DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman here on Monday stressed the need for ensuring a peaceful environment for holding general elections in the country.

Addressing a press conference, he said that it would not be a big issue at all if elections were delayed for a few days to ensure peaceful environment, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He said that both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the worst-affected provinces of the country as far as law and order was concerned.

He was accompanied by Aghaz Khan Gandapur, a politician from Kulachi tehsil, who announced to join JUI-F on the occasion.

Mr Rehman said that JUI-F activists were being killed in terrorist attacks in South Waziristan, Tank, Bajaur and other areas. He added that firing on his convoy was also an indication that running election campaigns in the deteriorating situation was quite a risky job.

JUI-F chief stresses need for ensuring peaceful environment; terms firing on his convoy an indication of deteriorating situation

He said that Election Commission of Pakistan should consider his party’s appeals regarding ensuring a peaceful environment before rushing for holding polls. He said that due to poor law and order in the country, turnout would also remain low. It would raise questions over transparency of elections, he added.

The JUI-F chief said that level playing field should also be provided to other parties along with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which wreaked havoc with the economy of the country when it was in power with gross domestic product (GDP) going down to negative growth.

To a question about the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan, he said that restoration of peace in the entire region was in the interest of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He said that JUI-F would continue its struggle for development of Dera Ismail Khan and all the ongoing development schemes would be completed in a timely manner.

To another question, Mr Rehman said that electricity loadshedding was a big issue in Dera Ismail Khan that would be resolved soon.

Speaking on the occasion, Aghaz Khan Gandapur said that he would contest elections from provincial constituency PK-115 on JUI-F ticket. “Our family has old terms with family of Maulana Fazlur Rehman as my grandfather was a minister in the cabinet of Mufti Mehmood,” he added.

The JUI-F chief welcomed Aghaz Khan Gandapur in his party and termed his entry into the party’s folds a good omen for the development of entire region.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2024