JI chief says nuclear capability an unforgettable gift

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that Pakistan’s nuclear capability, developed under the leadership of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, is an unforgettable gift to the nation that has empowered Pakistanis to hold their heads high globally.

He 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.

Speaking to the media after visiting the grave of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and offering prayers on the occasion of ‘Youm-e-Takbeer and Abdul Qadeer’, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman 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”.

A large number of people visited Sector H-8 graveyard here on Wednesday to offer Fateha at grave of Dr Abdul Qadeer and pay homage to the ‘Father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme’. Recalling the events of 1998, Naeemur Rehman said 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 Talaba held rallies across the country to press the government to respond,” he recalled. “On May 28, Pakistan conducted nuclear tests and became invincible.”

He noted that while major world powers continue to expand their nuclear arsenals, it was Dr Abdul Qadeer 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 added.

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.”

Naeemur 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.”

About Kashmir, he decried violations of human rights and said India was trying to turn the Muslim majority into a minority. “This is terrorism and the world must take a stand,” he said. 

He criticised the US 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, Naeemur Rehman condemned the exclusion of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan from official advertisements, saying the ruling PMLN prioritised images of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his family. “It’s shameful,” he said, noting that even former rulers didn’t 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.