Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said his party’s alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is limited to Parliament, adding it cannot be described as a political alliance.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, he said the alliance could evolve once it reaches the grassroots level. To a question on the debate surrounding new provinces, Fazl said the issue primarily pertained to the National Finance Commission Award, which cannot constitutionally be reduced.
“When the house is on fire, there should be no talk of division,” he said, emphasizing that the country’s law and order situation was alarming. Alleging the government had no writ in three provinces, he accused the center of wanting to take control of provincial mineral resources.
Referring to the 18th Amendment, he said it had declared provincial ownership of all minerals. “This is not being digested by them,” he said, adding the 18th Amendment’s stance on provincial revenues was also not being adhered to.
“There is neither peace, nor economy, nor democracy,” he claimed. “Our own land is red with blood, while you go abroad and enjoy red carpets,” he added.
“Our two provinces are burning. The common man cannot do labor, travel or work. You conduct operations, but the disease keeps spreading. At some point, acknowledge your own weakness,” he said, stressing that instead of taking offense, the state should recognize that its existence stems from the people. “The state is made by the people, and without the people, the state is an empty shell,” he said.
The JUIF chief maintained economic development cannot happen without peace and security. “India’s foreign exchange reserves stand at $700 billion, while ours are $10 billion to $11 billion, and even those have been kept by borrowing,” he claimed. “We are hostage to the IMF and the World Bank. We are no longer the owners of our resources, and even decisions regarding our resources are being made by international institutions,” he lamented.