Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has once again declared the opposition’s struggle against the government a jihad, claiming that the nation is ready to offer any sacrifice for this cause. He pledged that the jihad would continue till “rulers stopped oppressing the poor”.
Speaking at a public meeting at Batkhela in Malakand district, Maulana Fazl said that opposition parties were struggling against those who had snatched the mandate of people. He said this sea of people would remove the “incompetent and selected” government from power.
#PDM has lost purpose, steam & direction…meaningless rhetoric by the mainstream leaders. Waste of public’s time & resources. #MalakandPDMRally #StruggleForSelection
— Bushra Gohar (@BushraGohar) January 11, 2021
Maulana Fazl alleged that the government was conspiring against the Constitution and provinces. He said at present there was no democracy in the country and “martial law is in place which is worse than General Zia’s and Gen Musharraf’s eras”.
He said people had no choice but to gather under the umbrella of the PDM to kick out this “incompetent government” and restore real democracy in the country.
He also announced that the PDM would stage protest in front of the Election Commission in Islamabad on Jan 19 and also hold a protest million march in Karachi on Jan 21 against conspiracy to recognise Israel.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also addressed the public meeting and said that this rally was a referendum against the “selected government”, adding that the people of Malakand had given their verdict to oust incompetent rulers from power.
Referring to the seven-year rule of the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said the people had become fed up with rulers due to their continued suffering at the hands of these incompetent and fake rulers for a long time.
He said the PTI had failed to fulfill promises it had made with people during election campaign. He asserted that the PPP had delivered whatever it had promised during the election campaign.
The PPP leader said that former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had fulfilled his promise by abolishing the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR).
Political Fatwa of Maulana Fazul against the PTI
In May 2013, Maulana Fazlur Rehman declared it ‘haram’ to vote in favor of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Chief Imran Khan and his candidates. He alleged Imran Khan for being sponsored by the West and the Jewish lobby. He also called Imran an agent of “Americans, Jews, Ahmadis and a person of ill character”.
Maulana further attacked Imran’s family and said that “a person who could not make his own children Muslim nor Pakistani, is dreaming of becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan and making the country an Islamic welfare state.”
Read More: Maulana’s Agenda: FM Qureshi Urges to Reconsider Azadi March on Kashmir Black Day
PTI defeated Maulana’s MMA
Notably, PTI has white-washed the Maulana’s party in the last general elections. The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) — an alliance of religiopolitical parties, which first emerged in the history of Pakistan during 2002 elections, was once again revived. Maulana was made its Chairman. The head of Jamaat-e-Islami, Siraj-ul-Haq also welcomed the MMA and thanked Allah for its restoration. “We are thankful to Allah for this. The restoration of MMA for the protection of the Islamic identity of the country, its safety, and security is welcome news for democratic stability. Running the country according to the constitution and Islamic principles is necessary,” said Sirajul Haq.
Read more: When All Else Failed, Maulana Fazlur Rehman played Religion Card
MMA, like other political parties and interest groups, used identity cards to seek political support in the general elections. According to the party, the biggest threat to religious political parties in their respective areas was the presence of PTI. The best strategy devised by the leaders of the religious parties was to get organized, make an alliance and defeat the PTI. However, as the results demonstrated, it did not appear to have worked.