Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman announced on Monday that his party rejected election results and would take to the streets in protest against ‘rigging’.

Speaking after a meeting of the party in Islamabad, Fazal said that the rigging in 2024 had even broken records set in the election of 2018.

“It seems that decisions will now be taken in the streets instead of the assemblies,” he said.

He also rejected a statement from the Election Commission of Pakistan that said that the polls were conducted transparently.

Maulana also said that if the establishment considers elections to be ‘fair’ then its May 9 narrative has been buried.

“This would mean traitors have been given a mandate,” he said.

He said that there was clear evidence of bribery in the election and said that some people have been gifted ‘entire assemblies’ in return for money.

Maulana also called on the Pakistan Muslim league Nawaz to sit in the opposition with the JUI.

However, he added that the final decision on where and when the protest would take place will be decided in consultation with the party’s general body.

In response to a question, Fazal said that his party was not complaining about any particular seats but about the overall situation.

Softer tone on Imran Khan

While Maulana did mention PTI indirectly in terms of May 9, he appeared to soften his tone on the party.

In response to a question, Maulana said that his conflict with PTI was limited to ‘brains’ not ‘bodies’.

Answering another question on whether the two parties could be united under claims of rigging, Fazal said that if two people worshipped the same God, they could be considered together.

Establishment’s role in politics

Maulana also said that he would treat establishment as the ‘crown’ on their head if it did its duty and withdrew from politics.

He added that if the establishment meddled in politics, they would get a response through politics as well.