{
  "id": 17036180,
  "title": "'Not defence ministry's mandate': Asif responds to Fazl's remarks about his absence at Tehran huddle",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/not-defence-ministrys-mandate-asif-responds-to-fazls-remarks-about-17036180",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-29T09:03:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2040695/not-defence-ministrys-mandate-asif-responds-to-fazls-remarks-about-his-absence-at-tehran-huddle"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Defence Minister Khawaja Asif defended himself against Maulana Fazlur Rehman's criticism over his absence from a recent Tehran meeting. The meeting, attended by officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, aimed to \"continue dialogue to bolster cooperation among the four regional nations.\" However, Asif insisted that no defence pact was being formed and that the discussion did not centre on Pakistan. He highlighted that Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, took on the role of \"peace and dialogue\" following India's military conflict last year, and that Pakistan had signed two defence pacts since then. The meeting in Tehran was not a mandate of the defence ministry, but rather a role played by the Chief of Defence Forces, Asif said.",
  "summary": "Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded on Thursday to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks regarding the former’s non-participation in a recent huddle in Tehran. The meeting brought together officials from member countries of the Makkah Defence Alliance — Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff…",
  "key_points": [
    "Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticized Asif for missing Tehran meeting.",
    "Asif clarified no defence pact was formed during the meeting.",
    "Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir led peace and dialogue efforts."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Asif's clarification signals a clear division of diplomatic responsibilities between the defence ministry and the military leadership regarding regional dialogue and the formation of strategic security pacts.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "Khawaja Asif rejects Fazlur Rehman’s remarks, says CDF Munir visited Tehran for regional peace",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/khawaja-asif-rejects-fazlur-rehmans-remarks-says-cdf-munir-visited",
        "published": "2026-10-29T10:05:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}