MARDAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has alleged that wrong policies of the rulers have destroyed Pakistan’s economy.

He expressed these views while addressing a ‘Kisan Convention’ held in the Par Hoti area here on Saturday.

The JUI-F’s central, provincial and local leaders and a large number of party activists attended the farmers’ convention.

He said that soon after coming to power, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken it as challenge that he would ensure economic turnaround, but he had failed.

“Both the prime minster and army chief Gen Asim Munir had visited China but they failed to convince the Chinese leadership to make investments in Pakistan,” he said, adding that Chinese officials were reluctant to invest in Pakistan because of political instability.

Mr Rehman alleged that the US and its western allied countries had accelerated efforts to create hurdles in developmental of both China and Pakistan.

The JUI-F chief claimed that he had visited China in 1995 and convinced the Chinese officials to make investments in Pakistan.

Mr Rehman said that Pakistan was an agricultural country, but deplored that the country had failed to leverage the potential to develop its economy.

He alleged that the US and its western allies had launched efforts to bring demographic changes in many countries of the world.

About the alleged rigging in the last general elections, Mr Rehman alleged that those who were sent to the Parliament were not voted by the people of Pakistan. “Political stability cannot be brought to the country if people have no confidence in the parliament,” he added.

He made it clear that his party would not tolerate any action against the religious seminaries.

Mr Rehman vowed that no one could dare bring any changes to the law related to Ahmadis. He also alleged that the Pakistani rulers were trying to make their American masters happy by taking such actions, but warned that they would not succeed in their efforts.

The JUI-F chief asserted that it were Afghans who had defeated the then USSR and not that the US and its western allies.

Similarly, he said the US and its allies tasted an ignominious defeat at the hands of Afghans.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2024