Mawlana Fazel Rahman, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, has criticized Pakistan’s trade closures with Afghanistan, saying the policy has failed and instead pushed Afghanistan to expand trade through Central Asia and Iran. Speaking at a press conference, he noted that Pakistan has effectively cut itself off from trade with both the East and West while official data shows trade with Afghanistan has dropped by around 60% in recent months.
He also faulted the government for not briefing the public or parliament on the economic impact of West Asia tensions and urged greater transparency. On foreign policy, Fazel Rahman condemned Islamabad’s stance on Gaza, criticizing calls to award Donald Trump a peace prize and saying Pakistani leaders should be ashamed to align with figures like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He added that Pakistan’s policies have damaged trust with Afghanistan and China.