Defence Minister Khawaja Asif strongly rejected Indian claims that China and Turkiye helped Pakistan during the recent border conflict. He called the allegations a desperate excuse by India to cover its military and diplomatic defeat. Asif made it clear that Pakistan acted alone in the battlefield, relying entirely on its own military strength and strategy.
In a TV interview, Asif responded to Indian Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Rahul R. Singh’s claims about Chinese satellite support and Turkish drones. He labeled the statements as baseless and misleading. According to Asif, these accusations only reflect India’s frustration and its failure to accept Pakistan’s battlefield success.
Moreover, Asif emphasized that diplomatic support does not mean military involvement. “We buy arms from the US, and India uses French Rafales. That doesn’t mean either country is part of our wars,” he stated. He noted that while Pakistan had backing from allies like China and Turkiye diplomatically, its military operations were carried out by its own forces.
The minister firmly warned that if India repeats any act of aggression, it will face a strong response once again. He confidently said Pakistan’s military is well-prepared and capable of defending the country without foreign help. Asif also pointed out that only Israel openly supported India during the conflict, while the global community stood with Pakistan.
Shifting to domestic politics, Asif hinted at possible political changes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He mentioned that elements from both elected and non-elected groups are active in the province. He also said the PTI is in a state of confusion, with different members — including the founder’s sisters — expressing conflicting views.
Asif further said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could join the federal government again, as seen in past coalition setups. On the question of Nawaz Sharif meeting the PTI founder, he dismissed the idea, recalling that during a past visit, the founder demanded Rs4 million from Nawaz.