Fazlur Rehman hints at quitting politics over 'election defeat'

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has hinted at quitting parliamentary politics over election defeat, saying "Decisions are not made by the people but someone else".

Talking to a private news channel, Fazl said: "I've requested JUI-F's General Council that I want to step away from parliamentary politics."

During the program, he once again invited PDM-affiliated political parties to sin on the opposition benches with JUI-F.

"Our mandate was stolen for PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for several political parties in Balochistan, for PPP in Sindh, and for PML-N in Sindh. We were told that leave a seat and you will be accommodated somewhere else," he claimed.

Talking about the recently held meeting with rival PTI, Maulana said "We did not return our guests in Pashtun culture".

“This is not the first time PTI leaders came to me. They have come before as well. We have always given them respect,” he said.

Maulana added that he had conveyed his reservations about the February 8 polls in KP to PTI leaders.

"There are mountains in between us and they are not easy to overcome," the JUI-F head said while referring to the possible alliance with PTI.