After the terrorist attack in Islamabad, there is a tussle between the Pakistan government and the opposition leader regarding the army. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in the Pakistani Parliament on Wednesday (11 February 2026) that no one fights war for the country, rather everyone fights for political interests. On this statement of his, questions are being raised on Pakistan’s CDF Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who often criticize Afghanistan and India.

Regarding the army, National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that the Pakistani Army is the army of only four districts. The Pakistani Defense Minister objected to this, but he accepted that his country is currently stuck in the middle of a war.

No one fights for the country: Khawaja Asif

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said, ‘We are fighting the war for our political interests. If someone says that we are fighting for the country then they are wrong. We are fighting a war for our political interests and power. In the last 60-70 years, whenever someone was deprived of power, he fought for it and there were no fundamental principles in that fight. No voice is raised from Balochistan when Punjabis are shot after seeing their identity cards. I do not believe in provincial discrimination, but I take strong objection to Achakzai’s comment.

While presenting the figures in Parliament, Khawaja Asif said that the irresponsible statement of the opposition leader was given to defame the national institution. He said, ‘This is the power of the Union, in which all the provinces are represented. This is the power of the entire country.

How many armies in which province of Pakistan?

According to the report of Pakistani newspaper Dawn, according to the 2023 census, the province-wise representation in the army as per the population of the districts was 51.1 percent from Punjab, 16.28 percent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20.52 percent from Sindh, 6.04 percent from Balochistan, 2.54 percent from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and 3.52 percent from minorities. However, while reading the figures, Khawaja Asif mistakenly stated the representation of Punjab as 91.1 percent instead of 51.1 percent. He also said that the armed forces have made many sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan is stuck in the middle of a bloody war: Khawaja Asif

Khawaja Asif said that the fight against terrorism is not limited to any particular province or district, but is spread across the entire country. He said, ‘We are indebted to those martyrs who lost their lives for our security. We are caught in the middle of a very bloody war. Such attacks and shedding of blood are not justified in our religion.

Pakistan’s top religious leader and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has increased the problems of the Shehbaz Sharif government. By openly challenging the recently passed family law reforms, he has created a new political and social controversy.

While the Pakistan government is preparing to implement the Child Marriage Prevention Bill 2025 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has lodged a strong protest against these laws. Under these laws, a provision has been made to ban child marriage in Pakistan.

Fazlur Rehman gave open challenge to the government
While addressing the National Assembly of Pakistani Parliament, Maulana Fazlur Rehman completely rejected the amendments made in family laws. He said that he will not accept the changes being made in the family laws of Pakistan under any circumstances. In an inflammatory statement, the JUI-F chief claimed that he would “openly violate” these laws to protest and also questioned the authority of the government to enforce them.

Threat to force marriage of children up to 10 years of age
Maulana Fazlur Rehman even said that he would personally help in the marriages of minor children in protest against the proposed child marriage ban. He said that he will protest against the government laws by getting 10, 12, 15 and 16 year old children married. After his statement, sharp reactions have emerged in the political and civil society of Pakistan.

Controversy increased after domestic violence law
This entire controversy deepened when Parliament passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026 introduced by PPP MP Sharmila Farooqui. This bill faced strong opposition from the opposition benches including members of JUI-F. This law criminalizes physical, emotional and mental violence in homes.

What are the provisions in the new laws?
Under the new law, threatening the wife with divorce or remarriage, forcing her to live with others without her consent, or mentally torturing the wife, children and other family members has been made a punishable offence. In this Act, any person below 18 years of age, whether a boy or a girl, is considered a child. With this, the minimum legal age for marriage in the capital region of Pakistan has been fixed at 18 years.

The laws were declared unconstitutional by calling them religious matters.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed both the laws as ‘unconstitutional and illegal’ and said that they are against Islamic principles. He demanded that these bills be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology for review. They say that Parliament does not have the right to make laws in matters which they consider to be religious matters.