No-confidence motion against PTI govt instigated by Gen Bajwa and Gen Faiz: Maulana Fazal

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was brought at the behest of former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed.

In an interview with Samaa TV, the JUI-F chief said that the movement of no-confidence against the PTI government was being spearheaded by the Pakistan People’s Party. “General Faiz Hameed came to me and said that you can do whatever you want within the system and we will not object to it, but not outside the system. I refused him, but then when the PTI people, MQM, and BAP broke up, they (generals) said that now we have a majority.”

Explaining his stance on refusing the no-confidence at that time, he said, “If I had refused the no-confidence at that time, it would have been said that Maulana had saved Imran Khan.

“General Faiz and General Qamar Javed Bajwa were in touch with us regarding the no-confidence, and we were told in front of everyone that you have to do this and do it this way.”

Maulana Fazl stated that “what has happened in the recent elections is not hidden from anyone, but electoral theft is such an act that it is difficult to present witnesses or evidence. “The whole election was stolen, and there are stories to tell what happened in these elections.”

He said, “We have formally rejected the elections and announced to launch a movement against it. We will protest against rigging in the elections on the streets, and decisions will not be made in parliament but in the street. All the major parties have changed their position on rigging in the 2018 and recent elections, but we are the only party still holding our stance that rigging was done at that time and has been done now, and the apparent beneficiary of which has been the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.”

He also said that there is an impression that Nawaz Sharif has been “given” the seat of Lahore. “He (Nawaz) has to keep this seat or leave it; he has to decide for himself, and this is why he is reluctant to take the government as prime minister.”

He also said, “There is a difference of mind with the PTI, which can be done away with. “When the upcoming talks take place (with the PTI), then it will be known what to say to them. We are going in the assembly with reservations, so we will not support any party for the prime minister or other posts.”

“The strategy adopted to form the new government, I do not consider it a successful strategy, but if they have decided, then they will be responsible for its success and failure.”

Responding to a question, he said, “If the establishment thinks that the elections were fair and transparent, then the refrain of May 9 has been buried, and “it means that the people have voted for the traitors. We respect the state institutions, but why do they come into politics? We will support them, if they support the democratic system.”

Regarding the next parliament, he predicted, “This parliament will not function; it has no status and importance. The decisions and policies in the parliament will come from somewhere else. The next parliament will be more hybrid plus than that of the PTI era, and the new parliament has no future.”

Concerning relations with the establishment, he commented, “The talks with the establishment keep taking place, but someone has to stand up to confront the establishment and say that you are wrong. The PTI government was formed by the establishment, which toppled it as well.