MANSEHRA: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman has urged the military leadership that if the country will ever face an outside aggression or a challenge to its existence the religious forces will stand with the army.

At the same time, he criticised secular forces in the country, saying they would not be helpful in difficult times.

Addressing a public meeting in Chaterplane area near Mansehra on Thursday, the JUI-F chief said these “bearded men wearing turbans” would fight “shoulder-to-shoulder” with the army whenever the country would face a threat.

Take a look: Fazl opposes establishing of military courts 'in principle'

Addressing Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, he claimed that “secular forces which now seem to be close to him will never come to protect the country”.

The Maulana expressed his displeasure over using of the word ‘liberal’ for the country by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a recent speech, saying that Pakistan came into existence in the name of Islam.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015