Sharjeel Memon urges Fazlur Rehman to withdraw remarks on armed forces, martyrs

Says political parties may disagree with govts and institutions, but should avoid remarks hurting martyrs’ families

KARACHI:

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to withdraw his recent remarks regarding Pakistan's armed forces and martyrs, saying the statement had caused pain to the families of fallen soldiers and sent the wrong message at a time when the country should remain united.

The remarks were made by the JUI-F chief during a recent public gathering, where his comments about the armed forces and the country's martyrs drew strong criticism from political leaders and other quarters.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon said he respected the veteran politician but believed he should reconsider his comments. "My request to Maulana Fazlur Rehman is that he should take his statement back," 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 had sacrificed their lives for the country.

Read More: Fazl in hot water as pleas reach Punjab courts over remarks on martyrs

Memon said Indian media had amplified the remarks and questioned who stood to 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 stood together," he said, adding, "Politics will continue, but on issues concerning the country and its martyrs, we must remain united."

Memon further said political parties were free to disagree with state institutions and governments, pointing to the PPP's opposition to the governments of General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. "We opposed those governments and spoke openly against them, but we never spoke against the institution or against the martyrs," he said.

Recalling Bilawal's response to an Indian journalist at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Memon said Bilawal had declined to criticise Pakistan's then prime minister, Imran Khan, while abroad despite political differences. "There should be maturity in how we present Pakistan internationally," he said.

Memon also said Pakistan's security forces continued to face threats from terrorist proxy groups, adding that the country remained secure because of its armed forces, strategic capabilities and national unity. "Leave aside political divisions. Whether it is the PPP, MQM, PTI or Jamaat-e-Islami, politics will continue, but we are one nation," he said.

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Talking about wheat prices earlier, Memon said the Sindh government's anti-hoarding campaign had recovered 1.7 million tonnes of wheat from illegal stockpiles. 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 prevailing market prices.

He added that authorities had adopted a "lenient approach" to ensure people did not suffer losses while making clear that illegal hoarding would not be tolerated.

According to Memon, the crackdown had already reduced flour prices by Rs13 per kilogram, and he urged those holding illegally stocked wheat to surrender it to government warehouses or sell it to flour mills.

On law and order, Memon said police had arrested three suspects in the murder of Dr Akash Kumar, adding that weapons, a car and two motorcycles had been recovered during the investigation. He stated that 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 1991 Water Apportionment Accord. 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 point-scoring. He said those making statements against the unity of Sindh were seeking confrontation rather than solutions. "Those speaking against the unity of the province want conflict," he said. "They want us to take actions that would breathe life into their dead politics."

Maulana Fazlur Rehman's remarks have sparked a growing political backlash, with senior government leaders accusing the JUI-F chief of belittling the sacrifices of Pakistan's armed forces. Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan publicly condemned the comments and demanded that Fazlur Rehman apologise to the nation, saying no one should be allowed to undermine the sacrifices of the country's martyrs.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the remarks as "morally insensitive", saying soldiers did not lay down their lives merely for 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 beyond political debate, while Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said reducing their sacrifice to financial compensation was "neither fair nor in accordance with ethics or Islamic teachings". Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry also urged the JUI-F chief to withdraw his remarks and apologise.

Meanwhile, petitions seeking criminal proceedings against Fazlur Rehman have been filed in district courts across Punjab, with courts in Lahore and other districts seeking responses from the relevant authorities over the matter.