Maulana Fazl’s TLP Support Put PDM Partners in a Tight Spot
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman warned the government to release TLP head Saad Rizvi or else warned of countrywide protests
As Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman extended support for outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), his inclination has become a test for other parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the opposition alliance which he oversees.
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman warned the government to release TLP head Saad Rizvi or else warned of countrywide protests.
He also announced to support banned TLP’s long march on Islamabad and said they would never let government amend Namoos-e-Risalat Law.
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Maulana declared the incumbent government as a terrorist government that had resorted to killing and injuring those who were out on the roads for the love of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
However, the situation has put other constituent parties in the alliance in a tight spot.
Some seven of nine political parties in the PDM either belong to left-wing or center while its right-wing-ideological chief has demonstrated comprehensive support to outlawed TLP which has become a test case for them.
اس صورت حال کو عقلمندی سے حل کرنے کی کوشش کی جائے،اگر TLP کے شہداء اسلام آباد کی جانب آئے تو ہم ان کا ساتھ دیں گے، اس وقت ملک بھر میں علماء کو گرفتار کیا جارہا ہے، ہم نے ہمیشہ امن اور نظم ضبط کا مظاہرہ کیا لہذا مذہبی طبقے کو اشتعال نہ دلایا جائے۔
6/7 pic.twitter.com/dYqQGDxGIa— Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman (@MoulanaOfficial) April 18, 2021
The rest of the eight parties in the alliance including the Balochistan National Party (BNP), National Party (Bizenjo), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP), and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) are either progressive or nationalist parties and have not yet shown reservations on the announcement by PDM chief.
Meanwhile, Maulana Fazl also said the government should have declared Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) a terrorist organization but it did so with TLP.
In response, PMAP Cheif Mahmood Khan Achakzai condemned Fazl’s statement in a tweet but later deleted it.
It is yet to be seen if Maulana would enforce his ideology to support a banned outfit on the constituent parties in the PDM and able to proselytize them or whether the support was shown in just personal capacity.
Maulana’s inclination could further force the rest of the parties on opposite sides to distant themselves from the alliance.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) had already part ways from the opposition alliance due to differences in political approaches and this issue could only add insult to the injury.
Role of PML-N
A major party of PDM, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), has not responded to Maulana’s support yet.
When PML-N was at the helm in 2017, its Law Minister Zahid Hamid had to step down from the office after violent protests by TLP against amendment in the oath of lawmakers.
However, the party has apparently kept its lips buttoned on PDM’s chief response to TLP’s call of the long march on Islamabad.
Or, time would tell if PML-N would use the situation to its advantage against its opponent PTI government by misremembering damage TLP had inflicted to it during its regime and beyond.
