'US Used Pakistan Then Threw Away Like Toilet Paper': Khawaja Asif
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised the US in Parliament over past alliances and wars, sparking debate about the political reasons behind his remarks.
A video of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has gone viral in which he is heard saying that Pakistan was treated “worse than a piece of toilet paper” and was used and then thrown away. The clip has surprised many people, especially at a time when Pakistan and the United States appear to have stable relations.
The statement was made during a speech in Pakistan’s Parliament while he was speaking about the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath. Asif said that after 1999, Pakistan made a mistake by closely aligning itself with the United States. According to him, this decision harmed Pakistan for many years. He said the country was “rented out” to the US and also claimed that US-led wars over the past 25–30 years led to the deaths of millions of Muslims.
He criticised previous Pakistani governments for their role in the Afghanistan conflicts. After the 9/11 attacks, the US entered Afghanistan, but Pakistan allegedly continued supporting the Taliban during that time. Asif said these were wars of global powers and not religious wars, and Pakistan had no strong reason to get involved. He also referred to past events such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and questioned Pakistan’s involvement in that conflict.
Asif further spoke about soldiers who lost their lives in such wars and said they did not always receive proper recognition. He mentioned the Kargil conflict, where it has been widely reported that some Pakistani soldiers’ bodies were not taken back, and the Indian Army conducted their burial with military honours.
Experts believe there could be political reasons behind Asif’s strong remarks. One possible reason is the recent US trade decision to reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, slightly lower than the 19% tariffs on Pakistan. Some in Pakistan are reportedly unhappy with this comparison. Another reason could be domestic criticism that the current government is too close to the US, and such statements may be aimed at showing independence.
However, these are only political interpretations. The exact reason behind Khawaja Asif’s remarks is known only to him and the government.
