'You Don't Divide A Burning House': Pak Cleric Asks Mohsin Naqvi To Quit 'If System Has Failed'
News world 'You Don't Divide A Burning House': Pak Cleric Asks Mohsin Naqvi To Quit 'If System Has Failed' 'You Don't Divide A Burning House'
News world 'You Don't Divide A Burning House': Pak Cleric Asks Mohsin Naqvi To Quit 'If System Has Failed' 'You Don't Divide A Burning House': Pak Cleric Asks Mohsin Naqvi To Quit 'If System Has Failed' Reported By, Last Updated: August 05, 2026, 15:17 IST Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman said the creation of new provinces was a purely administrative and constitutional matter that needed extensive consultation Rapid Read Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. (Video Grab) Pakistan’s debate over the creation of new provinces intensified on Tuesday after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman sharply criticised Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent remarks, questioning his authority to comment on the issue and accusing the government of using the proposal to divert attention from the country’s pressing challenges. Addressing reporters, Fazl-Ur-Rehman said the creation of new provinces was a purely administrative and constitutional matter that could not be undertaken without extensive consultation and political consensus. “The creation of new provinces is an administrative matter. It is impossible without careful consideration and consultation," he said.
The veteran politician also demanded that Naqvi clarify the capacity in which he had spoken about carving out new provinces. “Mohsin Naqvi must explain under whose authority he made these remarks," Fazl-Ur-Rehman said, suggesting that such proposals could not be advanced unilaterally. Using a pointed analogy, the JUI-F chief likened Pakistan’s current situation to “a shared house on fire". “If a shared house catches fire, you extinguish it first, not divide it," he said, arguing that the country should focus on resolving its political and economic crises rather than opening a contentious constitutional debate. Fazl-Ur-Rehman also criticised the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing it as a rushed decision that had failed to establish an effective administrative system. “The FATA merger was carried out in haste. Even today, there is no proper administrative system there," he said. He alleged that the renewed discussion on creating new provinces was intended to distract the public from growing unrest and governance failures. “A new distraction has been created to divert attention from public issues and unrest," he said.
Responding to Naqvi’s reported remarks about institutional failure, Fazl-Ur-Rehman said that if the system had indeed collapsed, the interior minister should resign instead of making political statements. “If the system has failed, Mohsin Naqvi should resign and step into the political field," he said. The JUI-F chief also launched a broader attack on Pakistan’s political system, alleging that democratic institutions had been weakened. “There is no true democracy in Pakistan, nor does Parliament hold any real importance anymore," he said. Without directly naming the military, Fazl-Ur-Rehman claimed that governments formed through allegedly rigged elections were controlled by “someone else," an apparent reference to Pakistan’s military establishment. “The reins of governments imposed through rigging are in someone else’s hands," he said. Reiterating his opposition to any unilateral move to redraw provincial boundaries, the JUI-F leader said any such decision must respect regional identities and ethnic sensitivities. “New provinces cannot be created by ignoring public identity and nationalities. Creating new provinces without consultation will only add to the country’s complications," he said.
The BriefWire