ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said here on Friday that his party would contest the general elections from the platform of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.Speaking at a news conference after a three-day meeting of his party’s consultative committee, Maulana Fazl ruled out any possibility of MMA erring into an electoral alliance with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League or the Pakistan People’s Party.
“However, adjustments at local levels with other parties are possible,” he said.
The Maulana said a decision on whether to remain in the All Parties Democratic Movement had been deferred till his meeting with APDM convener and PML (Nawaz) leader Raja Zafarul Haq. He said that the JUI (F) would remain in the APDM if its reservations were removed.
He said that he had supported the PML (N) and saved the opposition from falling apart at a time when a major component of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy had left it.
He said that reservations about the APDM would be discussed by MMA’s supreme council which would also approve the election manifesto of the alliance in its meeting scheduled for November 8.
He condemned the deployment of troops for a military operation in Swat and said the MMA government in the NWFP never allowed the army to enter the area.
He claimed militancy in the area had flared up after the military operation against Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in July. He warned the government that use of military force would fuel strong resistance.Maulana Fazl expressed serious reservations about the draft code of conduct prepared by the Election Commission barring criticism of the army, judiciary and foreign leaders.
He said: “The Supreme Court itself has ruled that the judiciary could be criticised and the armed forces will continue to be discussed and criticised if the generals don’t decide to pull the army out of national politics”.
The MMA leader advised the Election Commission to issue a directive to the armed forces to withdraw from politics and also force the government to refrain from curtailing the independence of judiciary.
He said that if leaders of other countries did not want to be criticised they should stop meddling in the affairs of other states.
The Maulana denied media reports that the JUI (F) had demanded removal or replacement of MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed.
He also criticised what he called his media trial for his alleged contacts with the establishment.
The JUI (F) terminated the basic membership of MNAs Maulana Khalilur Rahman and Maulana Ghulam Sadiq and his son Senator Hafiz Abdul Rashid for violating party discipline and voting for General Pervez Musharraf in the presidential election.
