Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded on Thursday to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks regarding the former’s non-participation in a recent huddle in Tehran.
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Asif → respond → Tehran
The meeting brought together officials from member countries of the Makkah Defence Alliance — Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin — in Tehran, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei joined them.
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Araghchi → bring → them
The huddle agreed to “continue their dialogue to bolster cooperation among the four regional nations, including in the areas of regional peace and security”.
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huddle → agree → peace
On Wednesday, Fazl referred to the development during his address in the National Assembly (NA) and commented: “A defence pact is taking shape in Iran, a meeting is under way (there), and the defence minister is sitting here.”
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minister → refer → way
Amid laughter and desk thumping in the House, he referred to the presence of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the Tehran huddle and questioned: “The interior minister is required there as well?”
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minister → refer → huddle
Then, taking a jibe at Asif, he repeated the defence minister’s phrase that he had used against the PTI.
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he → take → PTI
“There is your respect and stature — koi sharam hoti hai, koi haya hoti hai (have some shame, show some modesty),” he said, breaking into laughter in the middle.
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he → be → middle
Responding to him in the NA today, Asif said no defence pact was taking shape in Tehran, nor was the discussion focused on Pakistan’s defence or any related matter.
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discussion → respond → defence
He said CDF Munir had “assumed a role for Pakistan” following last year’s military conflict with India.
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Munir → say → India
That role, he said, was of “peace and dialogue so that peace is established in our region”.
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peace → say → region
Pakistan had signed two defence pacts — the Makkah defence pact and the Badr Memorandum of Understanding — since, he noted.
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he → sign → Understanding
“I was involved in those pact as I am the defence minister,” he explained, adding that the meeting in Tehran was “not the defence ministry’s mandate”.
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meeting → involve → Tehran
The CDF had gone there “as a messenger of peace and paved the ground” for the huddle, he said, ostensibly referring to Tehran last week.
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he → go → Tehran
During that visit, the CDF had proposed the Tehran meeting, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
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CDF → propose → Baghaei
Asif said this was the situation and he was “not needed in Tehran”.
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he → say → Tehran
He added that the CDF had played a role in averting a confrontation.
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CDF → add → confrontation
“The situation could have deteriorated as far as the Yemen issue is concerned […] There has been some talk and peace may emerge in the coming days or week as far as Saudi Arabia versus Yemen (sic) is concerned.”
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Arabia → deteriorate → Yemen
Asif advised Fazl to be the bigger person and said his criticism was “misplaced”.
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criticism → advise → Fazl
The defence minister further said Pakistan’s and the CDF’s role at the international level should be acknowledged keeping political differences aside.
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role → say → differences
He said one should at least show some dignity.
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one → say → dignity
Asif said Fazl had been in the government with every political party, making an incomplete remark: “When you don’t get a share in the power —”
“When you delete the past from your memory and attack your rivals — at least I don’t have that courage.
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I → say → courage
When I speak, my past is fresh in my mind; that if I say this, whether I would be taunted that we supported General Ziaul Haq’s government,” he went on to say.
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he → speak → government
The defence minister recalled that Fazl was part of the Musharraf government, had also been an opposition leader in the House and also served at the Kashmir Committee chairperson.
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Fazl → recall → chairperson
He said a person serving as the head of such a committee that raises issues at an international forum should have “impeccable credentials”.
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that → say → credentials
“You taunt me with ‘have some shame, show some modesty’, but you should also have some shame and show some modesty.
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you → taunt → modesty
How many perks have you enjoyed over the past 40 year?
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you → enjoy → year
You have been violating the very principles that you have been highlighting,” Asif continued.
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Asif → violate → that
He alleged that Fazl’s past “is full of contradictions”.
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past → allege → contradictions
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