Ministers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday slammed Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his remarks on security personnel, saying the sacrifices of martyrs could not be reduced to salaries or made a subject of political debate. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said there was no room for such political discourse.
"The entire nation is indebted to the courageous martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the homeland," » he wrote in a post on X, while paying tribute to the families of the soldiers who, he said, bid farewell to their loved ones while praying for their martyrdom.
"These courageous and valiant sons constitute the wealth of the nation. There is no room for political discourse on their sacrifices, because their value cannot be measured," he added. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also addressed Fazlur Rehman in an article on
"Your recent statement created the impression [ ] you have diminished the value and significance of the great sacrifices of our martyrs. This not only hurt my feelings, but also those of millions of Pakistanis."
"Our soldiers and officers do not just carry out their professional duties; rather, they fulfill the duty of defending the homeland, with their lives on the line at all times."
"Describing such unprecedented sacrifice as mere compensation for a salary is neither fair nor ethical nor in accordance with Islamic teachings," Iqbal added. The Prime Minister’s adviser on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah, also appeared to react to the controversy, although he did not directly name Fazlur Rehman. In an article on X, he wrote that the concept of martyrdom went beyond the understanding of "we socialites, employees". State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry called on the JUI-F leader to apologize to the martyrs and the nation. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi also slammed the JUI-F chief, saying his remarks had hurt the sentiments of Pakistanis and undermined the sacrifices made by the country’s martyrs. He said he continued to respect Fazl, but added that the remarks had hurt the sentiments of the entire nation.
