PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for its politics of confrontation and said that anyone who wanted to come to power should wait for the next general elections.

During a brief chat with mediapersons after addressing the ulema and students of seminaries at the party secretariat here, he said that it was the government’s responsibility to provide security and protection to citizens.

“Nobody should adopt undemocratic means to come to power. They should wait for the next elections,” he said. He stated that if someone planned to lock down the federal capital then it was the government’s responsibility to ensure protection and safety of its citizens.

The JUI-F chief said that those who had planned to lock down Islamabad on Nov 2 were now concerned about the blockade of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “If you are going to besiege Islamabad then this is the government’s responsibility to ensure protection of the federal capital,” he remarked.

Flays PTI’s politics of ‘confrontation’

Maulana Rehman did not comment on the resignation of the federal minister for information, Pervaiz Rashid, who was dismissed from the cabinet on Saturday.

Earlier, the JUI-F chief said that seminaries were a sacred trust with ulema whose protection was their responsibility. He alleged that America and its western allies were conspiring against seminaries. He said that faith and civilisation were the main identities of Muslims, and the US was trying to deprive them of their identities.

He said that America had reservations about seminaries in this country, alleging that institutions here were contesting its case to close them down. He said that Islam taught them moderation and the ulema and students should seek guidance from the holy Quran and Sunnah.

The JUI-F chief said that people involved in terrorism could not represent Islam and Muslims.

He said that they were against those people who were involved in terrorism in the name of religion. He said that there was no space in religion for terrorism as Islam was a peaceful religion.

Without mentioning the PTI followers’ campaign on the social media, Maulana Rehman asked his workers not to get provoked with such campaigns. “Instead of replying to those who are hurling abuses at us we will continue our struggle with dignity and respect,” he said.

Regarding the PTI’s scheduled lockdown of Islamabad on Nov 2, he said that they would not allow any illegality.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2016