Fazl-ur-Rehman Slams Pakistan’s Afghanistan Policy as ‘Destructive and Ineffective’

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, leader of Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, has once again sharply criticized his country’s policies toward Afghanistan, calling them “destructive and ineffective,” with no tangible results over the past 45 years.

Speaking to a group of Pakistani traders, Fazl-ur-Rehman warned that the continuation of these policies has not only harmed trade between the two countries but also undermined regional stability. The traders had approached him seeking assistance to resume commercial activities with Afghanistan.

He added that during the regimes of Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan financially exploited the Afghan crisis, saying the country “lined its pockets with dollars by leveraging the Afghan people’s struggles.” Fazl-ur-Rehman also described Pakistan’s current state as “dire and fragile.”

Although the Taliban administration in Afghanistan maintains close ties with certain elements within Pakistan’s power structure, growing criticism from within Pakistan suggests that even religious and political figures view Islamabad’s current strategy toward Afghanistan as a contributor to ongoing regional instability.