Federal ministers on Thursday responded to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks regarding a recent huddle in Tehran comprising the Makkah defence pact countries and Iran.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the meeting was not related to defence. Hence, Asif said his presence was not required, while Naqvi explained the reasons for his participation.
The remarks came after the JUI-F chief questioned Asif’s absence and Naqvi’s presence at the meeting.
The meeting brought together top officials from Iran and member countries of the Makkah Defence Alliance — including Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
On Iran’s side, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were present. The huddle agreed to “continue their dialogue to bolster cooperation among the four regional nations, including in the areas of regional peace and security”.
On Wednesday, Fazl referred to the development during his address in the National Assembly (NA) and commented: “A defence pact is taking shape in Iran, a meeting is under way (there), and the defence minister is sitting here.”
Amid laughter and desk thumping in the Lower House, he referred to Naqvi’s presence at the Tehran huddle and questioned: “The interior minister is required there as well?”
Then, taking a jibe at Asif, he repeated the defence minister’s phrase that he had used against the PTI.
“There is your respect and stature — koi sharam hoti hai, koi haya hoti hai (have some shame, show some modesty),” he said, breaking into laughter.
Responding to him in the NA on Thursday, Asif said no defence pact was taking shape in Tehran, nor was the discussion focused on Pakistan’s defence or any related matter.
He said CDF Munir had “assumed a role for Pakistan” following last year’s military conflict with India. That role, he said, was of “peace and dialogue so that peace is established in our region”.
Since then, he noted, Pakistan has signed two defence pacts — the Makkah defence pact and the Badr Memorandum of Understanding.
“I was involved in those pacts as I am the defence minister,” he explained, adding that the meeting in Tehran was “not the defence ministry’s mandate”.
The CDF had gone there “as a messenger of peace and paved the ground” for the huddle, he said, ostensibly referring to Tehran last week.
During that visit, the CDF had proposed the Tehran meeting, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
Asif said this was the situation and he was “not needed in Tehran”.
He added that the CDF had played a role in averting a confrontation. “The situation could have deteriorated as far as the Yemen issue is concerned […] There has been some talk and peace may emerge in the coming days or week as far as Saudi Arabia versus Yemen [sic] is concerned.”
Asif advised Fazl to be the bigger person and said his criticism was “misplaced”.
The defence minister further said Pakistan’s and the CDF’s role at the international level should be acknowledged, keeping political differences aside. He said one should at least show some dignity.
‘Not related to defence’
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Naqvi also responded to Fazl’s remarks on his participation in the Tehran meeting. The proceedings were marred by loud exchanges between the interior minister and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza.
Naqvi clarified that he and CDF Munir undertook the visit to “handle the ongoing crisis in Iran”.
On Fazl’s query of why Asif had not gone there, he said, “He (Fazl) did not know that this [trip] was not related to defence.”
Defending his inclusion, the minister said: “I do not go out of my own volition. I have been especially tasked by the prime minister sahib; he has entrusted me with some matters regarding the current crisis of the [Iran] war, because of which I go.”
The independent senator noted that the JUI-F had been commenting on him for many days.
“I personally had heartfelt respect for Maulana Fazlur Rehman, but yesterday when he said I spit on the state, that respect ended,” Naqvi said.
Naqvi said he wanted to ask Fazl and his party’s senators present there just one question and then noted that JUI-F leaders had made very “disgusting statements about institutions” three to four months ago.
This prompted Senator Murtaza to object, saying he could not speak on a personal agenda in the House. Presiding Officer Shahadat Awan also immediately said he was expunging the word “disgusting” from Naqvi’s remarks.
As Murtaza continued shouting, Naqvi said, “You should listen here … You will have to listen.”
The presiding officer noted that Naqvi was a member of the Senate and urged the JUI-F leader to take his seat.
Resuming his remarks, Naqvi said, “Giving people the perception that this was a defence pact; this was not a defence agreement at all.
He added: “For them, the state is like a mother until the day they can squeeze it dry. The state is very good as long as they can extract wealth from the state, and when you do not get a share in the state and the government, then you spit on the state. This is not appropriate anywhere.”
Murtaza again interrupted, objecting to Naqvi’s language, at which the latter replied that the other side had also used similar language a day ago.
As the JUI-F senator continued speaking amid the presiding officer’s calls to halt cross-talk, Naqvi said, “If they criticise, they should garner and keep the courage to take the answer as well. This is no way [to behave] that you go and say whatever you want.”
The interior minister then went on to criticise the JUI-F, alleging that it “used Islam for business and for politics”.
Amid the ruckus, PML-N’s Abid Sher Ali also stood up and responded loudly, prompting State Minister of Interior Tallal Chaudhry and the presiding officer to urge him to take his seat.
