Defence Minister Khawaja Asif speaking at the National Assembly. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/ NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday strongly criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his remarks about Asif’s absence from talks in Tehran, saying no defence agreement was being negotiated there.
“No defence agreement was being negotiated in Tehran,” Asif told the National Assembly (NA), explaining that his presence at the talks was not required.
His remarks came a day after Fazl criticised Asif during a National Assembly session, questioning the government’s role in discussions related to the Makkah defence pact in Tehran while the prime minister and defence minister remained in Pakistan.
The defence minister said Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had played a role in promoting reconciliation and regional peace following Pakistan’s military victory in a conflict over the past year or so.
He maintained that he had participated in both defence agreements but had no role to play in the Tehran discussions. Asif thanked Fazl for expressing concern about his absence but described the criticism as misplaced.
Turning to Fazl’s political career, Asif accused the JUI-F chief of selectively overlooking his own history of cooperation with successive governments while criticising political opponents.
The minister said Fazl had remained associated with different political administrations and had benefited from political arrangements over the years.
He referred to Fazl’s tenure as opposition leader and his participation in governments formed under previous constitutional and political arrangements.
Asif also recalled that Fazl had played a significant role in the formation of earlier coalition governments, including administrations in which the two leaders had been political allies.
The defence minister maintained that political leaders should acknowledge their own past decisions before criticising others.
He said he was frequently reminded of a speech he had delivered in 2004 whenever he spoke in support of Rawalpindi, an apparent reference to the military establishment.
Asif said he did not consider it appropriate to erase his political past while attacking opponents, adding that he had publicly apologised for his previous political positions. “I am the only politician who has apologised for his past,” he claimed.
The minister also criticised Fazl’s political role during the period of the Legal Framework Order (LFO), saying the JUI-F chief had participated in the political system while simultaneously serving as opposition leader.
Asif questioned Fazl’s performance during his decade-long tenure as chairman of the parliamentary Kashmir Committee. “What achievements did he accomplish as chairman of the Kashmir Committee?” Asif asked.
He accused the JUI-F chief of enjoying official privileges without delivering meaningful results, saying that his tenure amounted to little more than a “free ride”. The defence minister also criticised Fazl’s political legacy and questioned his party’s historical position on Pakistan’s independence.
Asif said political honours and positions previously extended to Fazl and his allies had been granted by governments in which he himself had participated.
He also responded to Fazl’s remarks about shame and modesty, urging the JUI-F chief to reflect on his own political record.
The speech prompted strong protests from JUI-F lawmakers, who repeatedly interrupted the minister.
As the exchanges intensified, Asif warned opposition members against provoking him into making further disclosures.
“They have turned religion and politics into a source of income. If I start revealing what they did during the PDM government, I will tell everything,” he said.
