‘Sky will not fall if polls are deferred’: Maulana Fazlur Rehman 

Amid the ongoing controversy about the general elections scheduled for February 8, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the Senate’s resolution advocating the postponement of the electoral process aligns with his party’s stance.

The resolution, proposed by an independent lawmaker in the upper house of parliament on Friday amid concerns about extreme weather conditions and the security situation in the country.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on Geo News‘ program ‘Jirga’ before embarking on his visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, emphasised the need for a deferral of polls for the betterment of the security situation. 

مولانا فضل الرحمان کو سیکیورٹی تھریٹ کس طرف سے ہے حملے کون کررہا ہے؟@SaleemKhanSafi pic.twitter.com/P6Oj3iR0X7

— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) January 7, 2024

“Sky will not fall if polls are deferred for the betterment of the [security] situation,” Fazl said. He has continued to raise concerns about the security situation in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

The JUI-F chief’s visit to Kabul comes at a delicate juncture, marked by strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan due to a surge in terror incidents, primarily attributed to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned outfit.

خصوصی دعوت پر دورہ افغانستان میں مولانا فضل الرحمان کے کن امور پر گفتگو کریں گے؟@SaleemKhanSafi pic.twitter.com/dX4uWq5S02

— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) January 7, 2024

Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently asserted that the current situation in the country is not conducive to holding elections, citing multiple attacks on his party in the last six months. The most recent incident was a gun attack on the JUI-F’s convoy in Dera Ismail Khan, where fortunately, he remained unharmed.

"الیکشن کا ماحول نہیں ہے ہم جلسوں میں نہیں جا سکتے"
مولانا فضل الرحمان نے سینیٹ کی قرارداد کی حمایت کردی@SaleemKhanSafi pic.twitter.com/sfPGfJXnp6

— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) January 7, 2024

The controversy surrounding the postponement of elections, which have already been delayed, intensified following the Senate’s approval of a resolution seeking to defer polls.

However, a fresh resolution was tabled on Saturday in favour of conducting elections on February 8 as originally scheduled, leading to the initiation of contempt proceedings against senators involved in the delay resolution.

Speaking about the motion to postpone polls, Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated in an interview that the Senate resolution supported the JUI-F’s stance on the threats of terrorism, although he claimed to have no prior information about the resolution.

Expressing concerns about the electoral environment, especially in KP and Balochistan, the seasoned politician urged stakeholders to grasp the gravity of the situation. “People are being threatened through pamphlets warning them against attending JUI-F rallies.”

Despite the challenging circumstances, Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed hope for improvement and emphasised that his party would participate in elections. He stated, “We are not the ones running away from the elections,” underscoring the importance of talks and mediation while assessing ground realities for discussions with the TTP.

Addressing the issue of a level-playing field, the JUI-F leader criticised the use of the term for a single party, alluding to shifts in political support. 

“Yesterday’s blue-eyed boy is also being supported today,” he said without naming anyone.

کل بھی لاڈلہ ایک ہی تھا آج بھی لاڈلہ ایک ہی ہے، فضل الرحمان@SaleemKhanSafi pic.twitter.com/sE2CRUzirN

— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) January 7, 2024

The year 2023 witnessed Pakistan grappling with terrorism, internal conflicts, socioeconomic disparities, regional instability and heightened tensions with militant groups along the Afghanistan border.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, consistently voicing grave concerns over the peace and security situation, recalled previous attacks on his party members. Notably, in September, a blast in Mastung injured senior JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah, while in July, a suicide blast targeted a JUI-F workers’ convention in Bajaur’s Khar, resulting in the death of at least 40 party workers.

In contrast to the JUI-F’s position, almost all major political parties have rejected the resolution to defer polls, insisting that the general elections must proceed as scheduled on February 8.