MARDAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the flawed foreign policy of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government is leading the country to isolation in the comity of nations, while its economic policy is increasing poverty and indigence in the country making life harder for the poor.

Addressing the ‘million march rally’ organised by JUI-F here on Sunday, he came down hard on the PTI government and warned the rulers that any move to rollback the 18th Amendment and recognise Israel would be disastrous for the country.

Criticising the government for its failure to improve the economy despite tall claims during the election campaign, the chief of his own faction of JUI said poverty was on the steep rise with the result that life was becoming harder for the poor.

Addresses JUI-F’s ‘million march’ in Mardan

“Those who were claiming to change the very fate of the poor and bringing about revolutionary changes in their lives have now come up with hens and eggs and forgot and consigned to oblivion their glittering promises,” he said

Mr Rehman alleged that the government was conspiring to amend the law that had declared the Ahmadis as a minority and the chain of events and the stance of the government had proved it beyond any shadow of doubt that the rulers were with the enemies of Islam.

“The government is guilty of conspiring to alter the blasphemy law, setting blasphemers free and playing to western tunes, and it was due to this reason that a former elected prime minister and political leaders of the parties were sent to jail before the election,” he continued.

The JUI-F chief said his party would not allow the implementation of any foreign agenda contrary to the teachings of Islam and that his party supporters would not hesitate to render any sacrifice for upholding Khatam-i-Nabuwwat.

The JUI-F chief accused the PTI of stealing the public mandate, alleging that the last general elections were rigged in favour of Imran Khan-led party.

Regarding the Aasia Bibi case, he said it was not the legality of arrest or release of the Christian woman that was bothering the nation, but her release “under a deal” with the west.

He insisted that the PTI supported and appreciated NAB when it arrested the opposition leaders but started criticising the accountability watchdog when it began investigations against Imran Khan’s sister and Aleem Khan.

He announced that the next protest would be held on Feb 24 in Badin district of Sindh province and on Feb 28 at Nasirabad in Balocistan province.

MMA leaders Mufti Kifayatullah, Maulana Shah Awais Norani, Rashid Mehmood Sumro, Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, Akram Khan Durrani, Maulana Amanat Shah, Maulana Shuja-ul-Mulk, Abdul Ghafoor Haderi, and other leaders also addressed the ‘million march’.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2019