Pak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif fumbles on power equation with Army chief Asim Munir
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif fumbles on power equation with Army chief Asim Munir")
Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Photograph: (X)
On being asked what would happen in case of a difference of opinion on any subject with Army chief Asim Munir, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said, “We can agree to disagree, you know,” and added that decisions are taken by consensus.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was seen puffing and rambling during an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan when he was asked pointed questions about the power structure in Pakistan and his equation and status in the hierarchy. In an exclusive sit down in New York during the UN General Assembly, Asif found himself cornered when he was asked if Army chief Asim Munir is more powerful man than him, and said, “No, it’s not like that.” When further probed if he means that Asim Munir is not more powerful than him, Asif said, “No, I am political appointee, I am a political worker you know.”
On comparison with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth who can fire the top American general and whether he could do the same, Pakistan’s defence minister said, “You know they have a different model over here.”
Kjawaja Asif then rambled about democracy and deep state and was visually uncomfortable in answering the probing questions and tried not to admit that the military wields more power in Pakistan.
Instead, Khawaja claimed that it appears so because Pakistan has had four military rulers, but it’s not like that in reality.
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On being asked what would happen in case of a difference of opinion on any subject with Asim Munir, Asif said, “We can agree to disagree, you know,” and added that decisions are taken by consensus.
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When pushed on his country’s relationship with the US, including its controversial nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on June 20, just a day before the US president ordered a military attack on Iran. Asif said, “We have had a transactional or a flirtatious relationship with the United States for a very long time.”
Asif went on to say that China has been, and will continue to be Pakistan’s top ally. “They’re reliable, and they are our neighbours,” he said.
