LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has claimed that there is practically no government functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), alleging that he and his family members have also been targeted by extortionists.
Speaking to senior journalists in Lahore about the country’s political situation, Fazlur Rehman said law and order was relatively stable in Punjab, but had deteriorated in two provinces.
He alleged that his family had been asked to pay extortion and claimed that attacks on his sons and nephews were linked to their refusal to make such payments.
Fazlur Rehman said he had twice demanded an in-camera session of Parliament to discuss the security situation, but his request was not accepted.
He also expressed concern over declining investment in Pakistan, saying neither local investors nor foreign investors were investing sufficiently in the country.
According to him, Pakistan’s trade had previously relied heavily on Central Asian markets, but that trade had now been disrupted. He said Pakistani vegetables and fruits that were exported to Central Asia had also been affected.
The JUI-F chief criticized the current parliamentary system, alleging that Parliament had been formed through electoral rigging. He also said the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award was not being properly accepted or implemented.
Fazlur Rehman said matters relating to Pakistan’s mineral resources should be discussed publicly and that the shares of the federal government, provinces and the people should be clearly determined.
He argued that a clear distribution of powers among federal, provincial and local governments could help resolve many of the country’s problems.
Discussing the 26th Constitutional Amendment, he said his party had succeeded in getting 35 clauses withdrawn and that the outcome was achieved through consultation and cooperation between JUI-F and PTI.
He said the two parties had also formed an alliance in Parliament to pursue a joint strategy on key political issues.
Fazlur Rehman also acknowledged what he described as his mistake regarding Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Commenting on his political understanding with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, he said their thinking was similar, although, according to him, he was expressing his views publicly while Nawaz Sharif remained silent.
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