JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday called for immediate elections in the country, saying fresh polls were essential for “national unity and public confidence”.

Talking to the media in Charsadda, Fazl said a functional working relationship between the federation and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was necessary, as cooperation between the Centre and provinces helped resolve public issues. “No province can address people’s problems without the support of the federation,” he added.

He said a meeting between K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should have taken place three months ago.

Commenting on global affairs, the JUI-F chief alleged that the United States sought to create instability across the world to maintain its dominance, adding that Washington wanted Iran and Afghanistan to remain unstable. Fazl said “manipulation” of election results was no longer a hidden matter.