Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has mounted one of his sharpest attacks yet on Pakistan's military leadership, calling on Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to leave the armed forces, establish a political party and seek a public mandate if he intends to play a political role.
Speaking at a public gathering on July 12, Rehman accused the military of overstepping its constitutional role and interfering in the country's political affairs instead of limiting itself to defence and national security.
"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.
His remarks come at a time when the Pakistan Army's influence has increasingly extended beyond the traditional security sphere, with the military playing a more prominent role in governance and civilian institutions. Field Marshal Asim Munir is widely seen as the country's most influential figure, overshadowing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, including in matters of international representation.
Continuing his criticism, Rehman, a member of Pakistan's National Assembly, argued that deciding who governs the country was not the responsibility of the armed forces.
"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 comments come in the wake of the Pakistan government's decision to appoint Field Marshal Asim Munir to a high-level committee tasked with addressing issues related to the country's growing population.
Rehman also criticised calls for civilians to form militias or take up arms against terrorism and militant groups, insisting that ensuring national security is the responsibility of the state and the military, whose personnel are paid to perform that duty.
"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 proposals for 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 encouraging civilians to arm themselves would have lasting consequences for society.
"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.
During the rally, the JUI-F leader also raised concerns about the security situation in Balochistan, claiming that significant parts of the province remained beyond the effective control of the Pakistani government.
"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, the violence that had long affected Baloch-majority areas has now spread to Pashtun regions as well.
