Sukkur: Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has strongly condemned the violent incidents in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Addressing the media, Rehman emphasized the importance of dialogue with PTI. He cited the February 8 elections as the reason for the current unrest. Despite government plans to stop them, PTI activists reached Islamabad where violent clashes took place. He said that violence should be condemned and peaceful resolution of political unrest should be called for. He said that mature leadership always guides its followers to avoid violence and act with restraint. The JUIF chief highlighted the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s protests and Azadi March, where more than 1.5 lakh people gathered in Islamabad without incident. He emphasized peaceful and inclusive politics and referred to the country’s history of political movements and instability. Fazl warned the government to abandon the policy of pressuring the political leadership which would lead the country to further chaos.
Rehman stressed the need to build consensus on national issues, especially the Kuchi Canal project. He stressed that such issues should be resolved through mutual agreement and consultation with all provinces, ensuring that the interests of all are taken into account.
Reflecting on past political movements, Rehman recalled that during Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) protests, including the Azadi March, more than 1.5 million people gathered in Islamabad without any violent incidents. He emphasized that it is important to show the way of struggle to the workers without inciting them to violence.
Addressing the current instability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Rehman criticized the provincial governments for their lack of seriousness in handling the situation, which has led to unrest in both provinces.
He warned that if the government continued to imprison political leaders and release them and re-arrest them, the country could be headed for chaos.
He also raised questions over the PTI’s intentions after it announced a march to D Chowk, prompting the government to impose tight security measures. Despite these efforts, the PTI successfully reached Islamabad, where violence erupted, which Rehman strongly condemned.
Responding to a question regarding the draft of religious madrasas discussed during the PDM era, Rehman pointed out that the proposal was prepared after extensive consultation with key political figures including Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
He expressed concern over the current objections to the draft and promised to discuss the issue more openly in the near future.
Finally, Rehman noted that the current political crisis is a direct result of the February 8 elections and reiterated his earlier advice to the PTI not to support the 26th constitutional amendment.