ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), asserted on Thursday that the no-confidence motion, which led to the removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was initiated under the instructions of the former army chief, General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa.
In an interview with a private news channel, Fazl, who headed the multi-party alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) responsible for Khan’s ouster, stated, “I personally opposed the no-confidence move… but if I had declined despite pressure from other parties, it would have created an impression that I was protecting the PTI founder.”
The PDM successfully ousted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in April 2022, and under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif, the multi-party alliance governed the country for 16 months before transitioning to the caretaker setup.
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Initially, Khan alleged that the US was behind his removal—a claim vehemently refuted by the Joe Biden administration. Later, Khan shifted the blame to Gen Bajwa, citing an apparent conversation between the retired general and a journalist, where Bajwa allegedly admitted to orchestrating the government’s ouster.
Following his unprecedented removal via a no-confidence motion, Khan continued to criticize the establishment, while some politicians suggested the involvement of the ex-army chief in the PTI’s ousting.
During the interview, Fazl disclosed that while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) spearheaded the movement for a no-confidence motion, Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid instructed him to operate within the system.
However, Fazl rejected these directives, opting instead to pursue action outside of parliament.
Eventually, with the departure of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and others from the PTI-led government, Fazl conceded to the majority anti-PTI sentiment to avoid allegations of supporting Imran Khan’s retention in power.
Additionally, Fazl, who has contested the February 8 election results, expressed his dissent.
