ISLAMABAD – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that Pakistan must shed its image as a “soft state” and evolve into a strong, law-enforcing “hard state” governed by the Constitution and rule of law.
He made the remarks after attending a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which was also attended by Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, senior military officials, and provincial chief ministers. The meeting reviewed the country’s internal security situation, including unrest in Punjab following Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protests.
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Khawaja Asif praised the Punjab government for firmly handling the violent demonstrations under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s leadership, saying the province’s decisive action should serve as a model for others.
“The way Punjab’s administration controlled the situation is commendable,” he said. “All provinces must show similar resolve against extremist groups and lawless elements.”
The defence minister added that Punjab’s tough stance against TLP rioters should form the foundation of a wider national strategy against extremism.
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“As a nation, we must end the image of a soft state,” he stated on X (formerly Twitter). “Pakistan should now emerge as a hard state under the rule of law — Punjab has taken the first step.”
آج وزیر اعظمُ شہباز شریف کی صدارت میں اجلاس ھوا جسمیں فیلڈ مارشل عاصم منیر اور عسکری قیادت ، صوبائی وزیر اعلی ، گلگت بلتستان و آزاد کشمیر کے وزیر اعلی موجود تھے۔ پنجاب میں TLP کے بلوے اور لا قانونیت سے جسطرح وزیر اعلی مریم نواز کی قیادت میں انتظامیہ نے ھینڈل کیا ھے وہ قابل تعریف…
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) October 17, 2025
Asif noted that civil and military leaders showed complete unity and clarity in their discussions on counterterrorism and national security challenges.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued efforts to engage the Afghan Taliban regime diplomatically and militarily, revealing that since 2021, Pakistan had made more than a dozen high-level visits and issued hundreds of official communications to Kabul — but received little cooperation in return.