'Not defence ministry's mandate': Asif responds to Fazl's remarks about his absence at Tehran huddle

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. 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. The huddle agreed to “continue their dialogue to bolster cooperation among the four regional nations, including in the areas of regional peace and security”.

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. ” 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? ” Then, taking a jibe at Asif, he repeated the defence minister’s phrase that he had used against the 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. Responding to him in the NA on Thursday, Asif said no defence pact was taking shape in Tehran, nor was the discussion focused on Pakistan’s defence or any related matter. He said CDF Munir had “assumed a role for Pakistan” following last year’s military conflict with India. That role, he said, was of “peace and dialogue so that peace is…