The opposition joins the protest on February 8 and condemns the blast in Islamabad

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday announced his party’s support for Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan’s (TTAP) protest scheduled for February 8, saying all opposition parties shared the same view that the 2024 general elections were fake.

Addressing a press conference along with TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Maulana Fazl said his party would fully support the February 8 movement had announced a strike that helped stop the wheels and shut down.

“We support their appeal for February 8 wheel stoppage and shutdown and if our party has planned a rally or procession, we will cancel it or if it cannot be cancelled, we will hold it at such a time that it will not affect the wheel stoppage or shutdown,” he said.

He said JUI-F would also align its programs with the protest plan announced by TTAP.

“Our demand is one, our stand is one. The rigging took place on February 8 and we have been sitting in opposition to this rigging from day one and we all have the same stand,” he said.

Maulana Fazl criticized the role of the establishment and said its stance had not changed even after the elections. He said the same behavior had continued in subsequent by-elections.

“We are firm on our stand and our stand on this issue is also one. Just as we rejected the February 8, 2024 elections on that very day, we remain firm on that stand even today. Even today we reject it and demand fresh elections,” he added.

Condemning the suicide attack at an Imambargah in Islamabad, the JUI-F chief expressed deep grief and extended sympathy and solidarity with the families of the martyrs and the injured.

He termed the incident as a failure to ensure peace and said the authorities should accept their mistakes. “We were crying that this is the situation in KP or this is the situation in Balochistan … the entire state has become helpless,” he said.

He said his party did not want the state to become weak and wanted to see it strong, adding that while national defense was important, the difficulties faced by people over decades had yet to see a meaningful change.

Speaking on the occasion, Achakzai said the opposition had expressed concern in February over alleged manipulation of the public mandate. He said that “with guns, through pressure from courts, money and power, the minds of 250 million people everywhere were changed,” adding that those who protested fraudsters later faced violence and legal action.

He said thousands of people had registered FIRs against them and also condemned the recent judicial changes, saying the authority of the judiciary had been curtailed and voices silenced under the PECA Act.

He said there was consensus among the opposition parties to protest against the government in a democratic manner and they had requested Maulana Fazl to show accommodation regarding the February 8 strike for which he expressed gratitude.

Achakzai, who is also the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, also condemned the Islamabad attack and said all forms of terrorism were unacceptable. “We condemn all forms of terrorism, whether from the government, from any individual, any party or any group,” he said.

He said that terrorism was not limited to one region but affected the whole world, adding that it was dangerous to associate terrorism with Islam and humanity. “The Holy Quran considers the killing of a human being as the killing of all mankind. We are such people; we follow such a religion,” he said.

He repeated calls for a round table conference involving all institutions to find a way forward. “This is our country; we want to save it and govern it,” he said, adding that the country could only function when power rested with an elected parliament and policies were formulated there.

Commending the security forces and agencies for their sacrifices, he said civilian supremacy was essential for the proper functioning of institutions, warning that failure to ensure it could lead to dire consequences.

Responding to a journalist’s question whether the JUI-F chief had been taken into confidence regarding the Prime Minister’s proposed visit, Achakzai said it would be a positive development if the Prime Minister wanted to meet him.

“There is nothing wrong with that. We will face each other. We will govern this country. We will have to show courage and accept our mistakes. We have no permanent enmity with anyone. This country belongs to all of us,” he said.