Government Narrative of Governor’s Rule in KP Is Fabricated; The Whole Game Is About Seizing Provincial Minerals: Maulana Fazlur Rehman

ISLAMABAD (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the government’s narrative regarding governor’s rule and emergency in KP is baseless; it is all about control over the province’s minerals. Addressing a press conference after the party’s Majlis-e-Shura, he said that an in-camera session of Parliament should be convened on the current situation to inform it of the circumstances. The interim council being formed in KP will not include any JUI member. At present, force is being used at the behest of powerful forces. The President of the country did not fulfill the requirements of the Constitution. We differed even while in government, and we cooperate even while in opposition.

He said that he wants to inform about the decisions of JUI’s central Majlis-e-Shura. Our party believes in political dialogue; if there are reservations about government policies, they should be answered politically rather than through allegations. If we or anyone else has complaints, they should be discussed by convening an in-camera session of Parliament.

He said that we reject governor’s rule in KP; the government’s narrative for governor’s rule is baseless. Many operations took place, but what results were achieved? The PML-N government merged FATA into the province; today the same PML-N has handed the former FATA back to the center. In our view, all this is for control over the province’s minerals. The government should convene an in-camera session of Parliament; governor’s rule is unjustified. No JUI member will be included in the formation of councils. Removing and installing governments should be done in accordance with the Constitution rather than through force. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari imposed governor’s rule — was it accepted at that time? The President signed without satisfaction, negating the constitutional requirement.

He said that no single power can represent the nation’s interest. Today Asia is again becoming a global economic hub; we should formulate a course of action keeping in view future requirements. The Islamic world should be one bloc; the Islamic Conference is an ineffective bloc and there should be an effective one. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are attempts to stop Muslim unity.

Maulana said that due to terrorism, we too have lifted more than 150 bodies; we rejected the politics of the gun. Pervez Musharraf gave a new system and that system failed; police were separated from the administration and then there was talk of taking it back. Today, after 25 years, there is again talk of restoring the same system.

He said that regarding the FATA merger, we said there should be broad consultation, but the decision was imposed entirely on the people of FATA. An emergency has also been imposed in the same districts. FATA elders were called and asked about the merger; in these meetings it was agreed that this process has failed. There was a relationship of respect with Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, and Asif Zardari before and it remains today. Colin Powell had said that the proposal to send the army into FATA was ours. We have no disagreement with investment, but why is only the US showing interest? These things should be placed before the nation.

He said that a FATA jirga is being convened; a students’ convention will be held in Islamabad; we will hold a public gathering in Sargodha on November 26. The Shura has said that new elections should be held; we do not accept the results of the 2018 and 2024 elections. We are not asking anyone for a certificate of patriotism; we have taken an oath in Parliament and we honor it.