Silence, Stammer, Surrender: Khawaja Asif’s Interview Shows Who Really Governs Pakistan

Evasive and Exposed: Khawaja Asif’s Interview Reveals Military, Not Ministers, Run Pakistan

 

 

Washington, Sept 28:

ANN NEWS DESK 

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif came under global scrutiny during an interview with veteran journalist Mehdi Hasan, where his inability to answer direct questions highlighted the deep power imbalance between Pakistan’s civilian leadership and its military establishment.

 

 

 

 

Pressed on the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan—detention described by UN experts as “arbitrary and illegal”—Asif evaded direct answers, raising suspicions of political vendetta. Mehdi Hasan openly asked if the incarceration was simply “revenge or retaliation by the Sharifs,” but the Defence Minister offered no convincing response.

 

 

 

 

The most telling moment came when Asif was questioned about the role of Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir. Though he did not explicitly say “Asim Munir is my boss,” his visible discomfort, hesitations, and body language spoke louder than words. Observers noted that his awkward silence and shifting posture revealed the reality of where true power lies in Pakistan—firmly with the military, not the elected civilian government.

 

 

 

 

Adding to the embarrassment, Asif repeated claims that Imran Khan’s official Twitter (X) account was being “operated from India,” a statement widely mocked as baseless and desperate.

 

 

 

 

The interview has since gone viral, with critics labeling it a diplomatic humiliation for Pakistan. Instead of defending democratic values or addressing concerns about Imran Khan’s imprisonment, Khawaja Asif’s performance underscored the dominance of the military over Pakistan’s political leadership, leaving viewers with little doubt about who truly runs the country.