Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan addressing the House. Photo: application/file
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to apologize to the nation for his remarks on martyrs, saying no one would be allowed to undermine the sacrifices made by the armed forces.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab Assembly, the provincial assembly speaker reprimanded the JUI-F chief, saying such statements were not only inappropriate but also detrimental to national unity.
“Terrorism cannot be fought through negotiation. »
Questioning the justification for Fazl’s comments, Khan asked: “How can the state engage in dialogue with terrorists who continue to carry out attacks?”
Read: Fazl’s remark arouses anger among ministers
He added that there was broad public consensus that terrorist organizations could not be treated as political actors.
Khan asserted that organizations involved in attacks on mosques, imambargahs, courts, police headquarters and civilians, while refusing to recognize the constitution and state orders, could not be brought to the dialogue table.
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 terrorist groups or confront them militarily.
“Dialogue has taken place in the past when the other side has been willing to find a political solution, but he added that the situation is different when a handful of people are trying to take the entire country hostage to terrorism.”
The speaker also criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its uneven view of the military’s political role, adding that he welcomed intervention based on political expediency.
Learn more: ATC sentences 47 PTI leaders to 10 years in prison in May 9 GHQ attack case
Khan opposed the violence of PTI fanatics 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 after the arrest of the party 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 pointed out that the international community recognized the diplomatic victories of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Force Field Marshal Asim Munir, alleging that Fazl seemed irritated by these developments.
Mocking the JUI-F chief’s political history, Khan said Fazl had supported former President Pervez Musharraf while he retained military office.
“He had voted in favor of a [military] president in uniform.
Read also: Asif criticizes Fazl for his comments on the sacrifices of soldiers
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 to the military changed depending on whether he was elected to the Treasury or in opposition.
Khan suggested that the JUI-F should have asked the military to cease political intervention when his party was “in power”.
Coming back to Fazl’s comment that soldiers only served the country for their salaries, Khan lashed out at the politician for disrespecting and downplaying the sacrifices of the armed forces and security personnel.
He assured that the country’s army would continue to confront militant groups instead of allowing “terrorists to gain ground.”
