Fazlur Rehman urges Gulf states to review security arrangements amid regional tensions

LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday called on Gulf countries to reconsider their security arrangements, saying the presence of United States airbases in the region had created strategic dangers instead of providing protection.

He made the remarks during a special meeting with senior journalists in Lahore, where he also warned that changing regional conditions and intensifying competition among major powers could push the world towards a broader conflict.

The changing regional situation and increasing global rivalries can lead the world towards a larger conflict.

Speaking about Pakistan’s role in diplomacy, Fazlur Rehman praised Islamabad’s efforts to mediate between the US and Iran and said the country was trying to help avert what he described as the possibility of a third world war. He, however, cautioned that a further rise in tensions could pull major powers into a wider confrontation.

If escalation continues, major powers may be drawn into a wider confrontation.

Domestic politics and regional issues

On the domestic political front, the JUI-F chief said former prime minister Imran Khan should be freed and allowed to take part in the political process. He said there had been contact with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, but added that those interactions had not produced any result.

Fazlur Rehman also welcomed defence cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, describing it as significant for stability in the region.

Commenting on Afghanistan, he said differences in pace between Islamabad and Kabul had led to a policy impasse that was making matters worse.

Pakistan is seeking urgency, while Afghanistan is asking for time, and this has created a policy deadlock that is worsening the situation.

Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said the project had slowed during Imran Khan’s period in office and had still not recovered its earlier momentum. He also questioned continuity in policymaking, saying there was no visible change in Pakistan’s policy direction towards China.

Election allegations and madrassa policy

On elections, Fazlur Rehman alleged that the trends seen in the 2018 and 2024 general elections had also appeared in by-polls. He cited Quetta, Ziarat and Kalat as examples while arguing that the nature of rigging allegations in Pakistan differed from those in other countries.

Unlike other countries where rigging allegations are directed at political actors, in Pakistan they are directed at institutions.

He further said that policies concerning religious seminaries had remained largely the same under successive governments, but implementation had been weak. According to him, problems related to registration and access to banking services were still unresolved.

Views on global trends

Discussing broader international developments, Fazlur Rehman said both communism and democracy were in decline, and argued that systems of governance were increasingly being shaped by a combination of capitalism, authoritarianism and militarisation.

The session was attended by senior journalists including Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Hafeezullah Niazi, Sohail Warraich, Iftikhar Ahmed and Habib Akram. Party leaders present included Aslam Ghauri, Maulana Amjad Khan, Maulana Safiullah, Hafiz Naseer Ahrar, Tariq Khan Baloch, Hafiz Ghazanfar Aziz, Asad Khawaja and Saeed Ahmed Chachar.