ISLAMABAD: An old anecdote about Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s childhood could once again draw attention in Pakistan’s political circles. The story, attributed to a conversation involving his father, the late Mufti Mahmood, was recounted by columnist Dr Ajmal Niazi in a column published in Nawa-i-Waqt on February 9, 2012.
Journalist Shaheen Sehbai subsequently referred to the same anecdote in a column published on February 21, 2020. According to Sehbai’s account, Niazi had described a meeting between Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi and Mufti Mahmood during which a young boy repeatedly entered the room.
According to the anecdote, Mufti Mahmood repeatedly asked the boy to leave. When Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi asked who the boy was and why he kept being sent out, Mufti Mahmood reportedly identified him as his son, Fazlur Rehman.
The account further attributes to Mufti Mahmood the allegation that his son accepted money to pass information about him to his opponents. However, the claim remains an anecdote reproduced in earlier columns rather than an independently verified account.
The story could now resurface in political discussions, raising questions about whether it reflects an old controversy surrounding Fazlur Rehman’s early years or is simply an unverified account that has been repeated over time.
However, the distinction between a reported anecdote and an established fact remains crucial. The account relies on a conversation attributed to Mufti Mahmood and material reproduced in newspaper columns. Establishing its authenticity would require independent corroboration.
Therefore, while the anecdote may attract renewed political attention, it should be presented as a claim attributed to an earlier column, not as a proven fact about Fazlur Rehman’s childhood.
