POLITICS & POLICY MAKING

Islamabad – In a passionate address to the National Assembly, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called on Pakistan to openly support Gaza and Iran in the face of Israeli military aggression, warning that "after Iran, it is Pakistan’s turn."
Denouncing global silence and Western double standards, Fazlur Rehman urged the Pakistani state to take a leadership role within the Muslim Ummah, stating that Pakistan has the capacity to lead and must reject subservience to institutions like the IMF and FATF.
“Israel attacked Palestine, then Syria and Lebanon, and now is targeting Iran. After Iran, Pakistan is next,” he said.
“We are not helpless. Pakistan’s defense forces have proved their mettle, and the world has taken notice.”
A Stinging Critique of Governance
The veteran politician also issued a scathing critique of Pakistan’s current governance model, claiming that:
· Legislation is being dictated by international financial institutions.
· The writ of the state is absent in two provinces.
· Extortion culture has replaced law and order.
· The IMF wrote the budget, and the Finance Minister merely read it.
“How can we call ourselves independent when our constitution is overridden by external pressures?” he asked.
He further rejected the law on the legal age of marriage being set at 18, claiming it was passed through external lobbying and institutional manipulation.
On Regional Politics and the Muslim World
Referring to past and current conflicts, Fazlur Rehman stated:
· Pakistan must realign its foreign policy and take Iran and other Muslim nations into confidence.
· He dismissed the effectiveness of the OIC, calling it irrelevant in the face of today’s crises.
· The war with India, according to him, was a “Modi war” and not a war with the Indian people, highlighting internal divisions within India.
“In Bangladesh, the nation was not with us—and we lost. In the recent conflict, the nation stood united—and we won,” he remarked.
Call for Revolution
Fazlur Rehman declared that “traditional politics is over” and called for revolution through justice, not force.
“We need a revolution, and the people will have to stand up. The economy cannot be fixed by force. It needs justice.”
He concluded by challenging liberals to a public debate on national ideology and declaring:
“Once again, we are the target of missiles and gunpowder. I declare war on this oppressive system.”