ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman Wednesday paying glowing tributes to the services rendered by Dr Abdul Qadeer (AQ) Khan, said Pakistan’s nuclear capability, developed under the leadership of Dr Khan, is an unforgettable gift to the nation that has empowered Pakistanis to hold their heads high globally.
JI chief said this here during JI leadership’s visit to the grave of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan for offering prayers on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer. Hafiz stressed that the country must not be intimidated by global powers seeking to divide and weaken Pakistan. “If Modi fires bullets, we will respond with the Ghauri missile,” he declared. Hafiz said the youth must reject despair and unite against those spreading hopelessness and division.
“This country is ours, and we are its protectors. We still have to liberate Kashmir,” he stated, adding that any dialogue with India must include Kashmir on the agenda, otherwise “there should be no talks at all.” Recalling the events of 1998, Rehman said that after India conducted nuclear tests, anxiety spread across Pakistan. “While the government hesitated due to international pressure and threats of sanctions, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba held rallies across the country to press the government to respond,” he said. “On May 28, Pakistan conducted nuclear tests and became invincible.”
He noted that while major global powers continue to expand their nuclear arsenals, it was Dr Khan and his team who ensured Pakistan’s place among the nuclear powers. “Today, we are here to remember and honour this national hero, whose contributions made Pakistan strong and respected worldwide,” he said. Criticizing India, Hafiz said that despite never accepting Pakistan’s existence, India has faced consistent defeat. “When India bombed mosques and civilian areas, we responded strongly.
The jets India boasted about were shot down now they’re debating whether four Rafales fell or six.” He mocked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches as empty bravado aimed at misleading the Indian public. “Modi is bragging, while 680 million Indians still lack access to basic sanitation,” he said.
“The more he blusters, the fewer votes he’ll get.” Rehman also condemned India’s treatment of minorities, especially Muslims, Dalits, and Sikhs. “India is committing atrocities under the guise of Hindutva. The Sikh movement is gaining momentum, and India has lost credibility by targeting Sikhs in countries like the US and Canada.” On the situation in Kashmir, he decried the brutal violations of human rights and said India of trying to turn the Muslim majority into a minority.
“This is terrorism and the world must take a stand,” he said. “Israel, India’s close ally, is committing atrocities against children in Palestine. After the Pahalgam incident, Israel even assisted India.” He criticised the U.S. for its silence during Indian aggression against Pakistan, only stepping in for ceasefire talks once Pakistan retaliated. “If peace is to be achieved, India must withdraw its forces from Kashmir and let Kashmiris exercise their right to self-determination.”
Lashing out at the government’s handling of Youm-e-Takbeer celebrations, Rehman condemned the exclusion of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan from official advertisements, saying the ruling PML-N prioritised images of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his family. “It’s shameful,” he said, noting that even former rulers did not attend the national hero’s funeral. Responding to a question, he called the release of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dr Azhar by Bangladesh’s Supreme Court a victory for justice. He urged the government to foster national unity and resolve the crises in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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