The federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have slammed Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his recent remarks, with Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry stating that the provincial setup was not created for coalition-building or power-sharing.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister said that the provincial arrangement was not designed to serve anyone's personal interests or political ambitions in the region. Chaudhry's remarks follow a similar statement from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who, without naming the JUI-F chief, said the head of a political party was deeply upset about not getting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governorship or a role in the governor's rule setup.
The interior minister also remarked that the veteran political leader had relied heavily on the establishment's backing and support for decades to remain relevant in national politics. I had not expected this from Maulana Sahib, Chaudhry said, adding that he did not want to make harsh remarks that might unnecessarily offend the JUI-F chief or damage political decorum.
Referring to Fazlur Rehman's contentious comments about the historic events of 1971, the state minister described the episode as a deeply painful chapter in national history that citizens found distressing to recall. He questioned why the JUI-F chief had brought up 1971 after the 2024 general elections, asking whether those tragic events had occurred after the recent polls or were part of a much older history.
Separately, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed strong disappointment over the remarks and firmly disagreed with the JUI-F chief's stance on the possible imposition of governor's rule in the province. Speaking to journalists in Peshawar, Governor Kundi said he was profoundly disappointed by the Maulana's recent speech, adding that he had not expected such a polarizing narrative from a senior national politician.
Kundi further alleged that decisions taken by the previous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial administrations often came directly from Kabul and Kandahar rather than the federal capital Islamabad.