JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman poked fun at Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during a National Assembly session on Wednesday. He remarked that international defence pacts were being discussed in Iran while the nation's own defence minister remained inside the country.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated, Khawaja Asif sahib is also present here. A defence agreement is being made in Iran, and the defence minister is sitting here, before using Asif's well-known phrase against him by saying, Koi sharam hoti hai, koi haya hoti hai, which translates to having shame and decency.
Lawmakers in the House laughed at the comment, and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza posted a video of the interaction which quickly spread across social media platforms.
Remark Linked to Tehran Talks
The jab by Fazlur Rehman pointed to high-level discussions conducted in Tehran on Monday. During those talks, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian alongside other top Iranian officials.
These three representatives acted on behalf of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which is a military alliance formed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye back in August.
This marked the initial gathering between Iranian authorities and delegates from the pact, concentrating on regional security issues and stopping a new military conflict.
On the following day, Khawaja Asif declared that Pakistan would protect Saudi Arabia forcefully under the terms of the alliance.
Asif's Own Words Come Back to Haunt Him
The phrase Koi sharam hoti hai, koi haya hoti hai remains among the most frequently cited political quotes in Pakistan. Khawaja Asif originally directed the line at PTI politicians inside the National Assembly years ago, turning it into a widely recognized internet meme.
Observers on social media noted that this instance appears to be the first time the quote was turned against Asif while he was physically present in the legislature.
Over the course of the same address, Fazlur Rehman urged both the ruling government and opposition parties to meet and formulate a fresh Charter of Democracy.
