against the forces that rigged elections as they had come out to save the country. He said that his party would restore real democracy by toppling the government currently imposed on the country.

Mr Rehman also expressed concerns over Israel’s atrocities against innocent Palestinians. He said that Israeli forces were killing children, women and elders indiscriminately. He added that cruelties of Israel and its allies could be judged from the fact that they bombed hospitals, killing patients and wounded people. “JUI-F stands by Palestinian people in this hard time and will raise voice for them at all forums,” he said.

Earlier, Senator Attaur Rehman presided over the meeting of the office-bearers of JUI-F. Besides others, the meeting was also attended by leaders of Ansarul Islam, JUI-F social media representatives, MPAs, tehsil nazims and lawyer forum and teacher forum of the party.

Addressing the meeting, Maulana Attaur Rehman said that under a well-designed plan and rigged elections on February 8, the blue eyed people were given governments in four provinces and centre.

“JUI-F has not accepted the results of the previous general elections. Rigging of the previous general elections is the continuation of the rigged elections in 2018,” he said.

He said that a historic rally would be staged by JUI-F on May 9 that would have deep impact on the political landscape of the country. During the upcoming rally, he said, people would be informed about rigging in elections.

He said that 4,000 volunteers of Ansarul Islam would provide security to the leadership and participants of the rally.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2024