Naqvi then addressed PTI’s Ali Zafar and said, “These very people (JUI-F) used to come to us before governor’s rule [was imposed] and say, ‘Impose governor’s rule, rid us of them!’ […] Those who come and sit with you and engage in opposition wanted governor’s rule imposed from their hearts. I will prove this to you.”
Addressing JUI-F, the interior minister said, “Now, you will not get jobs in the state. Now you will not get money from the state, nor will you get tickets from the state.”
He asserted that it was the JUI-F that was “continuously crossing the line” and that they would get a response if they kept doing so.
‘Full of contradictions’
In his remarks in the NA, Asif alleged that Fazl’s past “is full of contradictions”.
“You taunt me with ‘have some shame, show some modesty’, but you should also have some shame and show some modesty. How many perks have you enjoyed over the past 40 years? You have been violating the very principles that you have been highlighting,” the PML-N leader said.
He recalled that Fazl had also offered to mediate with Kabul. “Were you the foreign minister?” he questioned, alleging that the move was aimed at “value addition to his politics and leverage that to extract maximum advantage from the government”.
Asif said Fazl had been in the government with every political party, making an incomplete remark: “When you don’t get a share in the power —”
“When you delete the past from your memory and attack your rivals — at least I don’t have that courage. When I speak, my past is fresh in my mind; that if I say this, whether I would be taunted that we supported General Ziaul Haq’s government,” he went on to say.
The defence minister recalled that Fazl was part of the Musharraf government, had also been an opposition leader in the House and also served as the Kashmir Committee chairperson. He said a person serving as the head of such a committee that raises issues at an international forum should have “impeccable credentials”.
When some lawmakers opposed him in favour of Fazl, he remarked, “The Maulana now needs women’s support. He is unable to find a man.”
He also accused Fazl of “targeting our diplomatic efforts”, saying that the government’s achievement at the global stage had not received the commendation they deserved.
Asif said his advice to the JUI-F would be a line often seen on buses and trucks: “Mehnat kar, hasad na kar (work hard and don’t envy).”
He ended his address, alleging that had Fazl been given some share in the governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province, the JUI-F chief’s address the previous day would not have been delivered.
“This sideshow that they (JUI-F) are running, I feel that it is unfortunate that our sisters have been forced to defend the men [of JUI-F] while the men are nowhere to be seen,” Asif remarked.
Describing Fazl’s address as “blackmail”, Asif warned against coming into power based on “compromises”.
“Sitting in the opposition would be a more respectable approach, rather than sitting with people who will blackmail you,” he said.
“We as senior parliamentarians should convey to the nation that we will not do group-based politics but politics rooted in the constitution and [..] for the security of the country,” Asif urged, adding that lawmakers should chart a way forward together, rather than “grabbing each other by the collar”.
JUI-F’s Murtaza claims ‘programme to sling mud’ at Fazl
In remarks after the Senate ruckus, JUI-F’s Murtaza accused the government of staging a “requested programme”.
“I think nizam sahib (Mr System) sent messages and made calls to many people today, and told them to sling mud at Maulana sahib like this,” he said on Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, apparently referring to Naqvi.
Murtaza questioned why Asif “suddenly remembered” to respond to Fazl the next day, rather than using his right of reply “even though he was present” in the NA yesterday.
He went on to object to the interior minister making “personal accusations”, even though he could have simply explained that the prime minister had tasked him with peace efforts.
Meanwhile, appearing on the same show, the state minister for interior regretted that Fazl, despite being a senior politician and a religious leader, “made martyrs a point of his and discuss it to advance his politics”.
Chaudhry said he had noted immense anger and frustration visible in the JUI-F chief’s demeanour in recent days.
Electoral reforms committee
In his remarks, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas claimed KP had been “snatched from the people” and reiterated the opposition’s allegations of rigging in the 2024 general elections.
“If even one person’s vote is snatched, it is a crime. It is the responsibility of those conducting elections to protect the vote. Earlier also you laid a crooked brick, and Pakistan broke. On Feb 8, elections were stolen. While stealing elections, where have you reached — you have even stolen Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he claimed.
The opposition leader said no society could progress without law, or function if law existed but without its implementation.
The House also took up a motion moved by Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik for the constitution of a parliamentary electoral reforms committee.
PTI’s Zafar said he could write down entire electoral reforms on paper in an hour. “The issue is implementation. Make such a committee and procedure that the electoral process is actually implemented. Whatever they want to do, only that is approved,” he said.
Barrister Aqeel said the issue could be resolved by sitting together and asked members to bring their proposals.
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