Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi on Thursday said Pakistan’s martyrs and war veterans remained a source of national pride, urging Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to reconsider and withdraw his recent remarks concerning the country’s martyrs.
Addressing a press conference at the Governor House alongside members of the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee, Hashmi said the term “Shaheed” (martyr) originated from the Holy Quran and not from Pakistan’s Constitution, emphasizing that the sacrifices made in defense of the country would continue to be remembered by the nation.
He said Islam promoted peace, tolerance, coexistence and harmony, adding that members of the Pakistan Army, Navy, Air Force, Rangers and police who laid down their lives while protecting the country attained the status of martyrdom.
“The death of a martyr is the life of a nation,” Hashmi said, expressing confidence that Fazlur Rehman would review his comments regarding the country’s fallen servicemen.
The governor said Pakistan’s armed forces had thwarted hostile designs and exhibited a high degree of professionalism in confronting external threats. Referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said policies pursued by the Indian leadership ran counter to humanitarian values.
He stressed that national unity and cohesion were essential at a time when Pakistan faced multiple challenges, adding that the country’s military leadership had established a credible deterrent capability. He remarked that those disappointed by Pakistan’s accomplishments merited sympathy rather than commendation.
Speaking at the event, Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman and National Paigham-e-Aman Committee leader Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said the committee served as a collective platform for religious scholars representing various schools of thought across the country and was expanding its organizational network to divisional and district levels.
Ashrafi said Pakistan’s martyrs were a matter of collective pride and that disrespect toward martyrs and war veterans should not be tolerated. He added that more than 8,000 religious scholars had sacrificed their lives for Pakistan and that the country’s religious leadership stood firmly alongside its armed forces.
He further said Pakistan belonged equally to people of all religions and sects, adding that any act of aggression against the country would be viewed as an attack on the nation as a whole.
Ashrafi said India and Israel sought to undermine regional stability, but maintained that Pakistanis remained united in support of peace, stability and national solidarity. He also said terrorism had no association with Islam and described the Paigham-e-Pakistan declaration as a national consensus document, underscoring the need for effective implementation of the country’s code of conduct.