Pakistan, July 15 -- Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif strongly denounced the statement made by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, terming it highly irresponsible and an insult to the immense sacrifices of the martyrs.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman is a seasoned politician and a respected religious leader, and that greater responsibility is expected of him in the choice of his words, he wrote on his social media platform, X.

The Defence Minister said linking the sacrifices of soldiers to their salaries is not only unfair but also hurts the sentiments of the martyrs and their families.

He said nobody lays down their life merely for a salary. The sacrifice of life, he said, is driven by ideology, faith, a sense of...