Maulana Sherani announces new faction, lashes out at JUI-F chief Fazl

• Sherani says JUI-P would "tolerate and listen to what people say" but "will try to isolate such liars"
• Claims to "have inherited the JUI-P party from great leaders"
• Advises companions to decide as to "whether to please God or to follow their own desires"
• Under "conditions on our programme" with Fazl's faction, JUI-P's participation should not be questioned

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ISLAMABAD: JUI leader and the CII's ex-chairperson Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani said Tuesday he had "inherited politics from great leaders", announcing the separation of what he claimed was the original party from Maulana Fazlur Rehman's group.

The development came days after Sherani, as well as Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, another senior JUI leader, were expelled from Fazl's faction over controversial statements against the party leader.

In a press conference here in the federal capital, he said Fazlur Rehman formed his "own group called the JUI", clarifying that neither he nor his followers were ever a part of the JUI-F or the faction created by Fazlur Rehman, who now also leads the Opposition parties' anti-government coalition under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) banner.

"We have always been and will always remain members in accordance with the constitution of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam," Sherani, the former chairperson of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), stressed.

'Devoid of truth and honesty'

The former CII boss underlined that none of the JUI-P's members would ever take any action against the teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah and that his companions needed to make their own decisions as to "whether to please God or to follow their own desires".

"What is happening now is devoid of truth and honesty," he said, slamming Fazlur Rehman for differences among the party.

"We have inherited politics from great leaders [but] these members are no longer members of this party," he added.

No political worker would be pressured under the JUI-P's party discipline, Sherani underscored. "God's curse is on liars and traitors."

Speaking of future action, he said there would be three points and another seven on "our role in this regard". "First off, no one will take any step against the Qur'an and Sunnah; no political worker will be forced to do any work; and we should encourage all colleagues not to break with the party or be stubborn.

"We tolerate and listen to what people say about us but we will try to isolate such liars," he added.

New JUI-P notification to be submitted to EPC

The religiopolitical leader, however, stressed that his party would have "certain conditions on our programme" with the Fazlur Rehman faction, including ensuring participation if invited to an event and discouraging questions over such attendance.

"Negative attitudes need to be replaced with positive ones," Sherani added. "A resolution should be passed to cancel the JUI-F's notification and a new one be issued under the JUI-P's name.

The new notification from the JUI-P should be submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he added.