JUI-F decries ‘coordinated campaign’ against Fazl

The JUI-F organization held protests across Sindh and Balochistan on Friday, condemning what it termed a "coordinated campaign of character assassination" against its leader, Maulana Fazlur Rehman. In Balochistan, demonstrations were organized in town centers, including Quetta, Khuzdar, Awaran, Musakhel, Harnai, Lasbela, Qila Saifullah, Ziarat, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Chaman, Pishin, Kalat, Mastung and Kohlu.

Party members, workers, religious scholars, political and social figures took part in the gatherings, supporting the Maulana.

During the protests, speakers defended the Maulana's stance on upholding the Constitution, democracy, parliamentary authority, religious values, and public rights. They criticized the alleged surveillance of his home via drone and the subsequent dissemination of footage on social media, arguing that such intrusions violate personal privacy and fundamental rights.

The speakers emphasized that disputes between political parties should be resolved through dialogue, arguments, and constitutional efforts rather than resorting to personal vendettas, character defamation, unethical campaigns, and violations of personal privacy. They stressed that disagreements should be addressed through peaceful means, not targeted attacks on individuals' private lives or negative propaganda on social media.

The demonstrators called for a prompt, transparent, and impartial investigation into the drone footage incident, demanding that those responsible, including those allegedly involved behind the scenes, be identified and held accountable as per the law. They also denounced the misuse of social media for character defamation, false allegations, and organized negative campaigns instead of facilitating political discourse and public awareness. The JUI-F leaders stated that those involved in such activities must face legal consequences.

A separate meeting of JUI-F Sindh leaders expressed concerns over the drone surveillance of their general secretary Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro, the issuance of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) notices to Mufti Asad Mahmood, Kamran Murtaza, and other party members, and the sealing of commercial establishments in various cities.

They described these actions as government panic and political vendettas, provoked by the party's opposition to the "Form 47 government," the unity of provinces, the NFC Award, the 18th Constitutional Amendment, and alleged attempts to seize provincial mineral resources. The meeting assured that the party would not be deterred and would persist in its constitutional, legal, and democratic struggle.

They announced that following their leader's directive and adhering to a non-violent policy, future protests would occur on highways and major roads.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman also addressed a gathering of the Jamiat Talaba Islam in Islamabad, advocating for transparency in foreign investment agreements involving Pakistan's mineral resources. He stressed that the country's natural wealth should not be exploited through secretive arrangements at the expense of its citizens. While not opposing investment from China, the US, or multinational corporations, the JUI-F leader emphasized that all agreements must be publicly disclosed, with clear profit-sharing arrangements among Pakistan, foreign investors, and local communities.

The Maulana criticized the government's implementation of security measures in tribal regions to facilitate illicit trade routes and questioned the rationale behind imposing curfews twice a week while the remaining five days were deemed free from terrorism.