Speaking at the parliamentary board meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) at Darul Uloom Sarhad here on Monday, he said: “The world should not compare the MMA’s victory with the Taliban movement. They had come into power with force while the MMA has come through an internationally recognised democratic process. The world should accept the people’s mandate.”
The JUI(F) chief also said the alliance would bring reforms in the existing system, and pledged that the forthcoming government would bring positive changes in the people lives.
Fazlur Rehman, who remained a staunch supporter of the Taliban government, also said the Islamic Ideological Council (IIC) would be activated and recommendations made by that august body would be enforced in the country.
But he also said that all these goals would be achieved through democratic process and with the people’s concensus.
He said the MMA, which had emerged as a major force in the post-election scenario, wanted good relations with the world community, but not at the cost of national sovereignty. “We will never compromise on our national interests”, he maintained.
He criticized the world media for presenting a negative image of the MMA, and asked the people not to be frightened of the victory of conservative groups.
He advised the newly-elected MPAs and MNAs against issuing unnecessary statements which could caused harassment and create negative impression among the masses, and asked them to demonstrate discipline.
The JUI, a key component of the MMA, which has bagged 27 seats, out of 48 clinched by the alliance in NWFP Assembly, has started talks with some independent candidates to form government in the province.
The six-party bloc was scheduled to meet here on Monday to announce the name of the probable leader of the house in Frontier Assembly, but the event was postponed at the eleventh hour.
Now the alliance’s components are likely to meet in Islamabad on Tuesday to announce its candidate for the office of NWFP chief minister.
APP ADDS: Talking to newsmen before the start of the meeting, Fazlur Rehman said contacts with the other political parties had started all over the country by the central leaders of the MMA.
He said PML(Q) leader Shujaat Hussain had contacted him by telephone and discussed the matters pertaining to formation of the government.