Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after a live CNN interview in which he made baseless claims about India’s recent military operation targeting terror sites. The operation, dubbed Operation Sindoor, struck nine terror locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).
During the CNN broadcast, Asif claimed that Indian jets were shot down by Pakistan during the operation. However, when host Becky Anderson pressed him for verifiable proof, he faltered. Instead of citing credible sources, Asif leaned on vague statements, saying, “It’s all over social media, on Indian social media, not just ours. The debris fell into Kashmir.”
Anderson promptly interjected, stating, “I’m sorry, but we didn’t bring you here to discuss social media posts. I’m asking for concrete evidence and specifics. For instance, did Chinese equipment play a role in downing these Rafale jets, as you appear to be claiming?”
Caught off guard, Asif couldn’t name the aircraft supposedly involved, sidestepping the question by warning about the possibility of the situation escalating into a broader war. He then attempted to justify Pakistan’s military purchases by saying, “If India can buy planes from France, we can also purchase jets from China, Russia, or even the US or UK.”
Pattern of Missteps
This isn’t the first time Asif has stirred controversy on international television. Just weeks earlier, he raised eyebrows during an interview with Sky News, admitting that Pakistan had aided terrorist organizations for decades. “We’ve been doing the dirty work for the United States for 30 years… That was a mistake, and we paid for it,” he stated, appearing to validate allegations long denied by Pakistan.
Indian Authorities Set the Record Straight
Following the strikes, pro-Pakistani social media accounts began sharing misleading visuals allegedly showing wreckage from Indian jets. However, India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) stepped in to fact-check the claims. One widely circulated image was traced back to a 2021 IAF MiG-21 crash in Punjab’s Moga district.
“This image is from an earlier incident and is unrelated to the current situation,” PIB clarified on its X (formerly Twitter) account, discrediting the narrative being pushed online.
Khawaja Asif’s failure to substantiate his claims has sparked fresh scrutiny over Pakistan’s credibility on the global stage, especially in light of India’s swift and strategic counterterror operations.
