DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Maulana Lutfur Rehman, the parliamentary leader of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, has said that opposition does not have the required number to bring about a change in the provincial government but it cannot remain silent in the face of bad governance.

Talking to journalists during his visit to the residence of JUI-F leader Amanul Haq Ghaznikhel, he said that the worsening situation in the province was no longer merely an internal matter of the ruling party but a concern for all.

Earlier, Maulana Lutfur Rehman also attended a dinner reception held in the honour of local elders.

“If government fails to fulfil its responsibilities and the system continues to falter, opposition is duty-bound to raise its voice both in the assembly and among people. This is not just a political issue. It is a matter of public interest,” he said.

He said that if someone had a majority, he had the democratic right to form a government.

“But we will not accept a scenario where such matters cannot be debated in parliament. It is my constitutional right to speak up if the system appears to be derailing,” he added.

Maulana Lutfur Rehman said that if rift in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) resulted in a change of government, it would be its internal matter.

“However, if the status quo in the province persists, opposition will be left with no choice but to take practical steps in public interest,” he said.

About the recent Senate elections, he said that negotiations between government and opposition were the result of a united opposition front.

“The outcome of five Senate seats being given to the opposition was a direct result of these talks. Politics runs on dialogue, not coercion or violence,” he added.

About his party’s decision to abstain from the multi-party conference of government, Maulana Lutfur Rehman said that JUI-F was a direct victim of terrorism.

“We have lost countless members to targeted killing and suicide attacks. Peace and development go hand in hand. The provincial government must not pass on its constitutional responsibilities to others. Law and order is a provincial mandate and cannot be outsourced or ignored,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2025