Ministers, mostly from the ruling PML-N, have rebuked Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his recent remarks about security personnel, it emerged on Tuesday.

Fazl made the statement during a recent party rally in Punjab’s Kasur, where he spoke about the security and terrorism situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In this context, he mentioned that soldiers’ martyrdom was often cited, adding that personnel were drawing salaries to fight for the country.

In a post on X, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to his statement by expressing disappointment and terming his words “unfair”. Asif said he expected a seasoned politician such as Fazl to be more responsible in his choice of words.

“Linking the sacrifice of military personnel for the homeland to their salary is not only unfair but tantamount to hurting the sentiments of the martyrs and their families. No one sacrifices their life merely for a salary; there is an ideology, a belief, a duty, and a deep association with the homeland behind it,” he said.

“One can disagree with the ways [of an entity], but cannot insult that ideology, association, love and sacrifice,” he asserted.

The defence minister went on to say that declaring the security personnel’s sacrifices “a result of salaries” was not political criticism but “moral insensitivity”.

He said Fazl had hurt the sentiments of security personnel, as well as martyrs, their widows and orphaned children.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also appeared to be criticising Fazl in a post on X, in which he did not explicitly mention the JUI-F chief or his speech.

“The entire nation is indebted to the brave martyrs who sacrifice their lives for the homeland,” he said, further saluting the soldiers’ families who he said bade farewell to their loved ones while praying for their martyrdom.

“Such courageous and valiant sons are the nation’s asset. There is no room for political discourse over their sacrifices, as their worth cannot be measured,” he said.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal posted on X that he had always respected Fazl, and with that sentiment, he wanted to make some requests.

“Your recent statement has created the impression […] you have diminished the value and significance of the great sacrifices of our martyrs. This has not only hurt my feelings but those of millions of Pakistanis.

“Our military personnel and officers do not merely perform their professional duties; rather, they fulfil the duty of defending the homeland with their lives on the line all the time,” he added.

He added, “To describe such an unparalleled sacrifice as merely a compensation for a salary is neither fair, nor in accordance with the demands of ethics, and nor aligned with Islamic teachings.”

Iqbal said the nation was indebted to the martyrs and could never repay them.

“Acknowledging their favour, honouring their sacrifice, keeping their memory alive and holding them above all kinds of politics is our national, political, moral, and religious responsibility,” he said.

Iqbal also said that while having a difference of opinion was an individual’s right, words that hurt martyrs’ families, companions and the entire nation should be avoided when speaking about martyrs.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also seemingly reacted to Fazl’s statement, but in a more implicit manner.

In a post on X about martyrdom, he mentioned that the concept was beyond the understanding of “us worldly, salaried people”.

Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry demanded that Fazl apologise to the martyrs and the nation.

In a video statement, he said Fazl’s statement was disappointing.

“You have insulted the martyrs,” he said, also mentioning 16-year-old Aitzaz Hasan, who was martyred while averting a suicide attack on his school in Hangu in January 2014.

“He sacrificed his life for this nation and its children. Did he use to take a salary?” Chaudhry questioned. He said Fazl should be “ashamed” over his words.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi also criticised Fazl over his remarks, saying that his words had hurt the sentiments of Pakistanis and undermined the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs.

He asked how Fazl’s words would have affected martyrs’ families, sharing photos of several military personnel who had embraced martyrdom. Abbasi said he still respected Fazl, but today, he had hurt the sentiments of the entire nation.

“You might have made a mistake in the choice of your words. We expected you to stand with the nation at this difficult time […] Individuals could be wrong, but the value of my martyr is a salary or a tax? You may take back all your taxes,” he added.

Lauding the security forces for defending the country, he mentioned that Israel was “providing intelligence and drones in Afghanistan and India is providing funding. Terrorist camps in Afghanistan are exporting terrorism to Pakistan”.

“Today, Pakistan exists because of the martyrs,” he said.

The minister went on to say that “when we talk about Pakistan’s armed forces out of anger or for our personal interests, it hurts the sentiments of 250 million Pakistanis”.