ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Friday urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to withdraw his recent remarks about martyrs, describing the comments as “inappropriate” while saying they did not appear to reflect a broader agenda.
What did Rana Sanaullah say?
Speaking on Geo News’ Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah said Fazlur Rehman’s remarks appeared to have been made in the heat of the moment and should be withdrawn.
“The remarks made by Fazlur Rehman regarding the martyrs were inappropriate, but it appears that the statement was made in the heat of the moment, and there does not seem to be any broader agenda behind it,” Sanaullah said.
He added that withdrawing the statement would be a positive step.
Commenting on the recent terrorist attack in Hanna Urak, Sanaullah said many local residents had expressed a willingness to assist security forces in confronting militants. He said there should be no objection to enabling local communities to develop basic self-defense capabilities against terrorist threats.
What legal action has followed the remarks?
The comments come as legal proceedings have been initiated against the JUI-F chief over his statement.
A court in Gujranwala has sought responses from police authorities and Fazlur Rehman on a petition seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against him.
Separately, a sessions court in Lahore issued a notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a petition seeking the registration of a case over the same remarks.
Addressing the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, Sanaullah said the issue of the Legislative Assembly’s 12 reserved seats should be resolved by the newly elected legislature.
He also expressed confidence that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would secure all seats in the forthcoming AJK elections.