Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party is preparing to stage protests against the federal government’s policies after Eidul Fitr, potentially in collaboration with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Saturday evening, Rehman revealed that a meeting of the JUI-F general assembly has been convened to strategize a protest campaign and assess the country’s current situation.
“After Eid, a decision will be made to hold a protest in the general assembly,” Rehman stated, criticizing the current government and parliament as “puppets.” He questioned the government’s priorities, asking, “Why can’t they talk about the country’s problems?” He also raised concerns about widespread layoffs in institutions like postal services and the Public Works Department (PWD), questioning the competence of those in power.
Regarding a potential alliance with the PTI, Rehman acknowledged that the “real leadership of PTI” remains imprisoned, and there is no significant unity among its members outside jail. However, he noted that tensions between the two parties have eased, hinting at the possibility of collaboration. “A decision will be made in the policy-making meeting on the alliance with the PTI in the anti-government movement,” he added.
Last April, the PTI formed a multi-party opposition alliance called Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), which included the Sunni Ittehad Council, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamaat-i-Islami, and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen. After talks between the government and opposition broke down in January, the PTI intensified efforts to build a united front against the federal government, even bringing former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi into its anti-government campaign.
Rehman also commented on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), suggesting that its leader, Nawaz Sharif, could play a significant role in addressing the country’s political challenges. “If Nawaz Sharif thinks the government has worked in one province, where has the country gone?” he questioned. He further remarked that President Asif Ali Zardari is the only figure with the “ability to buy the provincial assembly and the President’s House.”
Rehman concluded by highlighting the disparity in governance across provinces, stating, “If Punjab is cold, it doesn’t matter. The two provinces have been left on their own.”
