According to Dawn, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has accused the federal government of reneging on its commitments while he was actively mediating between the ruling administration and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Fazl stated that his attempt to resolve political tensions was sidelined when the federal government chose to move forward with imposing an emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
What happened
According to Dawn, political tensions had escalated after PTI announced a long march to press for the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan. Following requests from both opposition figures and federal ministers after his return from Umrah on October 7, Fazl agreed to mediate between the two sides. While PTI agreed to keep its march confined to KP at Fazl's request, talks stalled as both parties demanded the other make the initial concession. The situation culminated when the federal government announced plans to impose emergency rule in KP, prompting Fazl to publicly criticize the administration's actions at a press conference in Islamabad.
Key facts
- Opposition leaders and federal ministers asked Fazl to intervene on October 8, a day after he returned from Umrah.
- PTI leadership, including KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, assured Fazl during a conference call that they would call off the long march if their demands regarding medical treatment and jail visits for Imran Khan were met.
- Fazl conveyed these conditions to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar later notified Fazl during a cabinet meeting that emergency rule would be declared in KP due to security concerns.
- Fazl questioned the government's security reasoning, pointing out that Balochistan faced worse security conditions without being placed under governor's rule.
- The JUI-F leader rejected the imposition of emergency rule, describing it as an attack on democratic principles, and pledged to challenge the decision in court and Parliament. He also voiced regret over the Pakistan Peoples Party's role in the decision.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, the breakdown of these negotiations and the declaration of emergency rule in KP signify a major breakdown in political dialogue between the federal government and opposition parties. The move disrupts attempts to find a peaceful resolution to regional protests and deepens the ongoing constitutional dispute surrounding governance and state authority.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 11, 2026 · Photo by Bekky Bekks on Unsplash