Foremost priority is to stabilise economy, not elections: Fazl-ur-Rehman

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sunday said that holding elections was not an issue at the moment and stabilising the economy was inevitable to steer the country of crisis.

Fazl, who is also the head of the multi-party alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), stated this while addressing the media.

The JUI-F chief said all the political parties in the PDM alliance were always ready for elections, but the betterment of the economy was a matter that should be addressed first.

He said the countries with unstable economies fail to sustain as independent nations. He made it clear that his party, JUI-F, had been fighting for elections for three-and-a-half years.

Fazl said it would be very difficult for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to implement the proposed election schedule at the end of January next year due to severe cold weather conditions.

To a question by the media, the JUI-F chief said the whole system of caretaker government was unsuitable. However, he added in a lighter vein that another overseer was actually taking care of the government.

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He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was responsible for the present situation in the country. The PTI leadership was responsible for the foreign exchange reserves falling to as low as $2 billion, he alleged.

The veteran politician said the PTI government pushed the economy into a difficult situation. On the other hand, the PDM government raised the foreign exchange reserves to $11 billion in a year and a half.

Fazl said the PTI leaders were still facing cases in the court due to their wrongdoings. He said Imran Khan proved through his actions that he was incompetent.

About the arrival of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country, Fazl said he should be warmly welcomed by all.

The JUI-F chief said the PDM alliance was inactive currently; therefore, Nawaz himself would make his welcome arrangements.