LARKANA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday challenged the legitimacy of the incumbent government asserting that the “country’s current leadership has come to power through rigging”.

Addressing the ‘Dastar-i-Fazeelat Conference’ hosted by his party at a seminary in the city, he claimed that assemblies were bought, public opinion was manipulated, ballot boxes were changed and money was made through falsehood.

“We cannot leave this country at the mercy of these rulers,” he said.

Maulana Fazl argued that since such rulers do not enjoy the genuine allegiance of the masses, the JUI-F does not accept their authority and is not prepared to pledge allegiance to them. “That’s why, we are in confrontation with these rulers,” he said.

He said that about a year ago, while a debate was underway on the 26th Constitutional Amendment’s draft, his party had been engaged in negotiations with the proponents for over a month and finally succeeded in thwarting their “impure designs” by forcing them to correct its flaws.

Opposes new legislation to establish minorities commission

He said JUI-F also wanted inclusion in the draft provisions for complete elimination of interest (riba), a criterion for the registration of seminaries, strengthening of the Federal Shariat Court and bringing recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology before the parliament for a debate. However, he said, despite passage of a year, the recommendations have not been tabled in the parliament.

“This reflects the government’s ill intentions,” he remarked.

He wondered that the ruling coalition had suddenly gained a two-thirds majority to get the 27th Constitutional Amendment adopted in the parliament without any new elections; that’s why the JUI-F does not accept this amendment. “Numbers were secured through coercion, pressure and vote buying,” he alleged. He declared that his party’s struggle on this front will continue.

Referring to the recent decision to establish a minority commission, Maulana Fazl lamented that through a new legislation on minorities, the government is rendering other laws ineffective. He warned that such steps could open a way for Ahmadis. “We’ve taken notice of this,” he said, and urged his followers to stand with JUI-F with courage.

Addressing the conference Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri alleged that due to the use of Form 47, the election commission, corrupt agents, bureaucracy, and subservient elements ensured victories for selected candidates on the orders of powerful forces.

“We have endured injustice for a long time, but we will no longer tolerate oppression, rigging and fraud,” he said.

At a ceremony during the conference, turbans were conferred upon seven Muftis, 34 huffaz-i-Quran, 32 male and 18 female scholars and others.

Earlier Maulana Fazlur Rehman was received by JUI-F Sindh General Secretary Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro and other senior leaders of the party’s provincial chapter when he arrived at the Mohenjo Daro Airport in the morning

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2025