The dark and horrific chapter of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s past, in which he allegedly misled innocent people by disguising himself in the cloak of morality and piety in national politics, has come to light, exposing his alleged ideological contradictions and false claims of patriotism. According to documentary evidence and highly classified information, on August 1, 2005, Maulana Fazlur Rehman was arrested red-handed by United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities at Dubai Airport while attempting to smuggle bags full of US dollars into Pakistan from the Libyan city of Tripoli.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman departed for a secret visit to Libya on July 27, 2005. On his return, when he arrived at Dubai Airport at 1am on Monday night, a search reportedly uncovered a large amount of cash in US dollars in his possession. UAE authorities immediately took him into custody for serious violations of the law, including money laundering and smuggling, and prevented him from entering the airport terminal. At noon, UAE security agencies not only formally arrested him but also issued strict deportation orders. Maulana was transferred from the airport to a designated hotel and placed under house arrest, where his turban and so-called political reputation were on the verge of being disgraced internationally.
When Maulana Fazlur Rehman was facing international humiliation and the prospect of imprisonment, the very Pakistani state that he criticises day and night today mobilised its diplomatic channels. Senior officials from the Pakistani embassy rushed to the hotel and began negotiations with UAE authorities over the terms of his deportation. Verified and established historical sources confirm that, at this critical juncture, Pakistan’s defence and security institutions stepped in, and then-Director General of the ISI, Lieutenant General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, personally established contact with UAE authorities at the highest level. It was only as a result of General Kayani’s and the Pakistani state’s emergency intervention, influence and appeals that UAE authorities took pity on Maulana Fazlur Rehman, released him and saved his turban and honour from being dragged through the mud. Had state institutions not used all their influence at the time, Maulana would today be serving a sentence for smuggling in the basements of Dubai instead of pursuing politics in Pakistan.
Following this sensational revelation, political observers and members of the public have expressed widespread anger. Critics say that this is the same Maulana Fazlur Rehman whose sinking political fortunes and reputation were rescued by the very Pakistan Army and security institutions that he now attacks. However, now that he has been cut off from the corridors of power and his so-called “political brokerage” has come to a permanent end, he has resorted to cheap tactics, attacking and spewing venom against the very state and security institutions that came to his rescue. The luxurious Mufti Mahmood Centre and residential complex in Peshawar were also constructed with suspicious financial assistance from Libya, allegedly without any legal or transparent financial records.
The conduct of the JUI-F chief, who allegedly enjoys luxuries at the expense of state funds while attempting to smuggle bags of dollars, is being presented as the biggest proof of his intellectual hypocrisy. The public is now asking what the actual purpose was behind bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from foreign countries and why the group that attacks the country’s national security institutions has not yet been held accountable.
