Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday said the ‘fake parliament’, which he said came into being through ‘massive rigging’ in last year’s elections, cannot carry out sensitive legislation about the tenure of the chief of army staff, a private TV channel reported.
Addressing a protest rally in front of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Karachi, Fazl said the top military leadership of the country was dragged and demeaned in the courts due to incompetence of the incumbent rulers. “They [the government] are not only illegal but also don’t have capability to tackle legal matters,” he remarked.
The JUI-F chief said the current rulers cannot be allowed to remain at the helm for stealing the public mandate. “This fake parliament can’t bring sensitive legislation,” he remarked.
The JUI-F chief’s remarks came a day after Supreme Court directed the government to bring necessary legislation to determine the tenure of army chief.
The apex court in its short order gave the government six months to legislate and iron out the lacunae in the reappointment or extension of tenure of a chief of army staff (COAS) through an act of parliament.
Fazl said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is running away from its own accountability in the foreign funding case, being heard by the ECP. He advised the national election watchdog to satisfy the masses and take the case to its logical conclusion at the earliest.
The JUI-F chief also lashed out at the federal government over the country’s crippling economy. “Those who promised 10 million jobs are shutting down 400 departments. The have made tens of thousands lose their livelihoods and claim tomatoes and beans are available to masses in Rs 17 and Rs 5 per kg respectively,” he said.
Fazl, who led a massive anti-government march dubbed as ‘Azadi March’ to Islamabad earlier this month, said the movement will continue until the government is ousted and fresh elections are announced. “It is time to force the government taste its own medicine … public resolve will end the illegitimate government. All it needs is just one more push,” he said. Opposition’s Azadi March demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resignation and free and fair election in the country, a demand the prime minister rejected. The days-long sit-in was eventually called off and the opposition parties, led by JUI-F, moved onto ‘Plan B’. However, the plan to block major thoroughfares of the country did not last long and the party then decided to approach the election commission.