A rare note of dissent has surfaced within Pakistan&rsquo;s political ranks after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam&ndash;F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman publicly questioned Islamabad&rsquo;s justification for military strikes on Afghanistan that reportedly caused civilian casualties. Speaking at a conference in Karachi, Rehman warned that Pakistan&rsquo;s own logic on cross-border action weakens its objections to similar moves by India.
&ldquo;If you say that we attacked our enemy in Afghanistan and justify this, then India can also say that it attacked Bahawalpur and Muridke,&rdquo; Rehman said, invoking India&rsquo;s recent counter-terror strikes. &ldquo;Then how can you raise objections?&rdquo; he asked, arguing that Pakistan cannot apply one standard to itself and another to its neighbours.
His remarks explicitly referenced India&rsquo;s Operation Sindoor, a pre-dawn mission that targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a deadly attack in Kashmir. Rehman noted that Afghanistan is now making the same accusations against Pakistan that Islamabad has long levelled against others, calling the contradiction impossible to defend.
The comments come amid worsening tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both sides trading blame over border violence since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul. Rehman, who has previously offered to mediate between the two countries, remains one of the few Pakistani leaders to openly challenge the military&rsquo;s approach, exposing growing unease at home over the costs and credibility of Pakistan&rsquo;s regional policy.

Fazlur Rehman says Pakistan can’t condemn India if it justifies cross-border attacks

Pak Leader Questions Kabul Strikes

Fazlur Rehman says Pakistan can’t condemn India if it justifies cross-border attacks

December 24, 2025 | 14:19 IST