By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Engineer Maulana Zia-ur-Rehman, coordinator of the Central Digital Committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), said Pakistan successfully managed the recent confrontation with India both militarily and diplomatically, achieving gains on all fronts and significantly shifting global perceptions in Pakistan’s favour.
Speaking during a meeting with senior journalist Muhammad Rehan, Zia-ur-Rehman claimed that India’s narrative against Pakistan had been exposed as false internationally. He added that Pakistan made it clear that incidents within India were purely domestic matters and had no link to Pakistan.
On domestic politics, he praised JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for maintaining a principled stance, contrasting it with other parties such as PML-N, PPP, and PTI, which he said often failed to act consistently. Zia-ur-Rehman emphasised that JUI rejects hybrid regimes and believes the establishment should have no role in political affairs. He criticised PTI for selectively acknowledging the establishment’s influence, asserting that both the 2018 and 2024 general elections were rigged in his party’s view.
Regarding political prisoners, he said Maulana Fazlur Rehman opposes imprisonment of political leaders and cautioned against repeating mistakes made by Imran Khan. He suggested that any release of Imran Khan would occur through legal channels, not protests or sit-ins, and predicted 2026 was unlikely to see his release.
On former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Zia-ur-Rehman described potential party changes as Gandapur’s personal decision but indicated that discussions hinted a decision might already have been made. He also strongly criticised Gandapur’s tenure, challenging claims of completed mega projects in Dera Ismail Khan, stating that promised infrastructure, health, and education initiatives were left unfulfilled, and describing ongoing development work as reliant on opposition funding.
Zia-ur-Rehman questioned claims of employment generation under Gandapur, asking how many local residents actually benefited. He concluded by affirming his commitment to JUI, promising to fulfil any responsibilities assigned by the party in the future.
