DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday said that he had repeatedly claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government was imposed on the nation to fulfil a “foreign agenda” in the country, and the time proved him right.

Addressing a public meeting in Tank area after inaugurating development projects, Mr Fazl said that PTI chief and former prime minister Imran Khan was an enemy of the country.

He said that the last PTI government was responsible for maintaining law and order in the country but it did nothing for it.

The JUI-F chief, who also heads the ruling coalition in the centre, Pakistan Democratic Movement, said that the 2018 general elections were rigged for the formation of the PTI’s government.

JUI-F chief inaugurates uplift projects in Tank

He called Imran a fitna [evil] and said that the PTI chief had no role in national politics any longer.

“We won’t allow his [Imran’s] return to power,” he said.

Mr Fazl said that Islam’s “economic system” was the only solution to Pakistan’s woes.

He said that his party along with coalition partners would develop the country and improve its image internationally.

The JUI-F chief said that after the PDM formed the government in the centre last year, the JUI-F got development projects worth billions of rupees approved.

He said that the JUI-F had always served the people and would continue doing so.

On the occasion, Mr Fazl inaugurated a 36km long Tank-Pezu Road and a link road from Tank to Yarik Interchange of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The project’s cost is Rs4 billion.

Federal communications minister Asad Mahmood, who was also in attendance, called the PTI government in the province a decade of darkness, which, he said, had come to an end.

He said that he was aware of the deprivation and sufferings of his voters, so he got the streets in his district paved at a cost of Rs500 million.

The minister also said that the upgradation of the district headquarters hospital and work on the Tank Zam Dam project would begin soon, while a pipeline would be laid from the dam to address water shortage in Tank city.

He said that Tank was a stronghold of the JUI-F and would elect the party’s nominees in the next polls.

On arrival, the JUI-F chief and minister were given a warm welcome by the party workers.

The gathering was also addressed by former MPA Mehmood Bhatni.

On the occasion, political and social leaders of Garha Baloch, including village council nazims Naveed Qazi and Alamgir Baloch and former nazim Ashraf Baloch announced the joining of the JUI-F.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2023