Tag: Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Pakistan will prioritise its national interests if pressured to join the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements aimed at normalising diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab states.

In September 2020, the United States (US) mediated an agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Israel, vowing to normalise ties between the signatories and Israel. This move was later followed by Morocco and Sudan, who also joined the Accords in the following months.

This year, in May, addressing a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, US President Donald Trump said that he would “continue to add more countries” to the Abraham Accords

During an interview on a political talk show on Monday, the defence minister was asked what the response of the incumbent government would be if Pakistan were pressured to join the Abraham Accords.

In response, Asif said, “We will look at our interests,” adding that Pakistan would only respond if the country were formally proposed to be part of the accords. “We will not be part of any US policy that harms Pakistan,” he stressed.

The defence minister’s remarks come days after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar ruled out the possibility of Pakistan joining the Abraham Accords, stating that such a move would effectively mean abandoning the country’s longstanding support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict and recognising Israel.

Speaking at a news conference at the Foreign Office last week, Dar reiterated Islamabad’s firm support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We are not ready to recognise Israel until the two-state solution to the Palestine conflict is accepted,” the foreign minister said, clarifying, “There is no change in our stated policy on the Palestine issue.”

Dar maintained that signing the Abraham Accords would be tantamount to abandoning Pakistan’s long-standing demand for a Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders. “Let it be clear to everyone that our seven-decades-long policy remains unchanged,” he said.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, during an interview with Arab News on Friday, said that Pakistan’s hybrid model is “doing wonders”.

The defence czar described the country’s governance as a “hybrid model” in which military and civilian leaders share power and accepted that the government system is “not ideal democratic”, adding that “This arrangement, the hybrid arrangement, is doing wonders”.

He opined that if “this sort of [hybrid] model” was adopted way back in the 90s, “things could have been much, much better”. 

Asif later said that owing to the confrontation between the establishment and political government, the progress of democracy in Pakistan has been retarded.

When asked whether it has been accepted that the only way to avoid the confrontation between the establishment and the political governance is to have a hybrid model, Asif responded, “There is a hybrid model till we are out of the woods, as far [as] our economic, governance problems are concerned. It’s not constitutionally formalised. However, it is a de facto formalisation of the situation.”

When asked whether in this hybrid model, the establishment has more power, Asif replied, “not correct”.

Rather, he defined the hybrid model as “mutual” understanding between the establishment and political leadership, explaining, “We have the co-ownership of the power structure.”

Asif maintained that military leadership “very genuinely” listens to the political leadership, adding, “There is no superimposed system or superimposed organisation on [PM] Shehbaz Sharif, which dictates [to] him and he acts accordingly. Shehbaz Sharif is making his decisions independently and in regular consultation with the establishment on all levels.”

Ruling out the existence of differences of opinion between the military leadership and political leadership, Asif said that there was no moment when the decisions were not made unanimously with total agreement.

Meanwhile, the defense minister, in a post on X on Thursday, linked the country’s achievements on global, regional, and economic fronts to the “current hybrid model of governance”, referring to the recent Islamabad-New Delhi standoff and improvement in the Pakistan-US ties.

Terming the meeting of the army chief with the US president a “significant milestone”, Asif wrote on X, “There has never before been an example of a US president inviting and meeting a Pakistani army chief.”

He added that this is the most significant turning point in the 78-year history of Pakistan-US relations, stressing that the revival of the national economy and India’s defeat became possible due to Premier Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Munir.

Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has ignited a heated debate on social media with his latest post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Asif rebuked Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, for his remarks that Iranian people are energised to topple the “weak regime” after illegal Israeli strikes on Iran on Friday killed its top commanders and nuclear scientists.

In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Pahlavi said, “When you are dealing with the movement of civil disobedience and non-violence against a very brutal regime. At some points, the odds have to shift towards the people. I think people are sensing that right now,” adding that Israeli attacks resulted in creating a new wave of energy and hope.

“You have opposed the Iranian regime for a very long time, though. What evidence do you have that the strikes from Israel are actually stirring up more opposition,” the interviewer asked.

In response, Pahlavi said that the Iranian people and the world have realised that the “root cause of the problem has been the regime in its nature”, adding that the current regime, no longer in effect, is the only solution that would benefit the Iranian people. 

“….The ultimate solution is the regime change. Now we have the opportunity because the regime is at its weakest point. There is a window in which we can operate and liberate our country,” he suggested

He went on to further say that when the regime will fall, the world would breathe a sigh of relief and that they would no longer have to fear nuclear threats, terrorism and radicalisation.

