ISLAMABAD  -  In a major setback to the PML-N party, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has finally decided to sit on the opposi­tion benches in the National Assembly and boycott the election of new prime minis­ter scheduled to be held on March 3. The party also an­nounced that they would not give vote to Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election.

“We have decided to sit on opposition beaches and would not be part of any ruling coalition,” JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman told media at the Par­liament House here on Thursday. In response to a question regarding JUI-F’s strategy for a protest move­ment, he said: “Wait for it. We will represent the nation soon.”

Fazl said that he received dele­gations from PML-N as well as PTI, PPP, however, he told them that his lawmakers would sit on oppo­sition benches in the National As­sembly. “We had a pleasant con­servation as we were already very frank with them,” the senior poli­tician answered another question regarding dialogues with major parties that formed a strong coali­tion to rule the country.

The JUI-F, which won five Na­tional Assembly (NA), and 18 pro­vincial assembly (PA) seats, collec­tively, in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), announced to stay away from being an ally of a new coalition led by the Nawaz-led party in the Centre and prov­inces but decided to play its par­liamentary role as an opposition. Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that his party has decided not to par­ticipate in the vote of confidence process for the new prime minis­ter scheduled for March 3. 

“We would not give vote to Sheh­baz Sharif as a matter of principle as we do not accept the mandate of February 08 elections which was manipulated and rigged,” he asserted. He also announced that their party would not give vote to Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election. Maulana Fazlur Rehman was president of Pakistan Dem­ocratic Alliance which ruled the country for 16 months after the re­moval of PTI government in April 2022. Fazl enjoyed close relation­ship with former president Asif Ali Zardari and former PM Nawaz Sharif and was their ally.