Fazlur Rehman calls for fresh elections in Pakistan

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Wednesday called for immediate general elections in the country, stressing that national unity and peace required a fresh public mandate.

Speaking to the media in Charsadda, Fazlur Rehman said a functional working relationship must be established between the federation and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that no province could resolve public issues without federal support.

“Political parties do politics, but it is the government’s responsibility to solve the problems of the people,” he said, emphasizing the need for coordination between Islamabad and the provinces.

He remarked that Sohail Afridi and the prime minister should have met three months earlier, without elaborating further.

Commenting on international affairs, the JUI-F chief alleged that the United States sought to create instability globally. “If the world remains unstable, America’s dominance will continue,” he said, adding that Washington wanted Iran and Afghanistan to remain unstable.

Turning to domestic politics, Fazlur Rehman criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stating, “I do not see oil in the PTI container,” in an apparent reference to the party’s protest activities.

He alleged that changing election results was “no longer a secret” and warned that wrongful actions often provoke dangerous reactions. “We must be careful and remain within limits,” he added.

The JUI-F leader said governments formed through alleged rigging could only make claims rather than deliver results. He maintained that the current government was unable to ensure peace, law and order, or economic stability.

“The people have lost confidence in parliament,” he said, adding that the country’s government survives “by begging.” He also claimed that the Financial Task Force (FTF) and international financial institutions had taken Pakistan “hostage.”