‘Failed State’: Pak Politician Rehman Exposes ISI’s Role in Terror Network
Islamabad, Aug 19: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and a veteran Pakistani politician, has launched a blistering attack on his own government, accusing the state and intelligence agencies of sponsoring and promoting terrorism.
In a series of posts on X, Rehman described Pakistan as a “failed state” incapable of protecting its people, claiming that political leaders and intelligence agencies exploit militants instead of dismantling them. “They are both promoting terrorism and fighting against it,” he alleged, adding that funerals are held daily in Bajaur and Waziristan, with families coerced into declaring the deceased as terrorists.
The JUI-F chief said militancy grips Pakistan’s tribal areas, where civilians face extortion and militant groups allegedly seize up to 10% of development funds. He warned that even projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were under militant influence, undermining state authority.
Rehman further accused the political elite and the military of hoarding power. “All energy here is spent on gaining authority. If you challenge someone’s authority, you are labelled a traitor,” he said, cautioning that unchecked exploitation of resources could deepen Pakistan’s crisis.
He also criticised the 2018 merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing that it was driven by resource control rather than public welfare. “Eight to ten years have passed since FATA’s merger… Where are the green gardens promised to the tribes?” he asked.
Rehman condemned forced deportations of Afghan refugees, the hollow execution of the National Action Plan, and called for a genuine National Economic Plan to address public grievances instead of serving elite interests.
