Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman stepped up efforts against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government by announcing 'Islamabad lockdown' plan after the all-parties conference (APC) next week.
Speaking at a press conference after chairing the JUI-F's central executive committee (CEC) meeting and a separate meeting of the party's delegation with Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said: "The right to rule by a 'fake' and 'selected' government cannot be recognised anymore."
He said that the APC will be convened in consultation with the leadership of the opposition political parties including PML-N's Quaid Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and others. He said that the JUI-F's CEC has endorsed the party's agenda for the APC as well as the ongoing 'million march' and the lockdown plan of the federal capital in a bid 'to send' the 'selected' government back to home.
"We are fighting for the survival of Pakistan and the CEC has reaffirmed it stance that the current government is 'fake' and 'selected' which needs to be sent to home," he said, adding that among other options the party would put forward the plan to launch a 'decisive' drive against the government.
However, he said that it would up to the APC to decide about the nature of protest drive when it will meet hopefully next week. "Other opposition political parties also have their own points of view, but the JUI-F has a principled stance that a 'fake and selected' government has no right to rule and its right to rule cannot be acknowledged," he added.
He said that effort are under way to unite the entire nation against the current government, adding that all the opposition political parties would also be invited to participate in the JUI-F's 'million march' and Islamabad lockdown drive.
"The people from across the country would participate in the million march and we will ensure to flood the streets of the federal capital with the people," Maulana vowed, adding that a committee has been constituted to make preparations for the lockdown plan of the federal capital and also approach other opposition political parties.
He said that his party also rejects the federal budget 2019-20 which he termed as anti-people and anti-country. "This budget is a source to disintegrate the country," he maintained, adding that the measures proposed under the budget would further add to problems of the already poverty stricken people of the country.
The JUI-F chief underscored the need for agreeing to a 'national economic plan' instead of National Action Plan to steer the country out of the prevailing challenges. "But for that the current rulers have no capacity and they need to be replaced with the capable leadership," he asserted.
To a question, he said that soon after the July 25, 2018 general election, the JUI-F has adopted a principled stance and also urged rest of the opposition political parties to boycott the Parliament and stay away from taking the oath under the 'fake' government.
"If everybody has now the opinion that it is a fake government imposed on us through a massively rigged elections, then it [government] cannot be given more time to remain in the power," he said, adding that all the opposition parties need to be united on a solid opinion.
The JUI-F chief also criticised the government's counterterrorism policy, saying that the party's CEC described the counter-narrative against terrorism as obsolete which has only targeted the religion and religious institutions.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose party's delegation also held consultations with Bilawal Bhutto earlier in the day, stated that he (Bilawal) said that his party would accept the decisions undertaken by the APC, the dates for which will be decided through consultations. Maulana, however, has proposed June 24 (Monday) for the APC to be convened.