Islamabad. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has made very controversial remarks against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an interview, which has created a new controversy in international diplomacy. Khawaja Asif openly appealed to countries like America and Turkey to kidnap the Israeli Prime Minister so that he can be prosecuted for war crimes for the ongoing military action in Gaza.
During a conversation with a Pakistani journalist, the Defense Minister called Netanyahu the biggest criminal of humanity. Citing the arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC), he said that he is the most wanted criminal in the world. Asif argued that if the US truly considers itself a friend of humanity and a supporter of justice, then it should hold Netanyahu and take legal action against him. Citing the example of the action taken by the US earlier against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, he demanded that similar strictness should be shown in the case of Netanyahu.
During the interview, the atmosphere became even more tense when the Defense Minister also instigated Turkey to do this. He said that Türkiye can also take him into custody and the people of Pakistan are praying for this. However, the controversy reached its peak when Khawaja Asif started talking about punishing global leaders who are supporting Israel. Although he did not take anyone’s name, his gesture was clearly seen towards US President Donald Trump.
Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the anchor of the show interrupted the Defense Minister. He clarified that such remarks by a person holding a responsible position could create problems for Pakistan at the international level. The anchor immediately took a commercial break and after the break it was announced that the Defense Minister would no longer be a part of the discussion. Experts believe that this was a quick attempt by the Pakistan government to control the damage so that there is no major rift in relations with America. The dispute has come at a sensitive time when Pakistan is trying to revive relations with the US amid its faltering economy and regional instability. In recent times, the Pakistani leadership had publicly praised Donald Trump. Amidst the ongoing tense situation with India, Pakistan has been claiming to adopt a very cautious approach towards its foreign policy, but this statement of the Defense Minister has further increased the diplomatic challenges of the government. Although Pakistan does not recognize Israel as a state, such extreme rhetoric could adversely affect its image in the international community.
