PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has launched a sharp attack on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, questioning his position on governor’s rule, his past political decisions and his stance on the province’s mineral resources.
In a series of pointed remarks, Kundi challenged Fazlur Rehman to explain why he considered governor’s rule unacceptable while, according to the governor, supporting other controversial political measures in the past.
“If governor’s rule is haram (religiously forbidden), was supporting the Legal Framework Order (LFO) halal (religiously permissible)?” Kundi asked.
He also questioned the allocation of land to the JUI-F chief, alleging that it was linked to the army and the families of martyrs, and asking whether such an allocation was permissible. The claim about the land allocation was not independently verified.
Kundi further accused Fazlur Rehman of applying different standards to political decisions depending on who was involved, saying that what the JUI-F chief accepted from some people was considered permissible, while similar actions by others were labelled unacceptable.
Debate over KP’s mineral wealth
Turning to the province’s economic potential, the governor challenged Fazlur Rehman to identify the mineral resources available in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.
Kundi argued that mineral resources should be extracted in areas where they are available to generate economic activity, create opportunities and improve living standards.
He alleged that Fazlur Rehman did not want mineral extraction to take place because greater prosperity could reduce local residents’ reliance on religious leaders whom he described as uneducated clerics. The governor provided no evidence to substantiate that allegation.
Kundi also criticised religious leaders who, he claimed, lived in palatial residences while encouraging the children of poor families to take part in jihad.
‘KP government will run without Fazlur Rehman’
The governor also rejected Fazlur Rehman’s assertion that governments could neither be formed nor function without his political support.
Fazlur Rehman has previously maintained that his participation is essential to the formation and functioning of governments. Kundi countered that the provincial government had been formed without the JUI-F chief’s support and would continue to operate without him.
“The government has been formed without him, and it will continue to run without him,” Kundi said, referring to the provincial administration.
The remarks come amid a broader political debate over the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security concerns and disagreements over the provincial government’s handling of law and order have intensified political tensions.
Fazlur Rehman has argued that the provincial government has failed to maintain peace and said he cannot move freely in his own area. Kundi, however, has rejected the JUI-F chief’s position on governor’s rule, insisting that security institutions will receive the support they need and that there will be no compromise on restoring peace.
The allegations and political criticism in Kundi’s remarks could not be independently verified. Fazlur Rehman’s response to the governor’s latest comments was not included in the material provided.
