Pakistan's right-wing JUI-F leader rejects Feb 8 poll results, terms elections as 'rigged'

A leading right-wing religious leader in Pakistan on Wednesday termed the February 8 elections as "rigged" and refused to support the coalition government but announced his party's decision to join Parliament as an independent entity. Addressing a press conference after the dismal performance of his party in the elections last week, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) said, his party rejected the results and alleged that the rigging witnessed during these polls was unmatched.