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• Defence minister warns each Muslim country could become target if Ummah fails to act together
• Asad Qaiser says it is Pakistan’s moral duty to support Iran
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif on Saturday called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold an emergency meeting to map out a joint strategy in the wake of Israel’s ongoing aggression, warning that if the Muslim Ummah does not unite, every Muslim country’s turn will come.
“The way Israel has targeted Yemen, Iran, and Palestine shows a larger game plan,” he said while speaking in the National Assembly.
The remarks came as another war in Middle East has sparked a global turmoil. The defence minister pointed out that most of the Muslim nations were already facing security risks.
“Strong leadership is needed now,” he remarked and described Israel’s brutal actions, particularly its military aggression against Iran as a serious threat to regional and global peace.
Regretting the apathy of the Muslim world over the aggression in Palestine where even children were being brutally killed, he said there were more protests in non-Muslim countries than in Muslim nations. He assured that Pakistan stands firmly with Iran and will continue to support it on all international fora.
The defence minister said that while Pakistan’s military strength was commendable, the economy must also be strong.
Tax evasion
Mr Asif said that the country suffers huge losses due to tax evasion, especially in sectors like tobacco, real estate, steel, and tyres. “We lose around Rs300 billion annually in tobacco taxes alone,” he said, acknowledging that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made some improvements, but much more needs to be done.
“If we can just improve our tax collection by 50 per cent, we wouldn’t need foreign loans,” he noted.
He demanded accountability and urged the finance ministry and FBR to brief the parliament on the people behind large-scale tax evasion. “We need honesty in governance. Only then we can provide real relief to the people,” he said.
Jibe at PTI
The minister criticised those who now attack the government’s economic policy had once urged the IMF not to support Pakistan.
“These people tried to sabotage our economy,” he said. “Pakistan is not about any one person. It is a mission, a belief, and a shared history.”
He urged political leaders to rise above personal ambitions and serve the nation with sincerity.
‘Stand by Iran’
Former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser in his speech while referring to Israeli attack on Iran said, “It is our moral obligation to stand by Iran at this critical time.”
He also said that Israel has committed the worst atrocities against Palestinians, sparing neither children, women, the elderly, nor hospitals and schools. He regretted the criminal silence of international community, particularly from human rights organisations and so-called democratic states.
“Most disappointing, however, is the deafening silence of the Muslim Ummah,” he said and demanded that the government immediately launch diplomatic efforts to convene an emergency session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Discussing financial ‘injustices’ with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said, “After the Fata merger, the province’s NFC award share should have been increased from 14 per cent to 19pc, but there has been no substantial progress.
During his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had claimed that an additional 1pc allocation was allocated for terrorism-affected areas.
However, the province’s agreed annual share of 4.84pc, amounting to Rs381bn, has yet to be released, Mr Qaider recalled.
Furthermore, the hydel profit amount due to the province has also been withheld.
“Is this all just because the people of KP voted for PTI,” he asked.
He said the current government has earmarked only Rs550m for the entire province’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
“We are demanding our constitutional rights, and if the situation remains unchanged, we will stage a sit-in on the motorway with our people.” he warned.
‘Discrepancy’
Expressing his views, PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar stated that there is a clear contradiction between the public statements made by the prime minister and cabinet members and the figures presented in the budget documents.
He said that while government officials insist that agriculture is the backbone of country’s economy, there is nothing for this vital sector, which ensures food security.
“Do you want to depend on imports to meet country’s food needs?” he questioned.
In her remarks, PPP leader Sharmila Farooqui questioned the powers being given to the FBR to arrest people without any notice.
She pointed out that external debts continue to pile up but over 100 entities had been given relief in taxes.
Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2025
