Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), expressed serious concern over the alleged “theft of public mandate” in the general elections, terming them more fraudulent than the 2018 elections.
At a news conference on Wednesday, he criticized institutions for manipulating election results to consolidate their power.
Rehman, who has consistently condemned the February 8, 2024 elections, referred to the recent Balochistan by-election for provincial constituency PB-45 (Quetta-8) as a prime example of electoral fraud.
The by-election, in which the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate was declared the winner by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), was followed by a strike in Balochistan led by JUI-F.
“Institutions manipulate election results to strengthen their authority,” Rehman said, adding that political concessions are often made for the sake of power. He also stressed that authoritarian forces are becoming stronger due to the weakness of politicians.
The JUI-F chief further warned that any institution that exceeds its constitutional limits must re-evaluate its behaviour. “All institutions must remain within their constitutional framework,” he said, claiming that Parliament has become ineffective.
Calling for new elections, Rehman questioned why the country should accept a rigged election, stating: “If elections can be rigged, why not hold early elections?”
Responding to questions, the JUI-F chief expressed support for the ongoing negotiations between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He said, “I am a politician and always support negotiation. There is good hope in the talks between the government and the PTI.”
He also reiterated his stance that politicians should not be imprisoned, hoping that problems could be resolved through dialogue.
