Khawaja Asif’s reliance on social media as evidence for Pakistan’s claim of shooting down five Indian jets draws global ridicule and a sharp rebuke from CNN’s Becky Anderson.
Islamabad | May 8, 2025:
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif is facing widespread criticism and online mockery after an awkward exchange during a CNN interview, where he failed to provide any concrete evidence for Pakistan’s claim of downing five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets during Operation Sindoor.
Instead of citing official intelligence or releasing verified images or videos, Asif cited “social media”—including Indian platforms—as his primary source. The response drew a swift rebuttal from veteran CNN anchor Becky Anderson, who reminded the minister that he was invited to speak not as a social media observer but as Pakistan’s official representative in a sensitive military situation.
“It’s all over social media. On Indian social media, not on our social media,” Asif said, claiming that debris of Indian jets had fallen on the Indian side and had been shared widely online.
Anderson interjected, saying:
“You’re the defence minister, sir… I’m sorry, but we’re not here to discuss unverified content floating around social media.”
CNN anchor grills Pakistan's defence minister
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) May 7, 2025
Anchor: You say PAK shot down 5 Indian jets. Where's the evidence?
Khwaja Asif: It's all over social media
CNN Anchor: ….I'm sorry we didn't ask you here to talk about social media content pic.twitter.com/hA8LucaaKv
The exchange, now viral across platforms, has garnered over 500,000 views on X (formerly Twitter). Many users mocked Asif’s weak defence as emblematic of Pakistan’s credibility crisis during the post-strike fallout.
Also Read: Missile Debris Found in Punjab Villages After Nighttime Explosions Amid Indo-Pak Tensions
“He basically said, ‘Trust me, bro’,” one user quipped.
“This is the Defence Minister’s official response? Pakistan is not a serious country,” read another pointed remark.
India has consistently denied losing any aircraft during Operation Sindoor, a precision strike mission targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
The Indian government has accused Pakistan of circulating old and unrelated crash images as misinformation, a claim verified by India’s PIB Fact Check unit, which confirmed that photos used to suggest a downed Rafale were actually from a 2021 MiG-21 crash in Punjab.
As tensions between the two countries escalate, international calls for restraint continue, but Pakistan’s unsubstantiated media approach appears to be undermining its diplomatic position further.
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Khawaja Asif, Operation Sindoor, Pakistan India conflict, IAF jets, Becky Anderson CNN, viral interview, social media misinformation, Pakistan Defence Minister, Pahalgam attack, Indian Air Force, media fact check, international diplomacy, viral news, CNN interview viral, OperationSindor,