The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) has intensified its rhetoric against former ally, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), accusing them of using the demand for timely elections as an excuse to avoid participating in the upcoming polls.
In a statement issued by JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri, the party called out the PPP for targeting its coalition partners and urged them to reveal their true agenda. Ghauri also commented on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s recent criticism of JUI-F’s support for a delay in the elections beyond three months.
The tension between the two parties arose after JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned the feasibility of holding elections during the winter season. Bilawal, in response, expressed his commitment to timely elections and accused those who opposed it of avoiding their responsibility towards the people of Pakistan.
The JUI-F spokesperson responded by saying that the PPP should focus on its election campaign instead of criticizing its coalition partners. He also reminded Bilawal that he would eventually become the prime minister and urged him to be patient.
The JUI-F spokesperson further emphasized that the party has already started its election campaign and advised the PPP to do the same to avoid any complaints about insufficient time in the future.
These political clashes come as Pakistan enters the pre-election phase, with the Election Commission of Pakistan announcing that general elections will be held in January next year. Political parties have begun their preparations for the upcoming campaigns.
In a separate media talk in Peshawar, PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon asserted that his party is the only solution to Pakistan’s crises and that the country needs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Memon highlighted the PPP’s commitment to public welfare and recalled the development projects initiated during the party’s tenure.
Memon also demanded immediate elections, emphasizing that the public should have the right to exercise their mandate and choose a political party capable of leading the country out of crises.
The clash between the JUI-F and the PPP underscores the growing tensions among political parties as they position themselves for the upcoming elections.