A senior Pakistani lawmaker has publicly questioned the consistency of Islamabad’s position on cross-border military action, drawing a direct comparison between Pakistan’s strikes on Afghanistan and India’s Operation Sindoor.
Addressing a public gathering in Karachi, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticised the Pakistan Army, led by General Asim Munir, for attacks on Afghan territory that resulted in civilian casualties.
‘How Can You Object to India?’
Rehman argued that Pakistan’s justification for military action against Afghanistan weakens its objections to India’s retaliatory strikes on Pakistani soil.
“If you say that we attacked our enemy in Afghanistan and justify this, then India can also say that it attacked Bahawalpur, Muridke, and the headquarters of groups responsible for the attack in Kashmir,” Rehman said. He added that Pakistan could not logically oppose India’s actions while defending its own cross-border operations.
The JUI-F chief specifically referred to Operation Sindoor, India’s pre-dawn missile strikes carried out on May 7, targeting nine terror facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These included sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke, identified as major terror hubs.
The operation followed the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed. Indian authorities described the strikes as precision attacks aimed at terror launch pads.
Fallout and Regional Tensions
Following the Indian strikes, Pakistan attempted to target multiple Indian cities using drones and munitions, which were later repulsed by Indian forces.
Rehman’s remarks come amid heightened Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militants—an allegation consistently denied by Afghan authorities.
Fazlur Rehman has previously offered to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan during periods of heightened tension. He remains the only Pakistani lawmaker to have met Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, underlining his influence in regional political dynamics.
India Condemns Pakistan’s Afghanistan Strikes
India recently condemned Pakistan’s strikes on Afghan territory. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had seen reports of Afghan civilian casualties and reaffirmed India’s support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A Taliban spokesperson later claimed Pakistan initiated the attacks, forcing Kabul to respond.
