JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman rejects alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), categorically dismissed the prospect of forming an alliance with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), citing insurmountable differences between the two parties, ARY News reported.

In an interview with a private news channel, Maulana Fazlur Rehman likened the disparities to 'mountains,' emphasising their complexity.

"They [PTI leaders] have come before as well. We have always given them respect," Fazlur Rehman said, regretting that a culture had developed where meetings between two parties were automatically termed as an 'alliance,' as reported by ARY News.

Acknowledging a recent meeting with a PTI delegation, Maulana Fazlur Rehman clarified that such interactions did not imply an automatic alliance.

The JUI-F leader highlighted that the party had consistently treated PTI leaders with respect during previous encounters.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman addressed the reservations held by JUI-F regarding the general election results, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He asserted that the party firmly maintained its stance during discussions with the PTI delegation. "We are firm on our stance, they are firm on their stance," he declared, definitively ruling out the possibility of an alliance.

Regarding the February 8 general elections, Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned the acceptance of results marred by numerous anomalies. He alleged that the rights of various political parties had been usurped in different provinces, citing examples such as PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, different parties in Balochistan, PPP in Sindh, and PML-N in Punjab.

In an invitation to political parties affiliated with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Maulana Fazlur Rehman urged them to join the opposition benches with JUI-F rather than forming a government, emphasizing the importance of preserving their political identity.

Earlier, a delegation from PTI had met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, discussing concerns about 'massive rigging' in the recently concluded General Elections 2024. Representatives from both parties expressed severe reservations about the transparency of the election results.

Hafiz Hamdullah of JUI-F and Barrister Saif of PTI, addressing the media after the meeting, concurred that the elections were not transparent. They pledged to decide on a further course of action based on this shared understanding.

While political differences between JUI-F and PTI remain pronounced, the common ground on the issue of alleged rigging and irregularities in the elections suggests a potential avenue for reconciliation between the two parties.

Following a meeting in prison with the party's founder, Asad Qaiser mentioned that he has been assigned the responsibility of engaging with various political parties, including JUI-F, ANP, Aftab Sherpao, and others.

PTI founder and former Pak PM Imran Khan had ruled out the possibility of talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for the formation of the government or joint opposition, ARY News reported.