Bilawal condemns government actions against JUI-F as ‘political vendetta’ in call with Fazl

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday condemned what he described as government actions against the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), calling them political victimisation, during a telephone conversation with party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

“The government should tolerate criticism from the opposition, as the role of a responsible opposition is essential to democracy and the parliamentary system,” Bilawal told Fazl.

According to a statement issued by the PPP media cell, the two leaders discussed the country’s political situation.

Bilawal also urged the government to refrain from actions that could undermine democratic institutions and weaken Parliament, the statement added.

The remarks came amid growing tensions between the government and the JUI-F following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Fazl accused the government of backing out of negotiations with the PTI and the opposition despite initially agreeing to their demands.

Read: JUI-F’s Deputy Chief Qari Iftikhar taken into custody, says party spokesperson

He categorically rejected the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency in K-P, saying that if an emergency had to be imposed, it should be imposed on the federal government, which he described as illegitimate.

The criticism subsequently spilt over into the assembly, escalating the war of words between the government and the JUI-F chief. Fazl had accused the government of misusing the Constitution.

Federal ministers hit back, accusing the JUI-F chief of overlooking his own role in forming and toppling governments.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi criticised Fazl over his opposition to governor’s rule in the province, suggesting that the religious-political leader was unhappy at not being offered a role in the new provincial setup.

Later, a delegation of the PTI and TTAP expressed full support for the JUI-F chief’s speech in the National Assembly and condemned what it described as his character assassination by government ministers following his strong criticism of the government’s actions.