ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday that his presence in Tehran was unnecessary because the discussions there did not concern a defence agreement or Pakistan’s defence policy.
Asif made the remarks in the National Assembly while responding to comments by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman a day earlier.
The defence minister said the Tehran discussions fell outside the Ministry of Defence’s mandate. He added that he had personally participated in two recent defence agreements, distinguishing those arrangements from the talks in Tehran.
“The Field Marshal [Asim Munir] went there to broker peace,” Asif said, describing Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir as a “messenger of peace”.
He credited Munir with helping prevent a war and said the situation in Yemen could have deteriorated further without peace efforts.
Asif called for international recognition of Pakistan’s and Munir’s contributions to peace initiatives. He also expressed hope that positive developments would emerge in the Middle East in the coming days.
Asif Criticises Fazlur Rehman’s Political Record
Turning to Fazlur Rehman, Asif said the JUI-F chief had experienced both disagreements and cooperation with the state. He also pointed to Fazl’s participation in the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Until recently, Fazl was with us. We jointly brought a no-confidence motion,” Asif said, referring to their political cooperation during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) period.
Fazlur Rehman headed the multi-party PDM alliance that helped remove the PTI-led government in April 2022. The coalition subsequently governed Pakistan for around 16 months.
Asif also criticised the circumstances surrounding Fazl’s becoming opposition leader, describing the arrangement as “muk muka”, a term commonly used to suggest a political deal or understanding.
“Just tell me what he did for Kashmir during those 10 years as chairman of the Kashmir committee, apart from swinging on swings,” Asif said.
Minister Admits Political Compromises Were a Mistake
The defence minister acknowledged that his own political side had made mistakes by compromising to gain power.
“I believe we made mistakes. We should not have entered into such compromises to come to power. We should have sat on the opposition benches; there would have been more dignity in that,” he said.
Asif argued that forming coalition governments with political figures who later exerted pressure had left the government vulnerable.
“When you come to power by forming a coalition with such people, you keep getting blackmailed,” he said, describing Fazl’s recent speech as an example of what he called political blackmail.
Asif Warns Against Criticism of Foreign and Defence Policies
Asif said political opponents were free to criticise the government on other matters but should avoid targeting Pakistan’s foreign and defence policies.
“You can say whatever you want about us, but do not criticise our foreign and defence policies,” he said.
He further alleged that some political figures remained silent when they received a share of power but began criticising the government when they did not.
“When they get their share in power, they remain silent; when they do not, they start criticising,” Asif said, without directly naming Fazlur Rehman.
