Jamiat Uleam-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of "damaging" billions of dollars Chinese investment made through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Addressing his party's charged crowd here at H-9, as his anti-government sit-in entered sixth day, Fazl said that ruling PTI not only spoiled country's relations with Iran and other brotherly countries but also damaged the Sino-Pak relations.
"The all-time tested friend like China is no more ready to trust us and this is the reason they are not going to make any further investment in the country," he claimed.
He said that so-called accountability has thrown a spanner in the bureaucracy's works, adding that 'political victimization' under the pretext of 'so-called' accountability is not acceptable.
Criticising the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the JUI-F cleric said that 'everyone is now afraid if they sign a project, they will be forced to stand in court."
Rehman said that the "country's economy is on a downward spiral and debts are accumulating on a daily basis".
"For the first time in Pakistan's history, three budgets were presented. And despite that, they could not meet tax collection targets."
The JUI-F chief said that the government's recommendation for the formation of a judicial commission to probe rigging in the July 2018 election has been rejected.
"We reject every proposal for the formation of a commission and maintain our demand for fresh elections. There can be no change in the matter," he added.
"Now it's up to you. The sooner you decide on this, the sooner we can see this matter resolved. If you think this crowd should disperse, go ahead and give the call," he warned.
The JUI-F chief also spoke about the missing persons' issue, and said: "So many people have been picked up under the pretext of terrorism and they are still missing".
"Is it justified for the state institutions to pick up someone on mere suspicion or on the basis of their own report?" he questioned.
He said such people remain missing for 12 to 15 years. "And if they are criminals, why are they not brought before the court?" he questioned.
"Why no one objected over 126-day sit-in of PTI in 2014, and why are they raising objections over us today, as they [PTI] were alone then and even alone today. The opposition parties were united in 2014 and they are together today as well," he said.
He stopped his followers when they chanted 'D-Chowk' slogans, indicating that they are ready to move to D-Chowk, where Prime Minister Imran Khan had held his 126-day sit-in.
National anthem was also played before Maulana Rehman started his speech atop a shipping container from where he regularly addresses protesters at about 9:00pm since the sit-in began.
JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri called upon "institutions" to allow his party to fight, what he refers to as a "political battle" with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing participants of the 'Azadi March', he alleged that Prime Minister Khan during his visit to the US had said that "al Qaeda members were trained by Pakistan" and that in Tehran the Premier said that "terrorism in Iran is carried out from Pakistan". Haideri further alleged that Imran also talked about "dividing Kashmir into three parts".
He questioned why the state and state institutions remained silent on these statements.
"Our battle with Imran Khan is political and institutions should let us fight this battle," he said in an indirect message to military.
Late in the evening, a worker of the party whose name could not be ascertained died due to heart failure.
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