- Maulana Fazal ur Rehman phoned PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to discuss the political situation.
- Bilawal condemned government actions against the JUI-F and urged tolerance of opposition criticism.
- A terrorism case has been registered against Mufti Abrar Ahmed, the JUI-F chief’s secretary, which the party calls false.
- NAB has issued another call-up notice to Asad Mahmood, the JUI-F chief’s son.
Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), has discussed the country’s political situation with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over the telephone. The conversation came while the JUI-F is dealing with a terrorism case against the chief’s secretary and a fresh notice from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to the party chief’s son.
In this article
Fazal ur Rehman made the call to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and the two leaders exchanged views on the prevailing political situation.
Fazal ur Rehman and Bilawal discuss the political situation
The telephone conversation between the two leaders centred on the prevailing political situation in the country. Maulana Fazal ur Rehman placed the call, and the PPP chairman joined him in an exchange of views.
Beyond Bilawal’s remarks on the government, the opposition and democracy, no further details of the discussion were included in the information available.
Bilawal’s message on opposition and democracy
During the conversation with Fazal ur Rehman, Bilawal Bhutto condemned the government’s actions against the JUI-F. He also condemned what he described as the targeting of the party.
Bilawal said the government should be willing to tolerate criticism from the opposition. In his view, a responsible opposition plays an important role in democracy and the parliamentary system.
He added that every step that could weaken democracy and parliament should be avoided.
Put simply, the PPP chairman’s message had two parts: the government should accept criticism from the opposition, and every step that could weaken democracy and parliament should be avoided.
Terrorism case against Mufti Abrar Ahmed, secretary to Fazal ur Rehman
Earlier, a terrorism case was registered against Mufti Abrar Ahmed, who serves as secretary to Maulana Fazal ur Rehman. A JUI-F spokesperson said the case includes serious charges, terrorism among them.
The spokesperson said more than 200 unidentified party workers have also been named in the case alongside Mufti Abrar Ahmed.
The JUI-F alleges that Mufti Abrar Ahmed and the party workers have been falsely accused of assaulting police personnel.
In other words, the party rejects the accusation against its secretary and workers, and describes the claim that they assaulted police personnel as false.
JUI-F objects to criminal cases and use of state power
The party spokesperson said that answering political differences with criminal cases and the use of state power runs against democratic values.
No response from the government or police to the JUI-F’s allegations was included in the information available.
The party’s objection is therefore about method as well as about the specific case: it argues that criminal cases and state power are the wrong answer to political differences.
NAB notice to Asad Mahmood, son of Fazal ur Rehman
Separately, NAB has issued another call-up notice to Asad Mahmood, son of the JUI-F chief. The notice relates to an inquiry into alleged illegal appointments in the Pakistan Post Office Department.
The word "another" indicates that this is not the first time he has been called in connection with the inquiry.
The notice was issued by NAB and concerns the inquiry into alleged illegal appointments. The information available gives no further details of the inquiry.
Background: who is who in this story
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Maulana Fazal ur Rehman is the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F). Mufti Abrar Ahmed is the secretary to Fazal ur Rehman, and Asad Mahmood is his son.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued the call-up notice. The inquiry concerns alleged illegal appointments in the Pakistan Post Office Department.
The terrorism case names Mufti Abrar Ahmed together with more than 200 unidentified party workers, whom the JUI-F says have been falsely accused of assaulting police personnel.
Why the developments matter
The phone call, the terrorism case and the NAB notice all involve the JUI-F leadership circle.
For now, the JUI-F maintains that its secretary and workers have been falsely accused of assaulting police personnel, while Bilawal Bhutto has called for tolerance of criticism.
Taken together, the story shows a JUI-F chief in contact with the PPP chairman at the same time as his party faces a case against his secretary and a notice to his son. Fazal ur Rehman’s party calls the case false, while Bilawal has asked the government to tolerate criticism from the opposition.
Readers should note what is and is not known. The JUI-F calls the case false, and no response from the government or police was included in the information available. The NAB inquiry concerns alleged illegal appointments, and the word "another" shows that Asad Mahmood has been called before.
Questions and answers
Who spoke to whom in the phone call?
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman contacted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and the two exchanged views on the prevailing political situation.
What did Bilawal Bhutto say about the government?
He condemned the government’s actions against the JUI-F and what he described as the targeting of the party. He said the government should tolerate criticism from the opposition and that every step that could weaken democracy and parliament should be avoided.
What case has been registered against Mufti Abrar Ahmed?
A terrorism case has been registered against him, the secretary to Fazal ur Rehman. The JUI-F spokesperson says it includes serious charges and names more than 200 unidentified party workers. The party alleges they were falsely accused of assaulting police personnel.
How many party workers are named in the terrorism case?
A JUI-F spokesperson said more than 200 unidentified party workers have been named alongside Mufti Abrar Ahmed.
Why has NAB called Asad Mahmood?
NAB issued another call-up notice to Asad Mahmood, son of Fazal ur Rehman, as part of an inquiry into alleged illegal appointments in the Pakistan Post Office Department.
What does the JUI-F say about the cases?
The JUI-F says its secretary and party workers have been falsely accused of assaulting police personnel. Its spokesperson said that answering political differences with criminal cases and the use of state power runs against democratic values.
Has the government responded to the JUI-F’s allegations?
No response from the government or police to the JUI-F’s allegations was included in the information available.
What does "another" notice mean for Asad Mahmood?
The word "another" indicates that this is not the first time he has been called in connection with the inquiry into alleged illegal appointments in the Pakistan Post Office Department.
What is the link between Fazal ur Rehman’s call and the cases?
The call was about the political situation. The terrorism case and the NAB notice are separate matters, although all three involve the JUI-F leadership circle.
Image: Usman.pg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
