Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has criticised the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the agreements with the United States, saying the aim of these steps is to gain control of mineral deposits and open the country’s resources to foreign investment.
Addressing a conference, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the imposition of an emergency in the tribal areas is not merely a security matter; the aim of gaining access to mineral resources also appears to lie behind it.
He claimed the matter is not limited to mineral deposits, and that through agreements with the United States efforts are being made to increase influence over Pakistan’s resources and create a favourable environment for American investment.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that even if the rulers receive limited financial benefits in return for these steps, they are unacceptable at the cost of national interests.
He warned that his party will not support such policies, and claimed that some important countries, including China and Russia, also have reservations about these developments.