Following the interview, the Pakistani defence minister took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, “If Iranian people are energised and motivated according to you, show some b*lls and go back and lead them and remove the regime.”

He then called Pahlavi a “bloody parasitical imperial traitor” but a few minutes later, edited it to “imperial wh*re”. He then ended the tweet by saying, “Put your money where your a*se is.”

Internet users from across the globe flooded Asif’s replies, most of them admiring the defence minister for calling out Pahlavi, who has been  unapologetic about supporting Zionism.

Author and activist Trita Parsi expressed awe for Asif’s post for not mincing his words. “OMG… This is Pakistan’s defense minister, calling the son of the Shah a ‘bloody parasitical imperial wh*re’ for cheerleading Israel’s war of aggression against Iran,” Parsi wrote.

“Aside from enjoying the mirth factor, my confidence is bolstered that Pakistan may genuinely back up Iran against the evil entity, particularly in a way that will dissuade a ‘Samson Option’ strike (sic),” wrote one user.

Another user expressed wonder at Asif for choosing such bold words, asking, “WAIT WHAT DID I JUST READ?”. Another wrote, “Imperial whatttttt. Man is he the defence minister.”

One Pakistani user sarcastically wrote, “When a true Sialkotiya curses in English, it still gives you the full desi flavor.”

“OMG! Wow! My respect for Asif Khawaja Saab has gone through the roof! Now this is what you call straight talking, no nonsense! I love it,” said another netizen.

Some users called out Asif for using foul language. A user, while calling Asif’s tweet an “utterly undiplomatic and inappropriate outburst,” wrote, “Personal dislike or political disagreements should never justify crude language, especially from someone holding a high constitutional office. Statesmanship demands restraint, not rudeness.”

“You’re not a random sh*tposter but Defence Minister of a country,” another person wrote. 

“Utter shame and disgust that a sitting defence minister has been using such language,” one netizens opined.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has linked a recent power outage during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match to a retaliatory cyberattack carried out by Pakistani hackers.

Speaking in the National Assembly on June 14, Khawaja Asif stated, “After the Indian government and military showed aggression, our children (referring to young hackers) launched a cyberattack in response.” He claimed that the hackers managed to disrupt the IPL by shutting down the stadium lights mid-match.

“Our cyber warriors did a remarkable job by switching off the floodlights during an IPL match,” he added, applauding the alleged cyber operation.

Khawaja Asif further stated that Pakistani hackers targeted key Indian installations, including control systems of cricket stadiums and even dams. “They also hit sensitive Indian infrastructure,” he noted.

The incident he referred to took place on May 8 during a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at the Dharamshala stadium. The floodlights suddenly went off in the middle of the game, causing panic among franchise officials, team owners, and the stadium administration. The match was halted, and the crowd was instructed to evacuate for safety.

Despite this alleged cyberattack, Asif emphasised that Pakistan, even in response to Indian aggression, did not target innocent civilians.

Meanwhile, Khawaja Asif criticised India for blaming Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident without conducting any investigation. He termed it a failed attempt by India to justify a botched operation, which led to the tragic deaths of several innocent people.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday evening excoriated the approval of a fivefold increase in the salaries and perks of the speaker of the National Assembly (NA) and chairman of the Senate, calling it “financial obscenity”.

“The huge increase in the salaries and financial incentives of the speaker, deputy speaker, chairman [of the] Senate and deputy chairman of the Senate falls under the category of financial obscenity,” the defence czar wrote in a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

“Keep in mind the life of the common man, all our honors and dignity are due to him,” he added.

Last week, the federal government approved a 500 percent increase in the salaries of Chairman of the senate and the NA Speaker, taking it to Rs1.3 million a month.

A leading English newspaper, while citing a notification which was issued by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on May 29, reported earlier this week that the salaries had been raised from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3million, besides 50pc of the revised salary (Rs650,000) as the sumptuary allowance.

In May, the National Assembly’s Finance Committee, headed by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, approved the proposed increase of the monthly salary of each Member of National Assembly (MNA) and senator to Rs519,000. Previously, lawmakers received a monthly salary of Rs180,000.

“The federal ministers and ministers of state shall receive a monthly salary equivalent to the salary of a member of the National Assembly,” read the ordinance.

During the post-budget press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb justified the huge hike, telling reporters to “check when the salaries of ministers, ministers of state, and parliamentarians were last adjusted.”

