Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that while his party has criticised the army in the past, it never “crossed the red line,” taking aim at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its recent controversial actions and statements.

Khawaja Asif accused PTI of controlling social media narratives and alleged that party members are paying extortion to the Taliban. He said that a conversation between PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister and Indian media marked the “last nail in the coffin,” highlighting internal contradictions within the party.

Contrasting PTI with previous leaders

The defense minister noted that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, despite being imprisoned and removed from office three times, never spoke against Pakistan’s existence and integrity in interviews with Indian media.

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He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also never voiced support for India, even during times of crisis, such as after Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Khawaja Asif referenced the May 9 incident, asserting that unlike PTI, neither PPP nor PML-N has ever undertaken such actions that challenge state authority.
He further criticized the PTI leadership, stating that even the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has failed to actively fight the war on terrorism, while party workers openly make statements against government policies.