Asif criticizes Achakzai’s statements about the “strength of the four districts”; The opposition leader stands by his words.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The influence of the armed forces on the country’s political system dominated debates in the National Assembly on Wednesday, with the Treasury defending its role while the opposition emphasized that it should be strictly defined by the Constitution.
The National Assembly paid tribute to the armed forces for their incomparable sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, honoring all the martyrs who gave their lives for the nation.
A resolution, tabled by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, reaffirmed the House’s commitment that the sacrifices of the martyrs would not be in vain and underlined that the nation stands firmly with the armed forces in this ongoing fight.
The resolution praised the professional capabilities, bravery and dedication of the military and declared its full support for their continued efforts to safeguard national security, defend stability and maintain peace throughout the country.
Earlier in the debate, Asif criticized opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai for his recent comments about the army, describing the statement as “irresponsible” and an attempt to “belittle the sacrifices” of security personnel.
Asif quoted Achakzai as saying the army was a “four-district force” but did not provide further context for his comments.
Calling it “highly irresponsible” and a “deliberate attempt to defame” the national institution, the defense minister said the army was a national force. “It is the strength of the federation, with representation from all the provinces,” he stressed. “It is the strength of the entire country.”
During his speech, the minister also shared data on the representation of different provinces in the army, reading statistics from a document.
According to the document, provincial representation in line with the population of army districts as per 2023 census was 51.1 per cent from Punjab, Sindh (20.52 per cent), KP (16.28 per cent), Balochistan (6.04 per cent), AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan (2.54 per cent) and 3.52 per cent from minority communities.
The minister highlighted that the armed forces have made several sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. “In the last five years, 3,141 personnel, including officers, non-commissioned officers and jawans, have embraced martyrdom in this struggle,” the defense minister said, adding that these martyrs came from all regions of the country.
According to the data shared by Asif, those martyrs included 170 officers, 212 junior officers and 2,759 soldiers.
He added that the opposition leader’s irresponsible statement is an attempt to belittle these sacrifices and amounts to attacking public sentiments.
The minister said that the position of the opposition leader was respectable and that such statements from Achakzai were not expected.
He further stated that the fight against terrorism is not limited to any particular province or district, but “it is a collective fight of the entire nation.”
“The martyrs are our red line… We are indebted to the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for our safety and protection,” he said.
Asif went on to say, “We are in the middle of a very bloody war. Every day…”
The Defense Minister stated that “such attacks and behavior, bloodshed is not allowed in our religion.” “The bodies of our soldiers are beheaded after their martyrdom. This is also happening. It is happening in the Tirah Valley.”
Turning his attention to politicians, he said: “We are fighting a war for our political interests. If anyone says we are fighting for the country, then they are wrong. We are fighting a war for our political interests and our power. For the last 60 or 70 years, every time someone was deprived of power, they fought for it, and there were no underlying principles in that fight.
“And then a voice is raised in this house saying that (the army) is a four-district force. I don’t want to use strong words for this house as it has earned me immense respect.”
But, he continued, if an individual crosses a “line drawn in blood” safeguarding his political interests, he has no right to “sit in this house.”
The minister also said that “no voice is raised from Balochistan when Punjabis are shot after checking their identity cards. I don’t believe in provincial discrimination, but I am strongly opposed to it.” [to Achakzai’s remark]”.
Achakzai, who joined the House debates midway through Asif’s speech, responded to the Defense Minister by saying that he stood by his words and would continue to speak out against the “enemies of democracy”.
“We have been punished for supporting democracy,” he commented, raising the question of whether parliament should “justify martial law.”
The opposition leader also commented that relations with Afghanistan will not be able to improve until “we stop considering the neighboring country as our fifth province.”
PTI president Gohar Ali Khan also spoke during the session and objected to his party being held responsible for terrorism in the country. “Terrorists are our enemies wherever they are,” he said.
Gohar criticized the government for “using the crutches of the establishment to govern the country.”
Gohar also reminded the Defense Minister that he used to openly criticize the army in the past and alleged that his statement in the house was “an attempt to divide the nation”.
However, NA President Ayaz Sadiq maintained that sharing data on the number of martyrs could not be considered an attempt to divide the nation.
NA approves 6 bills
During the session, the NA, with a low quorum, also passed six bills amid an opposition outcry, with Speaker Sadiq refusing to order a recount.
Only 66 members were present in the chamber at the time of the bills’ passage after the rules were suspended for immediate consideration.
The bills included Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Pakistan Names and Emblems (Prevention of Unauthorized Use) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, National Archives (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Bill (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill. Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
