DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Feb 19: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who faced humiliating defeat in his hometown in Monday’s elections, on Tuesday said he accepted the election results and would continue struggle in parliament.

Talking to Dawn in the Abdulkhel village on Tuesday, he said the country was at a crossroads and the new government would face internal and external challenges.

“Let’s see how the new government deals with these challenges,” said Maulana Fazl, who was defeated in the NA-24 constituency (Dera Ismail Khan) by Pakistan People’s Party candidate Faisal Karim Kundi. Mr Kundi polled 83,525 votes against Maulana Fazl’s 45,962 votes.

The JUI-F chief’s younger brother, Maulana Attaur Rehman, however, won the NA-25 seat (Dera Ismail Khan-cum-Tank).

He defeated Habibullah Khan Kundi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, according to unofficial results.

Maulana Fazl said “the election results did not match with the voters’ turnout”, which created doubts about transparency of the process.

The difference in the number of votes polled for national and provincial assembly seats did not correspond to each other, he claimed.

He said militancy posed serious repercussions for the country and it was imperative to bring militants to the democratic process.

Maulana Fazl said although the masses had given a crushing blow to his party, they still believed in democracy. He expressed the hope that voters’ response would be positive in future.

He said his party would chalk out its future line of action after consultation with component parties of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.