Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday called for political change in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), suggesting that such a shift would be more appropriate if it came from within the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which currently holds a majority in the provincial assembly.
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F leader said it was immaterial whether the change emerged from internal dynamics or external pressure — what mattered, he insisted, was that change was now imperative.
“If PTI claims to have a majority, then change must come from within,” he remarked. “It should not appear as though the opposition is engineering the removal of the provincial government.”
The JUI-F leader alleged that PTI’s mandate in the province was “artificial” and lacked genuine public support. He stressed that any internal restructuring within PTI would be a preferable path to political stability.
On the upcoming Senate elections, Fazl said consultations with other political parties were in their early stages and declined to comment further.
He also distanced himself from the federal government, stating, “If I had agreed with the government’s decisions, I would have been part of it. When seats in the assemblies were for sale during the elections, how could I align myself with such a government?”
Despite sharp criticism, he maintained that if the government were ever to face external aggression or conflict, he would stand with it in the national interest. “Even with a thousand grievances, we will stand in one row if war is imposed on the country,” he said.
JUI-F chief further expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in K-P, warning that the province could no longer afford political and security instability.
“The ordinary citizen no longer feels safe. People hesitate before leaving their homes,” he said, calling for an all-parties conference to address the security crisis. He said the JUI-F would be open to dialogue with other opposition parties on this issue.
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Commenting on his own past tenure, he said peace prevailed during his government. “There were no checkpoints, and people moved freely. Parties may disagree, but there is no enmity among us,” he said.
Reiterating his longstanding opposition to the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) into K-P, he criticised all political parties for what he called a hasty decision. “Everyone jumped into that stream, but we kept warning it wasn’t right. Now we must accept that it was a mistake,” he said.
He argued that reversing the merger would be in the national interest and questioned why the extension of judicial and administrative systems to the region had not materialised.
JUI-F chief also mentioned that a grand tribal jirga was scheduled for tomorrow and expressed respect for the tribal representatives participating in it.
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Addressing the issue of provincial spending, Fazl criticised the K-P government for what he described as wasteful expenditures. “Our province’s funds are being used to appoint parliamentary secretaries and to finance luxuries. This is a government born out of rigging and extortion,” he claimed.
In response to a question about former prime minister Imran Khan’s incarceration, he said, “No politician should be in jail, though politicians do end up there. Our goal should be the progress and prosperity of the country.” He also remarked that there was no objection if the PTI founder’s children came to Pakistan.
JUI-F chief concluded by reiterating that his party would never seek power through undemocratic means. “Whether it’s the federal or provincial government, both are sold out. We don’t want power granted to us by the boots—we want the support of the people,” he added.
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