ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Thursday expressed solidarity with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman following a public spat with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, condemning what they described as personal attacks on the top opposition leader.
A delegation led by PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and others met Rehman at his residence, voicing concern over the targeting of opposition leaders and warning against turning political differences into personal attacks.
The meeting came amid escalating tensions between the government and opposition over the role of religion in politics, regional security diplomacy and the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Addressing the National Assembly on Wednesday, Maulana Rehman criticised the government’s handling of regional mediation efforts, questioning why Asif had not attended a recent meeting in Tehran.
He also challenged the decision to send Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, rather than Asif, alongside Field Marshal Asim Munir to the Iranian capital.
Rehman turned a familiar taunt used by Asif against his political opponents back on the minister, saying: “Koi sharamhotihai, koi hayahotihai” (There should be some shame, some sense of propriety).
Asif responded on Thursday by accusing the JUI-F leadership of exploiting religion and politics for personal gain. He said no other political party, including the PTI, had used the two in the same manner.
The PTI delegation criticised the tone of Asif’s remarks, saying political disagreements should not descend into character assassination.
The intervention saw the PTI publicly support a political rival as tensions between the government and opposition remain high.
The meeting also addressed concerns over the treatment of opposition leaders, including the detention of the sisters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and restrictions on their access to family members and lawyers.
PTI leaders warned that the authorities would be responsible for any untoward incident arising from the situation.
During the meeting, both PTI and JUI-F also demanded that KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial assembly speaker Babar Saleem Swati and PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar be brought before the public.
It claimed the three had been missing since emergency measures and governor’s rule were imposed in the province on October 11.
The imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP has also drawn allegations of constitutional violations from both the PTI and JUI-F chief, further escalating tensions between the opposition and the federal government.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026