By:-Musawir Qureshi
There are no permanent relationships in Pakistani politics. A political party that is seen today as a strong opponent of another party may be seen tomorrow sitting with that same party and developing a joint political strategy. Pakistani politics has many such examples, but the latest is the relationship between Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), where past political hostility now appears to be turning into political cooperation. On certain issues, the two parties appear to be moving closer to each other, and there also seems to be some similarity in their positions regarding the establishment.
There was a time when PTI and JUI-F were fierce political opponents. Political differences between leaders of the two parties often reached the level of personal bitterness. Harsh language was used against each other at rallies, press conferences, and especially on social media. Tensions between their workers had also become common.
Imran Khan and Maulana Fazlur Rehman were considered strong political opponents of each other. Maulana Fazlur Rehman repeatedly criticized Imran Khan, while PTI workers also strongly criticized Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
But that is the nature of politics: circumstances and interests keep changing. In politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies; there are permanent interests.
Over the past approximately two and a half years, PTI leaders and representatives have met Maulana Fazlur Rehman on numerous occasions. The purpose of these meetings was not merely to maintain contact but also to bring opposition parties onto a common platform, develop a joint strategy on various political issues, including Imran Khan’s release, and explore possibilities for political cooperation.
In March 2025, PTI leadership also stated that Imran Khan had instructed the party to maintain political contacts with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and that efforts were being made to reduce differences between the two parties through dialogue.
Over time, a change could also be seen in Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s political tone. Compared with the past, he appeared to adopt a relatively softer position toward Imran Khan and PTI. On the other hand, PTI leadership also moved away from the harsh language it had previously used against Maulana Fazlur Rehman and adopted a path of political respect and dialogue.
In August 2026, important meetings were also held among opposition parties regarding a joint political strategy. PTI leaders participated in meetings held at Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence, while discussions also emerged regarding a united opposition and a coordinated role in Parliament.
This development is particularly significant because Maulana Fazlur Rehman had previously expressed reservations on several occasions about forming a formal alliance with PTI. Even in 2025, he kept the door open for dialogue and cooperation on common issues, but avoided entering into a formal alliance.
Now, the situation appears to be changing.
But the real issue now is not the leadership; it is the workers.
A large section of PTI supporters is still not ready to easily accept political closeness with Maulana Fazlur Rehman. For workers who spent years considering him a strong political opponent of PTI, accepting sudden political cooperation will not be easy.
On the other hand, JUI-F workers also have many questions in their minds. After years of intense political differences with Imran Khan and PTI, working together with them today will not be easy for many ideological workers of both parties.
Therefore, the biggest challenge for the leadership will not simply be to form an alliance, but also to take their respective workers into confidence regarding this political cooperation.
This raises another important question: Will this cooperation remain limited to the release of Imran Khan?
If the cooperation remains limited to Imran Khan’s release, it is possible that once the objective is achieved, the two parties may return to their separate political paths.
However, if both parties develop a long-term political program based on common principles such as constitutional supremacy, free and fair elections, parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, political freedom, and public issues, this relationship could create a new political alignment in Pakistan.
In recent days, reports have also emerged that JUI-F and PTI may move toward political cooperation and seat adjustments in future elections.
If the two parties actually move toward seat adjustments in the next elections, the question is whether this will be practically possible and whether workers of both parties will implement such a decision.
Because in electoral politics, an alliance is not formed merely through meetings between party leaders. The real test comes in the constituencies.
Where a PTI candidate is strong, how will JUI-F persuade its candidate to withdraw? And where a JUI-F candidate is strong, how will PTI workers campaign for that candidate?
These are not easy questions.
Particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the two parties have competed for each other’s vote banks in many areas. If seat adjustments take place, the leadership of both parties will have to explain to their workers that this is not necessarily an ideological alliance, but could instead be a political and electoral strategy.
It is also a reality that political closeness based on mutual interests does not completely erase the bitterness of the past.
When people have criticized each other for years, building trust takes time. Leaders may sit together at the same table today, but eliminating old differences among workers will require continuous political engagement and confidence-building.
The real question now is whether PTI and JUI-F can put aside their past bitterness and focus on the politics of the future. Can this political cooperation develop into a strong and lasting alliance? Or will political differences, electoral interests, and disputes over the distribution of candidates once again turn this closeness into distance?
Maulana Fazlur Rehman is an experienced politician. He knows that political alliances do not only bring benefits; they also carry the risk of losses.
If he moves closer to PTI, he will also have to satisfy those elements within his own party that still have serious reservations about Imran Khan and PTI.
Similarly, PTI leadership will have to explain to its workers why political cooperation is now considered necessary with a political figure against whom such strong language was used in the past.
For now, it would probably be premature to say that the alliance between PTI and JUI-F has taken a permanent shape. However, it is clear that the distance between the two parties has decreased compared with the past, and efforts for cooperation within a united opposition have progressed.
The meetings held in August 2026 have also reportedly involved discussions on a joint parliamentary strategy and a united role for the opposition. It is not something new in Pakistani politics for people who accused each other yesterday to sit together today and discuss a common political strategy.
This is politics.
But simply forming an alliance is not a political success. True success lies in ensuring that an alliance remains based on principles, trust, and a common purpose.
If PTI and JUI-F come closer merely for temporary political gains, it will be difficult for such an alliance to survive for long. But if both parties leave personal and past differences behind and make the Constitution, democracy, the rule of law, and public issues their common agenda, it could become an important development in Pakistani politics.
Now it remains to be seen whether this new political closeness between Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PTI develops into a strong and lasting alliance, or whether, like so many relationships in Pakistani politics, it eventually reaches another turning point.
Because in Pakistani politics, yesterday’s enemies can become today’s allies. But the real question is how long such an alliance lasts, how strong its foundation is, and what result it ultimately delivers for the people.
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