Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman urged parliament on Wednesday to hold a dialogue with the “people of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” to address their security concerns.

Fazl’s suggestion comes amid a precarious security situation in Balochistan after the deadly terrorist attacks on August 26 and discontent over the enforced disappearances issue.

Terrorist attacks across the country surged to 59 in the month of August, compared to July’s 38, according to a digital database maintained by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think-tank. The majority of the attacks occurred in KP and Balochistan.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly today, Fazl said: “I still believe that if the parliament is requested to step forward and go and talk to the people of Balochistan and KP, then the situation can be reverted to normal.”

He said that the “government’s writ in Balochistan and KP had ended due to unrest” and that “armed elements are ruling there and collecting taxes”.

“They are visiting the villages, patrolling the streets, and are armed with rocket launchers and special equipment,” he added.

Referring to the August 26 attacks, the JUI-F chief said the parliament was “not taking matters seriously” and went on to criticise the treasury and opposition benches for their frequent heated exchanges.

Over the last two weeks, Fazl has met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and a PTI delegation as both sides attempt to curry favour with the senior poltician.

“One party (opposition) goes to the extent that they start talking about separation [from Parliament]. On the other side as well (government), they made statements such as ‘we are ready to deal with them with force and we are ready to go to every extent for the state’s protection’,” Fazl said.

“The importance of politicians is being eliminated today. Renowned, knowledgeable, experienced, and senior [political] leadership is being sidelined,” he said, adding that new politicians replacing them have no experience.

“Empower politicians. Hand over matters to them,” the JUI-F leader remarked.

“Becoming Faisalabad’s clocktower and Amrat Dhara (cure-all) yourself can perhaps be a wish but never the solution to the issue,” Fazl quipped.

He wondered whether the “government had the ability and power to make decisions on its own”. “There cannot be a bigger mistake than considering the Parliament, political parties, and politicians unnecessary for the country,” the JUI-F leader said.

The senior politician called upon the Parliament to “take action after taking the opposition into confidence and hold a dialogue to end the restlessness” caused by terrorism.

The JUI-F chief said that Pakistan had become a “battleground for the proxy war between the United States and China”.

Highlighting that there were now “obstacles to completing the megaprojects” planned under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Fazl claimed that “no development work was possible anymore in the entire region from Dera Ismail Khan to Balochistan”.

Stressing that terrorism had become an extremely serious issue, Fazl said, “In some areas, even Pakistan’s national anthem cannot be sung and the country’s flag cannot be hoisted in some schools today.

He said he would continue to criticise the government and have differing views but his services were available if the country needed them.

Missing persons issue ‘extremely important’

Calling the missing persons issue “extremely important”, the JUI-F chief said, “People’s loved ones have been missing for 20 years and they are not told whether they have died or are alive in jail or have fled.

“Wherever they are, it is the government’s responsibility to inform their family of their location,” he asserted.

Fazl affirmed that the people of each of the four provinces had the right to that region’s resources.

“The people should be assured that the Constitution will be followed and under the 18th Amendment, these resources are yours. The state has no right to go and occupy them.”

“I want the nation to trust the army but such actions are eroding that trust,” he said, alleging that a person arrested a year before the Army Public School attack was among those hanged over the incident.

He went on to recall his visit to Afghanistan in January where he met Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund, affirming that he returned “fully successful and apprised the foreign office and the authorities” of his discussions there.

Referring to the alleged involvement of Afghan nationals in the Bisham attack, Fazl questioned if it was also Afghanistan’s “responsibility if the terrorists crossed the 200-250 checkposts located all the way from Quetta to Bisham”.

“Where were we?” he asked, stressing the need for the government to “pay attention to its responsibilities as well”.

Fazl also criticised the closure of government departments under the plan of “rightsizing”, arguing that such actions would deprive people of their jobs while unemployment in the country was already high.