Pakistan's Gaza Glitch: Fazlur Rehman Slams Peace Board, Warns Shehbaz & Munir | Exclusive

Last Updated:January 22, 2026, 17:06 IST

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief’s primary ire was directed at the inclusion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US-sponsored board

US President Donald Trump with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House. File image

In a scathing indictment of Pakistan’s current foreign and domestic policy, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has vehemently rejected the newly formed Gaza Board of Peace (BoP), terming it a betrayal of both Islamic principles and Palestinian sovereignty, CNN-News18 has learnt. Addressing a large gathering on Thursday, the veteran cleric warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to distance the country from what he described as an “oppressive" and “coercive" international alliance.

The Maulana’s primary ire was directed at the inclusion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US-sponsored board. “Netanyahu, the butcher of Palestine and the root of all mischief, has been made a member, yet the Palestinians themselves are excluded," he remarked. He questioned the logic of a peace process that mandates the disarmament of Hamas—whom he called the “real party" to the conflict—while sitting side-by-side with the architects of the Gaza bombings.

Fazl-ur-Rehman warned that the Shehbaz government is leading Pakistan into a trap by participating in a campaign that aligns with the “naked dictatorship of the East" and the “cruel system of the West". He noted with irony that even European nations are hesitant to join this board, yet Pakistani rulers seem eager to facilitate it.

The JUI-F chief also linked the external crisis to a “collapsing" democratic system at home. He delivered a stinging critique of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which has recently formalised the “Chief of Defence Forces" post and granted sweeping immunities to top military leadership.

He blasted recent legislative moves, particularly those concerning the age of marriage and gender, as being contrary to Sharia. “Is it a republic when the government legislates on forbidden (Haram) issues at will?" he asked, mourning the declaration of marriage under 18 as equivalent to adultery.

Reminding the public of the 2024 elections, he announced that February 8 would be observed as a “Black Day". He described the current parliamentary majority as “forced" and “fake," claiming the system is being run through coercion rather than public mandate.

Directly addressing the “hybrid" governance model, the Maulana asserted that “hollow consolations" would no longer satisfy the masses. He demanded a rollback of the exemptions given in the 27th Amendment and a return to “natural lawmaking" that respects provincial rights and Islamic values. By rejecting the Gaza Board of Peace and calling for a nationwide protest on 8 February, Fazl-ur-Rehman has positioned the JUI-F as the vanguard against the Shehbaz-Munir policies, potentially unsettling the fragile ruling coalition.

News world Pakistan's Gaza Glitch: Fazlur Rehman Slams Peace Board, Warns Shehbaz & Munir | Exclusive

Read More