Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, sparked controversy on Friday with his remarks on why Pakistan didn’t intercept Indian drones during the ongoing border tensions. Asif claimed that Pakistan deliberately refrained from intercepting the drones to avoid exposing the exact locations of its military assets. His bizarre explanation, which surfaced in a viral video, has raised eyebrows, especially amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Justifies Non-Interception of Drones
In the video, Asif stated, “We didn’t intercept Indian drones because we didn’t want to reveal our locations.” This statement came amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan along their shared border, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. The minister’s comment has been met with surprise and skepticism, especially as such a claim about military strategy seems unusual in the context of heightened security concerns.
Pakistani Defence Minister’s Struggle with Proof for Jet Claims
The day before, Asif appeared uncomfortable in an interview with CNN when questioned about Pakistan’s unverified claims of shooting down Indian jets. The defence minister had previously stated that Pakistan had downed five Indian Air Force jets, but when asked for evidence, he pointed to social media posts as his source of information. The CNN journalist, however, quickly questioned the lack of official documentation, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence.
Asif’s reliance on social media posts as proof for such serious claims, rather than official military sources, led to further doubts about the credibility of his statements. The journalist, trying to press for more details, reminded Asif that he was the defence minister and should have access to official information rather than relying on public posts.
Indian Army Counteracts Drone Attacks from Pakistan
Meanwhile, the Indian Army successfully repelled multiple drone attacks and ceasefire violations along the western border and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir during the night of May 8 and 9. The Army issued a statement confirming that the Pakistani Armed Forces had launched several attacks using drones and other munitions. Despite these efforts, the Indian Army successfully neutralized the drone threats and provided a strong response to the ceasefire violations.
Earlier on May 8, the Indian Army shot down over 50 Pakistani drones in a major counter-drone operation along the LoC and International Borders. This operation followed Pakistan’s repeated attempts to breach Indian airspace with swarm drones across various locations.
