Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan addresses the House. Photo: APP/file
Punjab Chairman Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to apologize to the nation over his remarks about martyrs, saying no one would be allowed to undermine the sacrifices made by the armed forces.
Addressing a press conference in the Punjab Assembly, the speaker of the provincial assembly reprimanded the JUI-F chief and said such statements were not only inappropriate but also harmful to national unity.
“Terrorism cannot be tackled through negotiations.”
Questioning the reasoning 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 angers the ministers
He said there was a broad public consensus that terrorist organizations could not be treated as political actors.
Khan argued that organizations involved in attacks on mosques, imambargahs, courts, police headquarters and civilians while refusing to recognize the constitution and the state’s writ 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 points to 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 terrorist groups or confront them militarily.
“The dialogue had taken place in the past when the other side had shown willingness for a political solution, but added that the situation was different when a handful of people tried to hold the entire country hostage through terrorism.”
The speaker also criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its uneven stance 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 9 May 2023, alleging that they attacked the 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 the international community’s recognition of the diplomatic victories of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, claiming that Fazl appeared angry at the development.
Taking a dig at the JUI-F chief’s political history, Khan said Fazl had supported former president Pervez Musharraf while retaining his military office.
“He had voted for one [military] uniformed president.”
Read also: Asif reprimands Fazl over the soldiers’ casual 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, saying his approach to the military changed depending on whether he was elected to the treasury or the opposition benches.
Khan suggested that the JUI-F should have asked the military to end political intervention when his party was “in power”.
Returning to Fazl’s comment that the soldiers only served the country for salaries, Khan criticized 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”.
