Fazlur Rehman Says KP Emergency Criticism Targeted Policies, Not Institutions

LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday clarified that his criticism of the country’s security situation was directed at policies, not institutions, terming the allegations levelled against him by federal ministers “character assassination” in the escalating Fazlur Rehman KP emergency row.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the senior politician said his party’s remarks were meant to bring about corrective action rather than undermine the sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism. The Fazlur Rehman KP emergency row has escalated over the past two days, with federal ministers accusing the JUI-F chief of seeking a “share” in the province’s governance after the imposition of governor’s rule, Dawn reported.

Fazlur Rehman KP emergency row: ministers assail Fazl

A day earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, without naming anyone, had claimed that a “head of a party” was “extremely upset” about not being appointed the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The remarks came after Fazl accused the Centre of depriving provinces of their rights and questioned its reasoning for imposing governor’s rule, citing a lack of cooperation on counterterrorism.

Earlier on Saturday, State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry rebuked the JUI-F chief in Jaranwala for reportedly seeking his “share” in KP’s governance. “I am upset. We did not expect Maulana *sahab* to consider this as spoils of war and seek his share in the absence of a PTI government in the province,” Chaudhry said, stressing the emergency was an “administrative setup” with a “one-point agenda: combating terrorism”.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also criticised Fazl in Sialkot for constantly “targeting” the security forces, declaring their sacrifices “matchless”. Asif said the whole PTI and opposition leadership had been engaged by the government before the emergency, “but it was fruitless”.

Fazl’s counter

Fazl pushed back hard. “Our only question is why the country has failed to eliminate terrorism. Let us sit together and find out why,” he said, calling Parliament the most appropriate forum. “If Parliament is supreme, why are decisions taken in Rawalpindi while Parliament is simply told to follow them?” he remarked.

He reiterated his objection to emergency rule in KP or anywhere else, recalling that his father had resigned when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government imposed emergency in Balochistan in the 1970s. He asked why KP faced such treatment when Balochistan grappled with the same level of terrorist violence, if not more.

The JUI-F chief said around 250 of his party workers had lost their lives to terrorist violence. “How can a party whose members have laid their lives be accused of supporting terrorists?” he asked.

Background: the KP emergency

The Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The move has drawn criticism from the opposition, and the Peshawar High Court is set to hear a challenge to the emergency and governor’s rule on October 20.

Fazl had been cast as a potential mediator between the Centre and the PTI before the move, with both sides holding separate meetings with him. He has since sought a joint in-camera session of Parliament on KP security, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that the Centre was compelled to act. The political temperature remains high — an Islamabad ATC has separately sent former GB chief minister Khalid Khurshid to jail on judicial remand in connection with the November 26 protest case.

For now, the war of words shows no sign of cooling, with the government’s one-point agenda of counterterrorism colliding with the opposition’s demand for parliamentary consensus.

Frequently asked questions

What did Fazlur Rehman say about the KP emergency?

He clarified that his party’s criticism was directed at policies, not institutions, and was meant to bring corrective action. He opposed emergency rule in KP and asked why Balochistan, facing similar violence, was treated differently.

What did the federal ministers allege?

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed a “head of a party” was upset about not being made KP governor, while Tallal Chaudhry accused Fazl of treating the post-PTI setup as “spoils of war” and seeking his share.

When was governor’s rule imposed in KP?

The Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from counterterrorism.

What happens next?

The Peshawar High Court will hear a challenge to the emergency and governor’s rule on October 20, while Fazl has demanded an in-camera parliamentary session on the security situation.