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Prominent Pakistani politician and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has launched one of his strongest attacks on Pakistan's military establishment, openly challenging Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to resign from the military, form a political party and contest elections if he wishes to play a role in politics.
Addressing a public gathering on July 12, Rehman accused the military of interfering in political affairs and questioned its growing role beyond defence and security matters.
"If you want to do politics, then take off the uniform and come into politics. Contest elections. Then we will see how many votes a man in uniform gets," Rehman said.
The remarks come at a time when the military's influence in Pakistan is no longer confined to 'behind the scenes' and the country's power structure has shifted decisively towards the armed forces, with military dominance over civilian institutions increasingly formalised. Army Chief Asim Munir has arguably emerged as the most powerful figure in Pakistan, eclipsing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, even in international representation as well.
Hitting out at Munir, Rahman, who is a member of the Assembly added, it was not the military's job to decide who should govern the country.
"You have the power to give government to whomever you want, and to take governments away from whomever you want. It is not the army's job to decide who forms the government and who leaves," he said.
The criticism follows the Pakistan government's decision to include Field Marshal Asim Munir in a high-level committee dealing with issues related to the country's growing population.
The veteran Pakistani politician also criticised suggestions that ordinary citizens should raise militias or take up weapons to fight terrorism and armed groups.
He argued that security was the responsibility of the state and the armed forces, whose personnel are paid for that purpose.
"They say, 'Our soldiers are being martyred.' My friend, your soldiers wear the uniform and receive salaries precisely because they are supposed to fight for the country's security. Why do you place the burden of their blood on me? They are paid from the taxes collected from my blood and sweat for this very purpose," he said.
Rejecting the idea of civilian militias, he added: "Yet you tell us to raise militias, take up weapons, and fight armed groups ourselves. I have not taken any salary. I will not raise a militia."
Rehman warned that arming civilians would have long-term consequences.
"You will leave, but you are pushing my land into personal vendettas that will last for generations. You are driving it towards perpetual violence and bloodshed," he said.
Addressing a rally, the JUI-F chief also made strong claims about the security situation in restive Balochistan, saying large parts of the province were effectively outside the control of the Pakistani state.
"There were insurgencies in Baloch areas of Balochistan. The entire Baloch region had slipped out of Pakistan's control. Even today, the writ of the Pakistani government does not exist there," he said.
According to Rehman, while attention had long been focused on unrest in Baloch-majority areas, violence was now engulfing Pashtun regions as well.
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Published On:
Jul 16, 2026 15:52 IST
