Speaking in the Senate, Naqvi said he had previously held Fazlur Rehman in high regard but that his reported statement about spitting on the state had damaged that respect.
“I used to respect Maulana Fazlur Rehman a lot, but after his statement about spitting on the state, there is no room left for respect for him,” Naqvi said.
The interior minister accused the JUI-F chief of viewing the state through the lens of political interests. He argued that some politicians consider the state a mother while benefiting from government positions but turn against it when their demands are not met.
Naqvi said such remarks went beyond acceptable political criticism and warned that the government would not ignore statements he viewed as inappropriate.
His comments came a day after Fazlur Rehman questioned Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s absence from Tehran, where discussions on regional security were taking place. The JUI-F chief also raised questions about Naqvi’s visits to Iran.
Fazlur Rehman had asked why defence agreements were reportedly being discussed in Iran while the defence minister remained in Pakistan, questioning whether the matter fell under the interior ministry’s responsibilities.
Responding to the criticism, Naqvi said his visits to Iran were carried out on the special instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He explained that the visits aimed to help manage the ongoing regional crisis rather than serve any personal preference.
Naqvi also rejected suggestions that a defence agreement was being discussed in Tehran, maintaining that the meetings were intended to reduce regional tensions.
During his Senate speech, the minister further accused Fazlur Rehman of making inappropriate remarks about state institutions. He alleged that some political figures used religion to advance political and financial interests.
Naqvi also claimed that JUI-F had previously approached the federal government seeking the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address its difficulties with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government.
The exchange highlights growing political tensions between government figures and the JUI-F leadership over state institutions, regional diplomacy and provincial politics.
