Rana Sanaullah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, described Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s recent comments about martyrs as inappropriate. However, he suggested these remarks were made impulsively rather than as part of any deliberate agenda.
Speaking on the programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader urged Fazlur Rehman to retract his statement, emphasizing that such a move would be constructive. Sanaullah remarked that while the comments were ill-advised, they appeared to stem from a moment of heat rather than a calculated plan.
In a significant development, two courts have taken notice of Fazlur Rehman’s statements concerning military personnel. A Gujranwala court has requested responses from both the police and Fazl regarding a petition that seeks the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against him. Similarly, a sessions court in Lahore issued a notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) following a petition demanding a case be registered over the controversial remarks.
Addressing the recent terrorist attack in Hanna Urak during the same programme, Sanaullah highlighted that many local residents expressed a willingness to join security forces in combating militants. He stressed that encouraging local communities to build basic self-defense capabilities against terrorist threats should not be opposed.
Turning to the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, Sanaullah stated that the matter of the assembly’s 12 reserved seats should be resolved by the newly elected legislature. He also voiced confidence that the PML-N would secure all seats in the forthcoming elections.
