Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has described the current government as holding a “fake mandate” and questioned why Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan is under arrest.
Talking to the media in Chakwal, Maulana Fazl said that “the government does not possess a genuine mandate and is ruling with a fake mandate.”
He said that despite this, the government effectively belongs to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) merely acting as a mooring, calling it a government of “fake minority” rather than “fake majority.”
He warned that any legislation passed in violation of the Constitution would amount to rebellion against it, automatically nullifying the government’s mandate.
He emphasized the need for a consensus-based stance through mutual consultation.
Talking about the proposed 28th Amendment and the discussion on new provinces, the JUI-f chief said there is a difference between principles and practical realities.
He criticized the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the JUI-F had opposed it with arguments and cautioned about its potential drawbacks.
However, he said the establishment acted as if it held absolute wisdom, and now those same people are admitting the decision was wrong and discussing the division of other provinces.
He questioned whether the ground realities are suitable for such decisions, warning that hasty actions could harm the country.
Maulana Fazl said that the FATA merger was enforced through power, not consensus, and today armed groups have established control, undermining state authority in the region.
On Pakistan’s foreign and security policies, he said that in the past 78 years, neither Pakistan’s Afghan policy nor its counter-terrorism measures have yielded positive results.
The JUI-F chief emphasized that decisions should be made by politicians, with power applied only after those decisions.
He also called for a collective stance on the failures of prosecution and other state institutions, which he said would be discussed in detail at the scholars’ conference on December 22.
He strongly criticized restrictions on meeting Imran Khan, saying it is regrettable in a democratic country. “I also question why he is under arrest,” he said, stressing that he is neither in favour of politicians’ arrests nor restrictions on their meetings.
He reiterated that the fundamental question is: whose government is this, and who is making the real decisions?
He said all citizens are living under the consequences of these decisions.
The JUI-F chief commented on the army chief’s recent remarks, suggesting that they should be interpreted positively in the context of addressing scholars’ gatherings and the new status quo.
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