Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that political differences with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have existed before, but never reached the present intensity. Speaking in a televised interview, he framed the dispute as sharper than earlier disagreements while still describing his personal ties with the cleric as good.
Khawaja Asif said he had not wanted to respond to Fazlur Rehman at once. He added that criticism aimed at him personally was not the main problem; what concerned him was that the JUI leader was attacking the government's credibility and public standing.
JUI and governor's rule
On JUI's position that it never sought a share in governor's rule — a temporary arrangement in which a province is run under the federal government's nominee rather than an elected provincial cabinet — Khawaja Asif described that claim as an expression of innocence. He did not present the remark as a full account of negotiations, but as a rejection of the party's portrayal of its own role.
The exchange underlines how federal coalition politics and provincial administration remain tightly linked. Governor's rule is rarely a technical detail for voters; it signals who holds provincial power when elected governments are set aside or contested.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PTI factions
Separately, Khawaja Asif said corruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had peaked over a 13-year period. He alleged that large sums drawn for development funds ended up in private pockets rather than public works. He also said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contains several groups that are effectively at odds with one another.
Those comments sit alongside the Fazlur Rehman dispute rather than replacing it. Together they sketch Asif's public case: that the current clash with the JUI chief is unusually severe, that JUI's governor-rule narrative is not credible in his view, and that governance and factional problems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain part of the wider political argument.
What comes next
Asif did not outline a formal next step in resolving the rift. His remarks leave open whether the government will answer Fazlur Rehman with further statements, quiet outreach, or a harder public line. For now, the defence minister's position is clear on the record: earlier differences with the JUI chief never matched this level, personal goodwill has not erased the dispute, and he sees the government's reputation — not only his own — as the target of the criticism.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Wazir-e-difa Khawaja Asif ne kaha hai ke Maulana Fazlur Rehman se pehle bhi ikhtilaf rahe, lekin itni sakhti pehle kabhi nahi aayi. Unhone JUI ke us daaway ko bhi kamzor bataya ke unhone governor raj mein hissa nahi maanga. Asif ke mutabiq asal masla unki zaat nahi, hukumat ki saakh par hamla hai. Aam logon ke liye ye siyasi kheench-taan hukumat ki bilai aur Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ke development paise ke sahi istemal se judti hai.
