PTI, TTAP back Fazlur Rehman, condemn government’s personal attacks

A joint delegation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) has expressed solidarity with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman following criticism of his remarks by federal ministers in the National Assembly.

The delegation met Fazlur Rehman at his residence in Islamabad on Thursday and condemned what it described as a campaign of character assassination against the JUI-F chief. The participants stressed that political disagreements should not be turned into personal attacks, saying such conduct undermined democratic values and respect for political leadership.

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser shared details of the meeting on social media platform X. The delegation included PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai.

The meeting followed a heated exchange in the National Assembly between Fazlur Rehman and government ministers over discussions in Tehran concerning regional security and the Makkah defence pact.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised the JUI-F chief during Thursday’s session. Their remarks came a day after Fazlur Rehman questioned the government’s role in the Tehran discussions, pointing out that the prime minister and defence minister had remained in Pakistan.

The ministers rejected the suggestion that a defence agreement was being negotiated in Tehran, intensifying the political dispute.

The PTI-TTAP delegation also raised concerns over the detention of former prime minister Imran Khan’s sisters. Its members alleged that they were being deprived of basic rights and denied access to their family and lawyers. They warned that the relevant authorities would be held responsible if the situation led to any untoward incident.

The participants further demanded that suspended Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and PTI K-P President Junaid Akbar Khan be brought before the public.

The latest development comes amid growing tensions between the government and opposition over the security situation in K-P and the imposition of governor’s rule in the province.

Fazlur Rehman has faced criticism from several government figures over his opposition to governor’s rule and his position on counterterrorism measures. In previous exchanges, ministers accused him of politicising security issues, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also criticised his stance.

The JUI-F chief has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his criticism is aimed at government policies rather than state institutions. He has also called for an in-camera parliamentary session to review the country’s counterterrorism strategy.