DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman underlined the need for ensuring a peaceful environment for holding general elections in the country.
He stated this while addressing a press conference along with renowned politicians from Kulachi Tehsil Aghaz Khan Gandapur, who also announced joining JUI-F on this occasion.
Fazl viewed it would not be a big problem at all if the elections were delayed for a few days to ensure a peaceful environment, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
He claimed that JUI-F activists were losing their lives in terrorist attacks in South Waziristan, Tank, Bajaur and other areas and the firing incident on his convoy was also indicating that pursuing election campaigns in such a situation was risky.
Thus the election commission should consider his party’s appeals regarding ensuring a peaceful environment before rushing for elections, he added
He was of the view that the poor law and order situation could also affect the turnout, leading to raising questions over elections’ fairness. The JUI-F Chief said that level playing field should also be given to other parties as well along with the PTI which wreaked havoc with the country’s economy when it was in power.
Replying to a question about Afghanistan, he said peace in the region was in the interest of both countries including Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said that JUI-F would continue its struggle for the development of Dera Ismail Khan and that all the ongoing development schemes would be completed promptly.
Replying to another question, he said the electricity load-shedding had emerged as a big issue in DI Khan which would also be resolved soon. Speaking on this occasion, Aghaz Khan Gandapur said he would contest elections from provincial constituency PK-115 (Kulachi) on a JUI-F ticket. He said, “Our family has old terms with the family of Maulana Fazlur Rehman as my grandfather was a minister with Mufti Mehmood.”The JUI-F chief welcomed Aghaz Khan Gandapur into his party and termed his joining as a good omen for the entire region’s development.