Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman (JUI)

Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman (Urdu: مولانا فضل الرحمان) is son of the Former Chief Minister of N.W.F.P Mufti Mahmud. He is Ameer (President) of a faction of a political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Assembly of 'Ulama-e-Islam). His faction is known as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal ur Rahman group or JUI-F. He is also the General Secretary of the Religious Alliance, Muttahidah Majlis-e-'Amal (Council of United Action) or MMA. He is originally from the Abdulkhel Banyala area in Dera Ismail Khan District of North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. He was selected as Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan by the Speaker of the Assembly on May 25, 2004^[1]. He remained on such post till his resgination from assembly in 2007.

Life

Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman is son of well known religious and political leader Maulana Mufti Mahmood.

Fazal-ur-Rehman's started politics from District Tank southern City of NWFP. Mualana like his father's, has been at odds with the Muslim League. Fazal-ur-Rehman remained in the camp of the political alliances and parties that were opposed to Nawaz Sharif's League. He went to make an alliance with Pakistan People Party in 1993 elections. In the general elections of 2002, he managed to bring the religious political parties of Pakistan from a wide spectrum of sects, on one platform. The masses of the country embraced the idea, as the coalition paid off in the elections.

Fazal-ur-Rehman built his public image by engaging Zulfaqir Ali Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhutto with the Taliban during her second term as the prime minister in the mid 90's. He earned his nickname, "Mulla Diesel" or "Maulana Diesel", after allegations of his involvement in a fuel sale scandal became public. The case was never proved and was never even filed in any court, not even by the Accountability Cell of the following Nawaz Sharif government. Even though the then Accountability Cell, headed by Saif-ur-Rahman did not spare any of the previous government allies. This and the fact the allegation as reported, refers to corruption in export of diesel (which Pakistan seldom does).

His coalition's negotiation with Gen. Musharraf that led to 17th amendment, (which granted indemnity to some of Musharraf's acts and set a time frame from Musharraf leaving the Army Chief post), is widely criticized. He excuses himself by saying that Gen. Musharraf did not fulfill the constitutional requirements as per 17th amendment. He led the opposition in the National Assembly, but is alleged to make it a friendly opposition.

In February 18, 2008 elections, Fazal-ur-Rehman lost his seat from his home town Dera Ismail Khan. He, however, won a seat from Bannu while his brother Maulana Atta ur Rehman won the National Assembly seat in Dera Ismail Khan kum Tank. His party JUI currently has 7 National Assembly seats, 14 seats in NWFP provincial assembly, and 10 and 2 in Baluchistan and Punjab Assembly.

Member of National Assembly of Pakistan

Mr Fazal have been elected to National Assembly on multiple occassion.

He was made Chairman of the Kashmir Committee in the Second government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The speaker of the National assembly made Mr Fazal Leader of the Opposition between 2004-2007.

He is chair of Kashmir committee in the assembly elected 2009.

Controversies

Scandals During 1993-1996

Benazir Bhutto was the first female muslim woman head of a democratically elected government. During the second government of Benazir Bhutto during 1993-1996, Mr Fazl, who heads a fundamental Islamic party, along with other parties started raising of issue that it is not allowed for a woman to head a government. The government appointed Mr. Fazl chair of a committee in the National Assembly. After his appointment to the chair, Mr Fazl ceased raising the issue of woman as head of government, which raised a wildly held view that his change in attitude was directly result of his appointment to the chair. In addition he was awarded a huge amount of quota for Diesel fuel, due to which he earned the nick of "Maulana Diesel"

Presidential Election 2007 In Pakistan, the presidential electoral college consist of the 4 provincial assemblies, the national assembly and the senate. In 2007, a situation occurred where the term of the president as well as the assemblies were expiring at the same time. The president at the time was General Pervaiz Musharaf, who came to power as a result of military coup. In 2007, he was up for re-election in October 2007. The opposition parties took the position that an assembly whose own term is ending cannot elect a new president specially when the same assembly had earlier elected a president at its inception. They maintained that one assembly cannot cast votes to elect president twice. In order to break the electoral college, the opposition parties pressed for dissolution of the only opposition held provisional assembly of NWFP, which headed by MMA. constitution allowed for dissolution of provincial assembly on simple advice of Chief Minister, who is the head of the provincial government. In face of intense pressure of other parties of MMA and other opposition parties, Mr. Fazl was pressured to act on dissolution of assembly. He announced on September 27, 2007 that on October 02, 2007 the Chief Minister of his party would send the dissolution advice. Due to gap between the announcement and planned dissolution advice, an opportunity was provided to supporters of General Musharaf to file a motion of no confidence against Chief Minister. As the result of motion of no confidence, the CM was prevented from filing the advice. It was widely believed that Mr. Fazl, who is a seasoned politician pre-announced the date when the Chief Minister would advice for dissolution so that a no confidence movement could be filed and prevent the situation of incomplete electoral college.

Land Scandal According to a investigative report, eleven influential figures were allotted costly and fertile agriculture land during the former Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government at nominal rates in southern districts of the NWFP in a “land scandal”. Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman has been involved in property scandal during the President General Musharaf era. Maulana and his associates were allotted thousands of kanal of agriculture land in 2006 (The News, Friday, November 07, 2008)

Lawyer Movement A Lawyers movement for restoration of judiciary had been going for almost 2 years since March 2007 across the country. In March 2009, the movement called for a long march. Mr Fazl called it a provincial movement and dubbed it a "Punjab movement" to give it a ethnic color^[5]. As the result of Mr Fazl past activities, and activities during long movement, many lawyers bars council have barred for life entrance of Mr. Fazl into bars