Head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, “clarified” on Friday his remarks regarding former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, accusing them both of planning the 2022 PTI government’s overthrow.
In a 2022 interview with a private TV channel, the head of JUI-F stated, “I was against the idea of tabling a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.” This was in reference to the first-ever no-confidence vote in the history of the country, which resulted in the removal of a prime minister.
Leading opposition figures, including Maulana Fazl, led the drive to remove the PTI founder under the aegis of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
Fazl clarified his previous comments in a statement released today, claiming that he had taken Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed’s name “by mistake.”
On the alleged involvement of General (retd) Bajwa and General (retd) Faiz in election manipulation during the 2018 elections, he did not, however, change his position. “This matter should be consigned to history instead of being discussed more,” he said.
“It’s enough; I’ve told everyone everything. We intended to use a resolution of no confidence to overthrow the PTI government. Previously, PDM, PPP, and ANP met every day. “General Bajwa and I have had numerous meetings together,” he continued.
Speaking about the most recent elections and his meeting with the PTI delegation, Fazl claimed that no one, not even in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, had held transparent polls. “The PTI delegation arrived and we had a productive meeting in spite of our differences. However, we made it clear to them that there was rigging in K-P “he continued.
He went on to say that he would not put personal resentment ahead of national interests. “Differences are there but they are not at a personal level but rather at the party level,” he said.
The JUI-F leader’s explanation comes after much investigation and conjecture over his first comments, which caused a storm in Pakistani politics.
The JUI-F leader had profited the most, according to PPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi, from the no-confidence vote against Imran Khan. He continued by saying that as the PDM’s leader, Fazl has the ability to halt the motion of no confidence.
In response to Fazl’s claim that the mandate of his party was taken, Kundi retorted, “If it was taken, then to whom was it given? To the same group that paid him a visit yesterday.
Political commentators were taken aback by the JUI-F chief’s early comments because of his longstanding support for the status quo. Some people assume that he was so enraged by his recent loss in the general elections that he made remarks about Bajwa and Hameed.
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