Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has hit back at Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday over his criticism of Asif’s absence from a recent meeting in Tehran, saying that the discussions did not fall under the defence ministry’s mandate and focused on regional peace rather than Pakistan’s defence.
Responding to Maulana in the National Assembly (NA), Asif said that no defence pact was taking shape in Tehran and that he was not required to attend the meeting.
The meeting brought together representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Iran to discuss cooperation on regional peace and security.
Participants included Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Iranian Foreign Minister (FM) Abbas Araghchi and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei.
The participants agreed to continue their dialogue to strengthen cooperation among the four regional countries, including peace and security.
Asif said that CDF Munir had taken on a role for Pakistan after last year’s military conflict with India, focusing on peace and dialogue to establish stability in the region.
Pakistan had signed two defence agreements since then the Makkah defence pact and the Badr Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Asif stated that he had been involved in both as defence minister.
“The meeting in Tehran was not the defence ministry’s mandate,” he said, adding that CDF Munir had attended as a “messenger of peace” and helped pave the way for the meeting.
He urged Maulana to take a broader view of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and described the JUI-F chief’s criticism as “misplaced”. Asif added that Pakistan’s role and the CDF’s contribution at the international level deserved recognition despite political differences.
The defence minister also challenged Maulana’s remarks about his absence from the Tehran meeting, asking him to show restraint and dignity.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman had raised the matter in the NA on Wednesday, questioning why the defence minister was not attending the meeting in Tehran where discussions on a defence arrangement were reportedly under way.
“A defence pact is taking shape in Iran, a meeting is under way (there), and the defence minister is sitting here,” Fazl said.
He also questioned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s presence at the meeting, asking whether the interior minister was required to attend.
Maulana then directed a jibe at Asif, repeating a phrase the defence minister had previously used against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI): “Koi sharam hoti hai, koi haya hoti hai (have some shame, show some modesty).”
Asif responded by bringing up Maulana’s political record, stating that the JUI-F chief had served in multiple governments led by different political parties. He suggested that Maulana’s criticism stemmed from not receiving a share in power.
Asif recalled that Maulana had been part of the government during former president Pervez Musharraf’s rule, had served as opposition leader in the NA and had chaired the Kashmir Committee.
He said the head of a committee that raised issues at international forums should have “impeccable credentials”.
“You taunt me with ‘have some shame, show some modesty’, but you should also have some shame and show some modesty,” Asif shot back.
He also questioned the perks Maulana had received over the past 40 years and alleged that the JUI-F chief had violated the principles he publicly advocated. Asif described Maulana’s political history as “full of contradictions”.
He also accused Maulana of targeting Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and said that the government’s achievements at the international level had not received the recognition they deserved.
Addressing the JUI-F chief, Asif cited a phrase: “Mehnat kar hasad na kar (work hard instead of being envious).”
He ended his address by alleging that Maulana would not have delivered his speech on Wednesday if the JUI-F chief had received a share in the governance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province.
