Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has firmly denied reports suggesting he had resigned from his position, calling the claims a fabrication based on personal wishes rather than facts.
Responding to a viral post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Asif said:
“The individual has expressed his own wishes in the post, not the reality,” dismissing rumours that he had stepped down following the arrest of the Sialkot Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) by the anti-corruption department.
The controversy was sparked after journalist Zubair Ali Khan claimed that Asif had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to Khan’s post, Asif’s resignation letter allegedly submitted via PM Office Adviser Dr. Tauqeer Shahdemanded the release of the ADCR, or acceptance of his resignation.
Khan further alleged that the arrested official had served as a returning officer during the 2024 general elections and was remanded for five days over financial misconduct. He also claimed that Asif had met with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif in Murree to discuss the matter, who advised him against resigning.
The post went on to suggest that Asif had since gone incommunicado, switched off his mobile phones, and retreated to an undisclosed location.
However, the defence minister has categorically rubbished all such claims, maintaining that no resignation has been tendered and labelling the story a fabrication.
The controversy follows a recent wave of criticism from Asif directed at Pakistan’s senior civil bureaucracy. In a post earlier this week, he alleged that a significant number of bureaucrats were investing in Portugal to eventually gain citizenship, and accused them of preparing to settle abroad amid mounting governance concerns.
He also claimed that a bureaucrat closely associated with former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar received Rs4 billion in Salami (gifts) during his daughter’s wedding a statement that stirred public outrage.
In a follow-up post, Asif named an individual called “Virk” as allegedly facilitating elite and bureaucratic migration to Portugal by offering them protection and assistance in obtaining residency.
Despite the backlash and speculation, the defence minister remains in office and has reiterated his commitment to transparency and accountability in public service.
