A day after PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari claimed that the names of Afghan nationals were on the voter rolls, Jamiat Ulema Islam-F Chief Fazal ur Rehman has demanded investigation into the issue and said that the probe should be completed before holding the general election, which he said could be delayed.

Fazal ur Rehman was interviewed by Asma Shirazi for her show ‘Faisla Aap Ka’ on Aaj News.

Asif Ali Zardari, who also spoke on the same show on Monday, had also said that a delay of ‘eight to ten days’ in the general election would make no difference.

Fazal said that there was no question that state institutions were aware of what was the situation of law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He added that security forces had been confronting terrorists for a long time in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki marwat and Waziristan and people are getting martyred daily.

Fazal added that terrorism had never ceased in the province at all.

He said that while the JUI wanted elections and had even taken to the streets against the PTI government to protest the 2018 elections. However, elections should be fair and an atmosphere should be created accordingly, he added.

The JUI leader said that the PDM government had been unable to do much more that just keeping Pakistan afloat as it faced default due to the PTI government’s policies.

Fazal said that a military operation had been conducted in his own village recently and firing had continued the entire night. He said that even moving inside the village freely was not possible anymore.

He also mentioned Asif Zardari’s new claim about Afghan voters being registered in KP and said that the Election Commission should look into the matter. He added, however, that he had not heard of the claim until Zardari mentioned it.

Asked if an investigation could lead to a delay in election, Fazal said that if a delay of a few days could lead to a fair election there was no big problem.

He added that he was not asking for a delay in election basedon any political need but only to ensure fair elections.

The JUI chief also mentioned that elections had been delayed at the time of Benazir’s Bhutto’s death and said that people would understand that there was good reason behind delay in elections.

He said that all reservations including weather concerns in high-altitude areas should be seriously seen by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Asked if a delay could lead to an indefinite period in elections, he said people would protest in such a case.

In a sarcastic tone, he said that it seemed that PTI did not have any threats against them but everyone else was considered a target.

When asked about the failure of the PDM government’s failure to deliver, Fazal said that the government had achieved two things: preventing disintegration and default that was facing the country.

Asked if he had reached an understanding with Nawaz and Zardari, Fazal said that there were instances where he had go along with the larger parties in PDM despite reservations otherwise the alliance would have been broken.

Fazal said that nothing unconstitutional would happen int he country. He said that the only solution was a fair election that led to a long-term government which had the public’s support.

He had that ‘short-term’ solutions were no longer the answer to the country’s problems.

Fazal added that there was a mutual-trust between political parties and institutions and they were ready to work together for the betterment of the country.

He said that there was no agreement with the PPP yet, but there was no estrangement either. He said that even inside parliament, government and opposition parties would have to work together.

On the PTI, Fazal dismissed the notion that the party had ‘millions’ of voters and said that foreign backed elements who had committed treason against the country should be wiped out.

He said that there would be accountability for those who had brought the PTI as well.

He said that Imran Khan had no past, no present and would have no future either. He added that he would fight the establishment if it supported such elements again.