Talal slams Fazlur Rehman over KP power-sharing demand

State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry has criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over reports that he sought a role in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s governance following the imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in the province.

Speaking to the media in Jaranwala on Saturday, Chaudhry rejected claims that the federal government had taken the decision to strengthen the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politically or remove the PTI-led provincial government for political gains.

He said the new administrative arrangement had been established with a single objective: combating terrorism and restoring peace in the province.

“I am upset. We did not expect Maulana sahab […] to consider this as spoils of war and seek his share in the absence of a PTI government in the province,” Chaudhry said.

He stressed that the decision to impose governor’s rule and an emergency had been taken after other options were considered. He also rejected the impression that the federal government intended to take control of the province’s natural resources or distribute positions among political parties.

Chaudhry questioned Fazlur Rehman’s criticism of the federal government, arguing that the JUI-F had lost the 2024 elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the PTI and faced defeat in Balochistan at the hands of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

The minister also criticised Fazl for referring to the separation of East Pakistan in 1971 during his recent political statements. He maintained that the current arrangement in KP was not designed to create political alliances, distribute positions or form a coalition government.

He said only one member of the provincial advisory council had a political background, describing her role as representing the families of martyrs.

Chaudhry reiterated the federal government’s willingness to work with all stakeholders to implement the National Action Plan and tackle militancy. He said political activity could flourish only when peace and security were ensured.

The minister also alleged that there was a connection between the PTI and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He claimed that no PTI leader, gathering or member had been targeted by terrorists since 2015, while other political parties, security personnel and civilians had continued to face attacks. These allegations were presented without independent evidence during his address.

He further claimed that the TTP had nominated PTI founder Imran Khan for a committee during peace negotiations in 2013 and alleged that Khan had allowed the group to open offices in Peshawar. Chaudhry also displayed a TTP statement condemning the removal of the PTI government in KP.

His remarks followed similar comments by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who said a political party chief was upset over not receiving a position in the province’s new administrative arrangement or being appointed governor. Naqvi did not name Fazlur Rehman directly, but his remarks were widely interpreted as referring to the JUI-F leader.

The controversy comes after the federal government imposed governor’s rule and an emergency in KP, citing an alleged lack of cooperation by the provincial administration in counterterrorism efforts. The decision has drawn strong criticism from opposition leaders, including Fazlur Rehman, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas.

Fazl has accused the federal government of breaking its commitments and undermining provincial rights. He has also questioned why similar action was not taken in Balochistan despite serious security challenges there.

Before the imposition of governor’s rule, Fazlur Rehman had been involved in efforts to mediate between the federal government and the PTI after negotiations over political demands, including Imran Khan’s release, failed to produce an agreement.

Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz criticised Fazlur Rehman in a post on X, accusing him of supporting a party she said had contributed to the province’s problems. She also questioned his remarks about Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.

The exchange has further intensified political tensions surrounding the federal government’s intervention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the ruling coalition defending the move as necessary for security and opposition figures questioning its constitutional and political justification.