The presence of religious parties in the parliament saved Pakistan from becoming a secular state, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-Fazl) chief Fazlur Rehman said on Saturday.
Addressing party workers in Mansehra, he said the country needed Islamic democratic system since western democracy had failed to resolve the problems of citizens. He said Islamic democracy would protect Islamic culture and end both the politics of secular parties and religious discrimination.
“If we had boycotted the election, the ruling parties would have made Pakistan a secular state. We thwarted efforts to remove religion from the system. The West likes the democracy of Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Asfand Yar and Imran Khan instead of Islamic democracy”, he added.
He claimed when Western agents realised religious parties could not be restrained, they started killing Islamic scholars to provoke them. He said several clerics, including himself, had luckily escaped several life attempts. Fazl Rehman said while efforts continue to diminish the role of Muslim clerics, the Jihad movement would continue.
