Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to apologise to the nation over his remarks on martyrs, saying no one would be allowed to undermine the sacrifices rendered by the armed forces.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab Assembly, the speaker of the provincial assembly rebuked the JUI-F chief, saying that such statements were not only inappropriate but also harmful to national unity.
“Terrorism cannot be tackled through negotiations.”
Questioning the rationale behind Fazl’s comments, Khan asked, “How can the state engage in dialogue with terrorists who continue to carry out attacks?”
Read: Fazl’s remark draws ministers’ ire
He said there was a broad public consensus that terrorist organisations could not be treated as political actors.
Khan asserted that organisations involved in attacks on mosques, imambargahs, courts, police headquarters and civilians, while refusing to recognise the constitution and the writ of the state, could not be brought to the table for dialogue.
Referring to the May 25 train attack near Chaman Phatak in Balochistan that claimed the lives of several civilians and Frontier Corps personnel, he said evidence suggested the involvement of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was also before the nation.
Khan asked whether the armed forces should negotiate with such terror groups or confront them militarily.
“Dialogue had taken place in the past whenever the other side had shown willingness for a political solution, but added that the situation was different when a handful of people attempted to hold the entire country hostage through terrorism.”
The speaker also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its uneven take on the military’s political role, adding that they welcomed intervention based on political convenience.
Read more: ATC sentences 47 PTI leaders to 10 years in May 9 GHQ attack case
Khan objected to PTI zealots’ violence against military institutions on May 9, 2023, alleging that they attacked the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) in Lahore following the arrest of the party’s founder.
Speaking on international relations, Khan said ongoing regional tensions, including the Iran-Israel conflict and its wider implications, had created challenges for countries around the world.
He highlighted that the international community recognised the diplomatic wins of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, alleging that Fazl appeared resentful of those developments.
Taking a jibe at JUI-F chief’s political history, Khan said Fazl had supported former president Pervez Musharraf while he retained his military office.
“He had voted in favour of a [military] uniformed president.”
Also Read: Asif rebukes Fazl over soldiers’ sacrifices remarks
He said the JUI-F chief had also served in the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government during the Musharraf era.
The speaker accused Fazl of political hypocrisy and said his approach towards the military changed depending on whether he was elected to the treasury or opposition benches.
Khan suggested that the JUI-F should have asked the military to cease political intervention when his party was “in power”.
Reverting to Fazl’s comment that the soldiers served the country only for salaries, Khan lambasted the politician for disrespecting and belittling the sacrifices of the armed forces and security personnel.
He assured that the country’s military would continue to confront militant groups instead of allowing “terrorists to gain ground”.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneRana YasifRead More