Islamabad witnessed a significant political statement as Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman publicly demanded that Pakistan sever its ties with the so-called Board of Peace (BoP), an initiative associated with former US President Donald Trump. Speaking at a press conference, Hafiz Naeem strongly criticized the involvement of the United States and Israel in escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly highlighting their aggressive stance against Iran. He went further to label Donald Trump a war criminal, asserting that history would remember him for his role in fomenting conflict rather than peace.
Delving deeper into the ongoing crisis, Hafiz Naeem accused the US and Israel of orchestrating a war against Iran, which he described as an unjust and brutal campaign marked by widespread human rights abuses. He emphasized that Iran’s support for Gaza in its resistance against Israeli forces had made it a target for severe retaliation. The JI chief drew attention to the tragic loss of 165 schoolgirls at the onset of the conflict, using this grim statistic to underline the devastating humanitarian impact of the hostilities. He condemned the actions of the US and Israel as those of war criminals, urging the international community to recognize the gravity of these violations.
Expanding on the geopolitical implications, Hafiz Naeem warned that the conflict transcended Iran’s borders, posing a direct threat to Pakistan’s national security. He highlighted Israel’s broader strategic ambitions, which, him, included undermining Pakistan’s nuclear program and destabilizing the region. “This is not merely a war involving Iran; it is a battle that concerns Pakistan as well,” he asserted. The JI leader cautioned that if Western powers succeeded in enforcing regime change in Iran by installing a puppet government, it could pave the way for Israel’s influence to creep dangerously close to Pakistan’s frontiers.
In light of these developments, Hafiz Naeem called on Pakistan and other Muslim-majority nations to withdraw from the Board of Peace, which he described as a flawed and misguided alliance. He urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to publicly acknowledge that Pakistan’s participation in the BoP was a strategic error that compromised the country’s interests. This appeal came amid growing dissatisfaction with the government’s foreign policy decisions, especially concerning relations with the US and Israel.
Turning to domestic matters, Hafiz Naeem also criticized the government’s response to recent protests outside the US Consulate in Karachi. He condemned the use of force against demonstrators, questioning the justification for opening fire on peaceful protesters. The JI chief stressed that there were numerous non-violent methods available to disperse crowds and that no authority had the right to resort to lethal measures. He demanded full accountability from both the Sindh provincial government and the federal administration, calling for transparency regarding reports that US Marines might have fired during the incident.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif echoed concerns about the regional fallout from the Iran conflict. Speaking on social media platform X, he highlighted the Zionist agenda behind the war, warning that Israel’s expanding influence could reach Pakistan’s borders if the situation deteriorated further. His remarks came amid heightened tensions following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes, a development that has sent shockwaves across the region. Asif cautioned that the strategic objectives pursued by Western powers and their allies posed a serious threat to Pakistan’s security and stability.
Overall, the statements from Hafiz Naeem and Defence Minister Asif underscore the growing anxiety within Pakistan’s political circles about the repercussions of the Iran conflict. Their calls for a reassessment of Pakistan’s foreign policy and a more assertive stance against perceived external threats reflect the complex challenges facing the country in an increasingly volatile regional environment.
