Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has announced to celebrate Independence Day with national zeal and fervour. The announcement was made by JUI-F leaders, including Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Maulana Ameer Zaman and Zabid Ali, while addressing a joint press conference at the Parliament Lodges on Saturday. They said that the JUI-F would mark August 14 with full national zeal and fervour. “JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman has never restrained anyone from celebrating Independence Day of the country,” he clarified. The JUI-F leaders also announced to hold demonstrations and issue a white paper against alleged rigging in general elections. Speaking on the occasion, Haidri said that he had never launched any campaign despite having reservations against the results of the last two general elections, but it could not be tolerated anymore. He said that 120 martyrs of Mastung tragedy belonged to his constituency and that was why he could not launch election campaign there. The JUI-F leader alleged that worst rigging during general election was witnessed in Balochistan where party’s polling agents were expelled out of polling stations and were told that they would be informed about the results later. Haidri said that the opponents were backed by the establishment. “The MMA could have formed government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with support of anyone had transparent elections were held,” he claimed. He said that all national institutions should work within their constitutional limits. He said that the Pakistan Army was respectable for the entire country but its interference in political affairs was neither a good omen nor the nation would allow it. Published in Daily Times, August 12th 2018.