National
February 2, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Four former veteran leaders of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), who have recently been expelled from the party, are attempting to knock out party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on technical grounds in a bid to overwhelm him and snatch political power from his tight control.
But even if such an effort meets with success, will it have an impact on the stature and standing of Fazlur Rehman within his party, in the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) or on the overall political horizon? Will the moves by the dissenters affect his hold on the JUI-F?
If the past is any guide, the answer to these questions would be in the negative. During General Ziaul Haq’s martial law, the late Maulana Samiul Haq had broken away from the JUI and founded his own faction. However, Fazlur Rehman had maintained his status as the undisputed chief of the party and Samiul Haq’s group was never able to show any worthwhile electoral performance.