Ministers from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday lashed out at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his remarks about security personnel, saying the martyrs’ sacrifices could not be reduced to wages or become the subject of political debate. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said there was no room for such political discourse.
"The entire nation is indebted to the brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the motherland," he wrote in a post on X while paying tribute to the families of soldiers who, he said, said goodbye to their loved ones while praying for their martyrdom.
"Such brave and valiant sons are the asset of the nation. There is no room for political discourse about their sacrifices, as their worth cannot be measured," he added. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also addressed Fazlur Rehman in a submission on X and said that he had always respected the JUI-F chief and with that attitude wanted to make a few requests.
"Your latest statement has created the impression [ ] you have diminished the value and significance of the great sacrifices of our martyrs. This has not only hurt my sentiments but also millions of Pakistanis."
"Our military personnel and officers are not merely performing their professional duties; rather, they fulfill the duty of defending the motherland with their lives on the line all the time."
"Describing such an unparalleled sacrifice as a mere compensation for a wage is neither fair nor in accordance with the demands of ethics nor in accordance with Islamic teachings," Iqbal further said. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also appeared to respond to the controversy, though without directly mentioning Fazlur Rehman. In a post on X, he wrote that the concept of martyrdom was beyond the understanding of "us worldly, salaried people". Pakistani Foreign Minister Aun Chaudhry called on the JUI-F chief to apologize to the martyrs and the nation. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi also slammed the JUI-F chief, saying his remarks had hurt the sentiments of Pakistanis and undermined the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs. He said he continued to respect Fazl, but added that the remarks had hurt the sentiments of the entire nation.
