PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has strongly criticised the provincial government for the worsening security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
During a news conference in Peshawar on Wednesday, he stated that the rulers are living in a “rabbit dream” and need to wake up. He condemned the Mines and Minerals Bill, calling it an outright attack on the natural resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman accused the federal government of pushing the provinces to enact laws that are part of a conspiracy to seize these resources. He warned that if the government does not recognise its mistakes, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam will join the people in protests to safeguard their rights.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated unequivocally that the centre must understand that no law contrary to the spirit of the Constitution should be presented in the assemblies. He emphasised that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam will not tolerate any changes to the 18th Amendment and will not compromise on the constitutional powers of the province.
He affirmed that they would neither allow international powers to take over their resources nor recognise the federal government as the rightful owner of those resources. If any country wishes to invest, it must do so through the federal government’s mediation and must adhere to the conditions set by the provincial government. The ownership of resources and the authority to determine terms a constitutional right of the province, which they will not relinquish.
On the topic of Afghanistan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman suggested that a timeline should be established for the return of refugees and urged a path of negotiation with Afghanistan to foster regional stability.
After the press conference, he announced that a “Million March” would be organised in Peshawar on March 11. He stated that they would continue to fight to protect the rights granted to them by the Constitution.
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