Assert that turning political differences into personal attacks is contrary to democratic values
A delegation comprising PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, former K-P assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, and TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, met Maulana Fazl at his residence in Islamabad on October 29, 2026. Photo: Screengrab
A delegation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday expressed full support for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s speech in the National Assembly and condemned what it described as his character assassination by government ministers following their strong criticism.
During today’s NA session, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif unleashed a barrage of criticism on the JUI-F chief for remarks about Asif’s absence from talks in Tehran, saying no defence agreement was being negotiated there. The minister’s remarks came a day after Fazl criticised Asif in the NA, questioning the government’s role in discussions related to the Makkah defence pact in Tehran while the prime minister and defence minister remained in Pakistan.
In a statement shared on X, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser said a delegation comprising him, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai met Fazl at his residence in Islamabad.
“The visiting delegation expressed full support for Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s speech in the National Assembly and strongly condemned the character assassination of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief by government ministers,” the statement said.
It added that the delegation stated that turning political differences into personal attacks and character assassination was contrary to democratic values, and that respect for political leadership must be upheld in all circumstances.
چیئرمین پاکستان تحریک انصاف بیرسٹر گوہر خان، سابق اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی اسد قیصر اور ترجمان تحریک تحفظ آئین پاکستان حسین احمد یوسفزئی پر مشتمل وفد نے امیر جمعیت علمائے اسلام مولانا فضل الرحمٰن سے ان کی رہائش گاہ پر ملاقات کی۔
ملاقات میں مہمان وفد نے قومی اسمبلی میں مولانا فضل… pic.twitter.com/gX4JEpKuqB— Asad Qaiser (@AsadQaiserPTI) October 29, 2026
The meeting’s members also condemned the imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan’s sisters, alleging that they were being deprived of basic rights and denied access to family and lawyers.
“The participants warned that if any unpleasant situation arises as a result of this conduct, full responsibility will fall on the relevant authorities.”
They also jointly demanded the public appearance of suspended Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and PTI K-P President Junaid Akbar Khan.
The latest exchange comes amid an escalating war of words between the government and opposition leaders over the political and security situation in K-P.
In mid-October, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi took a swipe at JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl over his opposition to the imposition of governor’s rule in the province, suggesting that the religious-political leader was unhappy at not being offered a role in the new provincial setup.
Other government figures, including Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, also assailed his stance, with allegations that he was supporting people accused of backing terrorism.
Federal ministers once again took to task the JUI-F chief on October 18, accusing Fazl of politicising the security situation and opposing measures they said were intended to combat terrorism.
Responding to the allegations, Fazl described the remarks as character assassination and maintained that his criticism was directed at government policies rather than state institutions. He then called for parliament to hold an in-camera session to examine the country’s counterterrorism strategy.
