Mirza Shahzad Akbar, former adviser to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, has strongly rebuked Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for suggesting that Pakistan could crash the Afghan government if it chose to.
Akbar questioned who writes Asif’s tweets, calling the tone inappropriate for a federal minister. “This kind of language is not expected from someone in his position,” he said.
He urged Asif to behave like a representative of a sovereign state, not a street brawler on social media.
“History offers clear lessons,” Akbar stated. “For decades, billions of dollars and overwhelming military force failed to control or defeat Afghanistan. Chest-thumping and threats won’t deliver results. What’s needed is strategy, diplomacy, and patience.”
He added that money alone cannot break nations. “Short-sighted thinking and reckless statements only deepen crises and harm the very people Khawaja Asif claims to protect.”
Akbar warned that if Pakistan’s ruling elite genuinely seeks regional stability, it must pursue political solutions, make phone calls, open backchannels, brief parliament, and present evidence through proper diplomatic and multilateral forums.
Akbar described Asif’s Twitter remarks as a sign of diplomatic weakness.
He emphasized that tensions between neighboring countries are best addressed through dialogue and constructive engagement, not through provocative language or empty threats.