JUI-F holds protests after MPs, activists detained from Parliament lodges

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI-F) workers are holding demonstrations in several cities to protest police crackdown against party’s MPs and activists in Islamabad’s Parliament Lodges. They have blocked traffic at several places.

Dozens of JUIF activists from Rawalpindi and Islamabad have arrived at the Parliament Lodges.

Police in Islamabad Thursday night arrested several members of JUI-F’s volunteer force Ansarul Islam from the Parliament Lodges, hours after they entered the premises. JUI-F MPs Kamran Murtaza, Jamaluddin, and Salahuddin Ayubi were also detained.

After the arrests, Fazlur Rehman announced a nationwide strike and called on his workers to arrive in Islamabad. He said he would present himself for arrest in protest.

Fazlur Rehman also told workers that if they could not reach Islamabad, they should stage demonstrations in their areas. This has sparked protests in several cities.

Protests have been reported in Quetta, Sukkur, Matiari, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, and other cities. There are reports of traffic jams.

In Lahore, JUI-F workers, carrying batons, have blocked Ferozepur Road. The police and administration have been negotiating with the crowd and trying to disperse them.

Meanwhile in Karachi, the JUI-F activists have staged demonstrations on M9 motorway (Super Highway) and National Highway, causing severe traffic disruption in the areas.

According to the JUI-F, several workers have been reaching Hub River Road too.

The spokesperson has announced a sit-in until the detained leaders and workers are released.

Fazlur Rehman has also said that he would evict Prime Minister Imran Khan “by pulling him from the ear.”

Federal ministers have condemned JUI-F for the escalation.

We have not arrested the MNAs

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that the situation was escalated by the political workers present at the scene.

“I have directed police to maintain law and order at the scene and criticized the opposition for creating a scene at the lodges,” he said. “They [police] are trying to contain the unrest so the situation does not go out of control prior to the tabling of the no-confidence motion” against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He was addressing the media late Thursday after the incident.

“The opposition could not ensure the presence of 172 lawmakers for the no-confidence motion and now they are using other tactics for the same,” the information minister said.

He said that the police have not arrested the MNAs. “We have only arrested some 20 people of the private militia Ansarul Islam,” he added.

“The MNAs and their acquaintances are at the police station at their own will.”

The interior minister also warned JUI-F workers to not take the law into their hands or “the law will take its course against them.”

Crackdown at Parliament Lodges

Scores of Ansarul Islam workers entered the Parliament Lodges Thursday afternoon.

Islamabad authorities sent a contingent of police, with a prison van, to the Parliament Lodges to detain them. The police officials first held negotiations and then stormed the lodges where Ansarul Islam members were present.

The police operation to remove them was centered at the lodge allotted to Salahuddin.

There were scuffles at the Parliament Lodges, involving not only the JUI-F MPs and activists but also MNAs of Pakistan Muslim League. Khawaja Saad Rafique was wounded in a foot, Ayaz Sadiq said.

Several Ansarul Islam members escaped arrests by taking off their uniforms and wearing plainclothes, Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said speaking.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman says Ansarul Islam volunteers were not there to clash with the police.

The JUI-F chief claims that the government in the past resorted to the kidnapping of parliamentarians to stop them from voting on important pieces of legislation and the volunteers were there to protect the MNAs.

However, Sheikh Rasheed said there was a terror threat and the JUIF should cooperate with the government. The authorities have uncovered a terror cell in Islamabad’s Barakahu, he said.

The JUI-F sources say that the volunteers were called in to provide security to party members, and they were to remain inside the lodges till no-confidence motion is passed,

10 people had registered to enter the lodges but more than 50 men forced their way into the premises.

The party spokesperson said that JUI-F volunteers took over the security of party members on Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s directives.

Before his arrest, Kamran Murtaza told that the force was deployed as our “witnesses” for any uncertain situation within the lodges.

Before the operation, the Inspector-General Islamabad suspended three police officials deployed at D-Chowk for their failure to stop the activists from entering the Parliament lodges