Talal Chaudhry: Government not pushing Fazlur Rehman to street protests
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government is not pushing JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman toward street protests. He said civic notices to a JUI-F affiliated seminary are administrative and not political.
- Talal Chaudhry says Fazlur Rehman is choosing confrontation himself.
- He says notices to a JUI-F affiliated seminary have no link to current politics.
- JUI-F bodies are weighing nationwide street and legislative protests.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government is not pushing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman toward street protests. He made the remarks on the Geo News program 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath'.
"We are not pushing Maulana Fazlur Rehman toward the streets; he is moving toward confrontation himself and becoming unnecessarily bitter," Chaudhry said (as quoted in the report).
Chaudhry said civic notices were sent to a seminary affiliated with JUI-F. He said they have no link to current political developments, and that anti-encroachment operations across Islamabad have been going on for over a year and a half.
He said municipal enforcement teams act within the capital's building control regulations. He described Fazlur Rehman as becoming unnecessarily bitter over routine regulatory enforcement.
Chaudhry was also asked about remarks by Rana Sanaullah, who had suggested that regulatory action against the seminary causes political damage without governance benefits. Chaudhry said these remarks reflect a personal opinion rather than official policy. He added that federal ministers would not publicly address the matter if the Prime Minister held similar reservations.
Federal authorities say municipal regulatory actions are administrative and non-political. State officials rejected allegations that government institutions are deliberately targeting political opponents.
According to the reports, JUI-F organisational bodies are evaluating options including nationwide street demonstrations and legislative protests. The interior ministry said law enforcement and civic bodies will continue their duties without bias.
Municipal authorities plan to complete structural inspections across various sectors. Administrative channels remain open for property managers to regularise non-compliant structures.
Why it matters
Tension between the government and the JUI-F chief over possible protests bears on public order across the country. Residents of Islamabad may see continued inspections of buildings in various sectors. Property managers have been told they can regularise non-compliant structures through administrative channels.
