He says political parties can disagree with governments and institutions, but should avoid making remarks hurtful to martyrs’ families
Sindh Chief Minister Sharjeel Memon speaking at a press conference in Karachi. SCREENSHOT
KARACHI:
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to withdraw his recent remarks regarding the Pakistani armed forces and martyrs, saying the statement had caused pain to the families of fallen soldiers and sent a wrong message at a time when the country should remain united.
These remarks were made by the JUI-F chief at a recent public meeting, where his comments on the country’s armed forces and martyrs drew sharp criticism from political leaders and other quarters.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon said he respected the veteran politician but thought he should reconsider his comments. “My request to Maulana Fazlur Rehman is that he retract his statement,” he said, adding, “Withdrawing your words does not diminish your stature; rather it enhances it. We are all human and can make mistakes.”
He said the rank of martyrs remained unchanged regardless of political statements, but argued that such remarks could discourage the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the country.
Learn more: Fazl in hot water as complaints reach Punjab courts over martyrdom remarks
Memon said the Indian media had amplified the remarks and questioned who would benefit from such statements. Referring to the recent conflict with India, he praised Pakistan’s armed forces, saying the army, air force and navy had successfully defended the country.
“When Pakistan and India were in conflict, the entire nation was united,” he said, adding, “Politics will continue, but on issues concerning the country and its martyrs, we must remain united.”
Memon added that political parties were free to disagree with state institutions and governments, highlighting the PPP’s opposition to the governments of General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. “We opposed these governments and spoke openly against them, but we never spoke against the institution nor against the martyrs,” he said.
Recalling Bilawal’s response to an Indian journalist at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Memon said Bilawal refused to criticize the then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan abroad despite political differences. “There needs to be maturity in the way we present Pakistan internationally,” he said.
Memon also said that Pakistani security forces continued to face threats from mandated terrorist groups, adding that the country remained secure due to its armed forces, strategic capabilities and national unity. “Leave aside political divisions. Whether it is PPP, MQM, PTI or Jamaat-e-Islami, politics will continue, but we are one nation,” he said.
Read also: PA president demands apology from JUI-F leader for remarks on martyrs
Earlier speaking about wheat prices, Memon said the Sindh government’s anti-hoarding drive had recovered 1.7 million tonnes of wheat from illegal stocks. He accused hoarders of creating an artificial shortage after what he described as a bumper wheat harvest in Sindh.
“The government will not allow wheat prices to increase under any circumstances,” he said, adding that the recovered wheat would be purchased at the official government rate rather than the prevailing market prices.
He added that authorities had taken a “lenient approach” to ensure people did not suffer losses, while making it clear that illegal hoarding would not be tolerated.
According to Memon, the crackdown had already reduced flour prices by 13 rupees per kilogram, and he urged those with illegally stored wheat to hand it over to government warehouses or sell it to flour mills.
On law and order, Memon said police arrested three suspects in the murder of Dr Akash Kumar, adding that weapons, a car and two motorcycles were recovered during the investigation. He said efforts were underway to arrest the remaining suspects.
Responding to a question on water shortages, Memon said the Sindh government had repeatedly written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal government, demanding that the province receive its share of water under the water allocation agreement of 1991. He added that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister.
He also urged political parties not to exploit national institutions for political purposes. He said those making statements against Sindh unity were seeking confrontation rather than solutions. “Those who oppose the unity of the province want conflict,” he said. “They want us to take action that would breathe new life into their dead policy.”
Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks triggered a growing political backlash, with senior government leaders accusing the JUI-F chief of downplaying the sacrifices of Pakistan’s armed forces. Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan publicly condemned the comments and demanded that Fazlur Rehman apologize to the nation, saying no one should be allowed to undermine the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif called the remarks “morally insensitive”, saying soldiers were not sacrificing their lives just to earn a salary, but continued to fight terrorism at the cost of their own lives. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs were outside the political debate, while Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said reducing their sacrifice to financial compensation was “neither fair nor in line with ethics or Islamic teachings.” Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry also urged the JUI-F leader to retract his remarks and apologise.
Meanwhile, petitions seeking criminal action against Fazlur Rehman have been filed in the district courts of Punjab, with courts in Lahore and other districts seeking answers from the relevant authorities on this issue.
