Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, one of Pakistan’s most prominent political leaders and head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), has launched a scathing attack on both the Pakistani government and its powerful military establishment, blaming them for the country’s deepening tensions with India and growing diplomatic isolation in the region.
Speaking during a press briefing amid escalating Indo-Pak hostilities, Fazl-ur-Rehman questioned the priorities and strategies of Pakistan’s security and foreign policy machinery, urging them to “settle the Afghanistan issue before dreaming of Kashmir”. In a direct rebuke to the military’s long-standing obsession with Kashmir, he said, “Afghanistan has always been pro-India, but now even the Taliban is leaning towards India. The army’s current thinking will yield nothing but failure.”
#BREAKING: Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman hits out at Pakistan Govt/Army for India-Pakistan tension. Says, before Kashmir we need to settle Afghanistan issue. Afghanistan has always been pro-India but now even Taliban is pro-India. Army’s thinking won’t help.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 1, 2025
For decades, Pakistan has served as an epicentre of terrorism, home to globally proscribed groups like:
- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) – The perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) – Involved in multiple suicide bombings across Jammu & Kashmir.
- The Resistance Front (TRF) – A shadow outfit formed to bypass international scrutiny.
- The Haqqani Network – Accused of deadly attacks on Indian, U.S., and Afghan interests.
The ISI’s historical patronage of these groups has drawn international condemnation, yet Pakistan continues to oscillate between denial and duplicity. The world has not forgotten that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind 9/11, was found and killed in Abbottabad, just a stone’s throw from a Pakistani military academy. Similarly, Hafiz Saeed, the UN-designated terrorist and 26/11 plotter, has operated freely from Pakistani soil for years, despite “cosmetic” house arrests.
