Senate committee may decide if Fazl should be summoned over remarks on security personnel

• Punjab Assembly speaker asks JUI-F chief to apologise • Senate committee may be formed to decide if he be summoned to parliament • Lahore court issues notice to NCCIA on plea seeking case against Maulana

LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has come under fire over his alleged controversial remarks about security personnel, with political leaders concerned demanding an apology and seeking registration of a cybercrime case against him.

During a recent party rally in Punjab’s Kasur, the JUI-F chief spoke about the security and terrorism situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In this context, he reportedly said that although the martyrdom of the soldiers who fell in the line of duty was frequently highlighted, they were also salaried employees assigned to defend the country.

The statement drew rebukes from ministers, mostly from the ruling PML-N, who considered it to be insensitive and diminishing the sacrifices of martyrs.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, while addressing a press conference at the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, demanded that the JUI-F chief apologise for his remarks concerning the armed forces and martyrs. He said a Senate committee should be constituted to determine whether the veteran politician be formally called to explain his statements.

Also, a sessions court on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a petition seeking the registration of a case against Maulana Fazl for allegedly making a controversial statement.

Speaker Khan said the JUI-F was an important political party and Maulana Fazl was a senior political leader, but stressed that he strongly disagreed with his stance on terrorism, the armed forces and the sacrifices of security personnel. The speaker said there could be no justification for holding talks with militants who targeted innocent civilians, courts, places of worship and educational institutions.

Referring to previous negotiations with militant groups, he said their outcomes were before the entire nation and should serve as a lesson. He said the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan’s armed forces and martyrs could never be reduced to a discussion about salaries or financial benefits. “Soldiers lay down their lives in defence of the country out of a sense of duty and patriotism. Their medals are their real assets, and it is the responsibility of the entire nation to honour their sacrifices,” he

Khan urged Maulana Fazl to withdraw his remarks and apologise to the nation, saying differences of opinion were a democratic right but there could be no compromise on respect for martyrs or matters concerning national security.

The speaker further proposed that the Senate constitute a committee to examine the issue and decide whether the JUI-F chief should be asked to explain his statements before the upper house.

“The Maulana should apologise to the entire nation,” he added. Commenting on the country’s electoral politics, Khan criticised what he described as the recurring trend of alleging rigging after every general election. He said making post-election rigging claims had become a persistent feature of Pakistan’s political landscape and undermined democratic institutions.

He also reiterated his support for the role of the armed forces in combating terrorism, saying the country’s security personnel had made immense sacrifices in restoring peace and protecting citizens from extremist violence.

The press conference was largely focused on national security, terrorism, the role of the military and the political discourse surrounding these issues, with the speaker insisting that national unity should take precedence over partisan disagreements.

While reacting to the controversial statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif earlier termed it “unfair” and “unethical”. He said he expected a seasoned politician to be more responsible in his choice of words. Also, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal in post on X wrote: “To describe such an unparalleled sacrifice as merely a compensation for a salary is neither fair, nor in accordance with the demands of ethics nor aligned with Islamic teachings.”

Petition filed

Meanwhile, Advocate Mudassar Chaudhry, appearing on behalf of citizen Mohammad Waqar, filed a petition before Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Latif, seeking registration of a case against the JUI-F chief.

According to the petition,Waqar had watched a speech by the JUI-F chief on social media in which he allegedly made “derogatory” remarks about martyrs.

The counsel argued that the speech hurt the petitioner’s sentiments as well as those of the general public. He added that the JUI-F chief made the remarks during a public gathering and his statement had also caused distress to the families of the martyrs. He further pointed out that an application for registration of a case against the JUI-F chief had been filed with the NCCIA director, but no action had been taken so far.

The petitioner prayed the court to direct the NCCIA director to act in accordance with the law on his application and register a case against the JUI-F chief over the alleged remarks.

After hearing the arguments, the judge sought a reply from the agency by Aug 17.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026