ISLAMABAD : Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam ( JUI-F ) and also head of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal ( MMA), has instructed his event employees to begin arrangements for a “big” anti-government “protest demonstration” to be kept in Islamabad quickly , inviting other parties to sign up for it . The JUI-F chief, who was authorized by the country’s leading opposition parties on May 19 to convene a multi-party conference ( MPC ) after Eid to devise a combined strategy for introducing a “decisive movement” for the restoration of “real democracy” in the nation, granted these directives through videos message on Wednesday.
In his almost five-minute message, the Maulana declared their previously organized “million marches” in Quetta and Peshawar would be held after Eidul Fitr as per the plan . The JUI-F chief, whose event had initially decided to boycott the parliament after the final year’s common elections, have been pressing the other opposition parties to release a decisive action to dislodge the govt , but he has so far unsuccessful to get a good response from them, mainly from the PPP and the PML-N .
In his video message, the Maulana also created a mention of the Iftar-dinner hosted by Pakistan Peoples Party ( PPP ) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in which the leaders of 11 political parties had selected him as the convener for an MPC of the opposition parties. Through the Iftar dinner, the leaders of eleven parties had declared that they would go ahead with their individual programs of anti-government protests, but simultaneously they would try to devise a joint strategy on their upcoming course of action.
The JUI-F chief declared the political parties had once again reposed confidence in his party and it would host an MPC shortly after Eid. He expressed the hope that in the MPC, the opposition parties would succeed in devising a “joint strategy” under which they would swing into action against the govt. “All these things will go side by side and with the cooperation of most the parties. However, I want to give clear information to the people of Pakistan and the workers of the JUI-F and the MMA that their million marches will continue as per the plan,” the Maulana declared.
“There will be a large demonstration at the country level in Islamabad which will be participated by the people from all over the country. The workers should remain determined and keep on preparations for it,” he declared, adding that other parties would also be welcomed to join it. The JUI-F chief declared that after the final common elections, the opposition parties had asked him to convene an MPC after saying the formation of an alliance named the Free and Fair Elections Alliance, but “hurdles” were created and the MPC could not be held.
The Maulana declared the alliance had been formed by the opposition parties to devise a joint strategy on the problem of “rigged” and controversial general elections held on July 25 a year ago. He declared shortly after the general elections, most of the parties had come out with a united stance that the elections were “massively rigged” and the people’s mandate had been “stolen .” He claimed that the parties had agreed that they would make a demand for fresh elections. Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, dealing with PPP office-bearers from Islamabad at Zardari House, declared, “This incompetent govt has destroyed the economy of the nation and according to reports there has been a boost of Rs1, 000 billion in foreign debt just in the final 4 days .”
The PPP chairman declared houses of weak people were being demolished in the name of anti-encroachment drive which was “inhuman”. “Poor people of this nation are crying due to this inept govt which had promised them sun, moon and what not. How can the PPP leaders and employees remain silent over this situation ?” he said. Mr. Bhutto-Zardari vowed that the PPP would not be cowed down by “blatant utilization of force or a vilification campaign” against the party leadership.