He later said that it was in 2016. “If the salaries kept increasing every year, there would be no need to increase them all at once,” the finance minister added.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in an exclusive interview with The Current, levelled multiple allegations and unleashed personal jabs on Friday against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

Stressing that Imran Khan was very “stingy”, the defence minister alleged that the former star cricketer didn’t spend a penny on himself.

“I am saying it on record that he didn’t even buy clothes with his own money in his entire life,” Asif said, then recalled a famous saying, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

He then mocked the former premier, saying that Imran Khan had six to seven personalities. “Sometimes, he becomes religious; sometimes he starts having illegitimate children; sometimes he has affairs with women; sometimes he becomes a cricketer; and sometimes he starts practising Piri Faqiri (spirituality).”

He said that Imran Khan has no specific personality, as he is totally confused. “However, he [Imran Khan] is sure about one thing: that the end result must favour him,” he added.

Asif further said that when he alleged that Imran Khan had syphoned off seven million dollars, the latter filed a case against him.

Asif further said that the former premier stashed the money abroad by siphoning it off, claiming, “He [Imran Khan] did not bring the donation into the country. He cross-examined me in the court.”

The defence minister was alluding to the defamation suit worth Rs10 billion that Imran Khan had filed against Asif in 2012, for levelling allegations of non-transparency, money laundering and use of anonymous companies in Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) funds.

In his lawsuit, Imran Khan referred to the August 1, 2012 presser during which the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) top brass had accused Imran of lost in “real estate gambling” a huge amount of funds donated to the SKMT in the form of Zakat, Fitrana or other kinds of donations.

The PML-N stalwart’s harsh criticism of the PTI head came in reply to a question about who he would vote for, Imran Khan or PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari. The defence minister took no time to answer that he would vote for Zardari, stating that he’s at least “not a hypocrite.”

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded to Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s recent address, saying that Modi was speaking like a “defeated gambler” who has nothing left.

“I believe there were three important issues, of which he [Indian PM Modi] has acknowledged two: Kashmir and terrorism. The third, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), is not truly an issue as it can be resolved through dialogue,” he said while speaking to a private news outlet.

He emphasised that India has not only fought Pakistan from the eastern front but has also waged a proxy war on the western front through groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Asif added that Pakistan had emerged victorious on all fronts of its conflict with India, and that whenever New Delhi raises the issue of terrorism, Islamabad would insist on a probe into the Pahalgam incident.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside Parliament House on Tuesday, Asif reiterated that any future dialogue with India must revolve around three critical issues: terrorism, Kashmir, and water.

He stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already offered cooperation in investigating the Pahalgam attack, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace.

On the matter of water, Asif criticised India for politicising the issue and warned that the IWT cannot be tampered with. “Any dialogue must adhere strictly to the clauses of the treaty,” he stressed.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday shared a clip from the classic 1966 movie “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” on his official X (formerly Twitter) account with the caption “No comments needed”. 

As tensions rise between Pakistan and India following the April 22 millitant attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), relations between the two neighbouring nuclear-armed states nosedived. India illegally suspended the long-standing Indus Water Treaty (IWT) unilaterally in reaction to the attack in Pahalgam in IIOJK, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepalese national.

New Delhi linked Islamabad to the attack without offering any concrete evidence or a probe. Pakistan has strongly denied the accusations and offered a transparent and credible investigation into the matter.

Khwaja Asif posted a clip showing a man [representing India] with a gun entering an old house and finding his rival [representing Pakistan] lying in a bathtub filled with soapy water. “I have been looking for you for eight months. Whenever I have had a gun in my right hand, I thought of you. Now I find you in exactly the position that suits me. I had lots of time to learn how to shoot with my left,” he says.

The moment the dialogue gets finished, the other man [representing Pakistan] suddenly pulls a gun from beneath the bubbles and shoots him dead. He then delivers the famous line: “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.”

Internet users flooded the comment section of Asif’s post. Some found it humorous, while others criticized him. One social media users wrote, “I want to remind you that you are the Defence Minister of Pakistan. Start acting like the office you represent, not like someone trying to entertain a crowd.”

“Imagine the seriousness of a potential conflict threat with India…Pakistan’s Defence Minister is busy making memes,” another user wrote.

“You are the Defense Minister of a nuclear state. For God’s sake, don’t make a joke of this matter, wars destroy generations. it is inappropriate to sarcastically invite any war like this,” opined a netizen.

“Serious preparation of defence strategies against India in full swing. Defence Minister intends to make the Indians die of laughter,” said the fourth user.

Another said, “India says he is gonna defeat us and can’t even handle our Khawaja Asif yet the whole Pakistan .”