‘You are powerful, but remember 1971?’ Pakistani politician takes fresh swipe at Army

Pakistani politician and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman continued his verbal attacks on the Pakistan Army, recalling the military's decisive defeat in the 1971 war with India that led to the creation of Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan.“‘We are the protectors of this country. No one’s father can harm this country.’ I agree, you are very powerful,” Rehman remarked at a JUI (F) convention in Peshawar, targeting Pakistan’s top military leadership.He recalled how the Pakistan Army laid down its arms in 1971, just a day after then-President and military ruler General Yahya Khan declared that it would fight until the end."But I remember, and maybe there are some elders who remember, that in December 1971, one day before laying down arms, General Yahya Khan addressed the army and said, we will fight in the streets, in the deserts, in the fields, in the factories, in the mountains, and we will fight against them. We will fight. We heard these big words then," Rehman added.The JUI-F further chief questioned why the public is being subjected to "severe hardships" while the establishment remains "insensitive" to their misery.“Why are you putting the country and the people to the test? Why are you having fun when your public is suffering? And today is 2026. When the revolution came in Afghanistan in 1989, and the war started, now you tell me, it’s been 45-46 years, blood has been flowing on the same line for about half a century. When blood flows like this, then it is a sign of geographical changes,” Rehman remarked.Warning that persistent state oppression and ongoing conflict threaten the nation’s integrity and could signal territorial disintegration, he stated, “It is a sign of oppression. Then at least inform us of your intentions. We are tolerating it and will continue to tolerate it. It will continue. A few more days, my dear, just a few more days. We are forced to take a breath in the shade of oppression. If we endure the oppression for a little longer, if we suffer, if we cry, it is the legacy of our ancestors. We are helpless.”Rehman’s remarks came days after he challenged the military to enter politics directly, declaring, “If you want to do politics, then take off the uniform and come; participate in the elections, and it will become clear what votes people give to those in uniform. It is your prerogative to give government to whomever you want, and to snatch it away from whomever you wish.”(With ANI inputs)Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.