Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has strongly criticised the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, claiming there is “no government writ” in the two provinces. “Talking about eliminating terrorism is a far-fetched dream when even daytime is not safe,” he said.
Addressing the Majlis-e-Qaidin organised by the Milli Yakjehti Council, Fazl questioned whether the ongoing chaos is due to institutional incompetence or a deliberate act. “We must take a courageous stance; armed struggle is not justified under any circumstances,” he asserted.
He also condemned the misuse of religion to justify militancy, saying, “We declared armed struggle in Pakistan as un-Islamic a long time ago and continue to stand by the Constitution.”
Reflecting on past crises, he mentioned the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the active role of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal at the time. He criticised the state’s failure to rehabilitate internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Swat and Waziristan, questioning, “Those who went to Afghanistan—how did they go, and why did they return?”
Fazl-ur-Rehman highlighted JUI-F’s role in forcing the government to backtrack from 26 constitutional amendment points down to 22. On the issue of interest (riba), he stressed that December 31, 2027, is the final deadline for its abolition, with January 1, 2028, marking the constitutional end of the interest-based system. “If the government fails to comply, we’ll approach the courts,” he warned.
He further noted that recent constitutional amendments now allow a Federal Shariat Court judge to become its Chief Justice and stated that Islamic Ideology Council recommendations will now be open for debate in parliament.
The JUI-F chief concluded by urging the state to take its responsibilities seriously and not burden the public with its own failures.
