Appeasing Trump Is 'Shirk': JUI-F's Fazlur Rehman Launches Fierce Attack On Pakistan Govt | Exclusive

Last Updated:January 23, 2026, 21:24 IST

Delivering a scathing theological and political indictment, the veteran cleric questioned the spiritual integrity of Pakistan’s rulers

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif speaking alongside US President Donald Trump. (Pic/Reuters)

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has launched his most direct attack yet on Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif government, accusing the leadership of committing “shirk" (the sin of idolatry) by prioritising the appeasement of US President Donald Trump over religious and national principles.

The Maulana’s remarks come amid a deepening political crisis following Pakistan’s decision to join the newly formed Gaza Board of Peace (BoP) in Davos.

Delivering a scathing theological and political indictment, the veteran cleric questioned the spiritual integrity of Pakistan’s rulers. “Are you focused on pleasing a ‘Trump idol’ instead of Allah?" he asked. “There can be no greater shirk than this."

He asserted that the government’s haste to sign the Trump-led BoP charter—which he termed the “Occupation Board"—was done with “eyes closed" despite his party’s vehement rejection. Rehman warned that depending on Washington for survival is a historical fallacy: “America did not even save Bengal, and if this country breaks apart, they will not save you then either. If anyone is to save Pakistan, it will only be Allah."

In a remarkable claim regarding Pakistan’s strategic history, the Maulana alleged that the current ruling party, the PML-N, lacked the fortitude to conduct the 1998 nuclear tests and was only pushed to do so by his intervention.

“I know how much courage they actually had at the time of the nuclear tests," he revealed. “Those in the PML-N were submitting their resignations at that point; we stopped them and said, ‘Stand firm, we are standing with you.'" He claimed it was the JUI-F’s unwavering support that provided the government the necessary backbone to face international pressure at Chagai.

The Maulana linked the current diplomatic shift to the ongoing tragedy in Palestine, noting that over 70,000 people have been martyred, yet Pakistan is accepting a peace process that excludes the victims and includes the “butcher" Benjamin Netanyahu.

He reiterated his call for February 8 to be observed as a “Black Day", marking the anniversary of the 2024 elections, which he claims produced the current “fake" mandate. By framing the government’s foreign policy as a betrayal of both the Quaid’s legacy and Islamic values, Rehman has signalled a total breakdown in his relationship with the ruling coalition.

News world Appeasing Trump Is 'Shirk': JUI-F's Fazlur Rehman Launches Fierce Attack On Pakistan Govt | Exclusive

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