Fazlur Rehman, the Amir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), has said he can play a role in reducing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, a task he said he had undertaken in the past.
Speaking to reporters at the Islamabad Convention Centre, the JUI-F chief said he had been in contact with Afghan leadership and that Kabul’s authorities expressed a willingness to resolve issues through dialogue and mutual understanding. He added that while a ceasefire between the two countries had been achieved, efforts must now focus on curbing hostile rhetoric.
Fazlur Rehman said Pakistani intermediaries had been in touch with Afghan officials and described those conversations as constructive. He stressed that both sides should approach outstanding matters through negotiation and mutual comprehension rather than escalation.
The religio-political leader argued that, following the cessation of armed hostilities, there should be a corresponding restraint in public language. He urged all actors, including social-media users and media outlets, to avoid inflammatory statements and instead promote measures that cool tensions.
On comments by Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi regarding Kashmir, Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan ought to scrutinise its own policies. He asked what concrete progress Islamabad had made towards a solution consistent with the spirit of United Nations resolutions, and called for clarity on Pakistan’s position and actions in the dispute.
Turning to defence matters, Fazlur Rehman assessed Afghanistan’s intelligence and military capabilities as still at an early stage and suggested that demands placed on Kabul should take that reality into account. He also said Pakistan possessed “a military of global standards” and urged the state to weigh carefully whether opening a western front would be a prudent strategic move at this time.
