SIALKOT: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that Pakistan has shown the Islamic world a new path, stressing that foreign military bases cannot guarantee the security of any country and that national defence ultimately depends on a nation’s own strength.
He made these remarks while addressing students at the annual convocation of the University of Central Punjab in Sialkot, where he congratulated graduating students and highlighted the role of educated and skilled youth in national development.
Khawaja Asif said Pakistan had achieved a significant position on the international stage following what he described as the victory in Marka-e-Haq.
He added that Pakistan had demonstrated a new direction for the Muslim world.
“Foreign military bases established overseas cannot protect you. Such bases are built to serve specific interests, while real security comes from one’s own strength and capabilities,” he said.
The defence minister said some countries had mistakenly believed that foreign military installations were established to protect them.
He added that Pakistan had helped bridge differences between Iran and its Arab brothers.
Referring to regional security, Asif said the largest foreign military base had been established to protect the Zionist state, adding that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts had also contributed to reducing tensions between Iran and Arab countries.
He further said Pakistan was playing an important role in efforts to secure a ceasefire in the conflict involving Iran and the United States.
Discussing Pakistan’s military achievements, the defence minister claimed that the country had defeated an enemy five times larger during Marka-e-Haq.
He said previous wars had left some ambiguities, but Indian leaders had acknowledged their defeat following the latest confrontation.
Asif also referred to US President Donald Trump, claiming that Trump had mentioned India’s defeat 11 times and the downing of Indian aircraft 70 times.
He credited Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s leadership for Pakistan’s continued achievements and said the country had been confronting terrorism for several decades.
Speaking about his political career, Khawaja Asif said he had been serving the country for 36 years and had faced imprisonment on four or five occasions.
He claimed that during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, he spent seven months in prison, but those who detained him failed to establish a case against him.
He also said he had repeatedly called for accountability within parliament and stressed the need for institutions to work responsibly.
Concluding his address, the defence minister expressed hope that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote peace in the region and internationally would succeed.
He also criticised the functioning of accountability institutions such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), saying that cases were sometimes pursued before determining whether sufficient grounds existed to prosecute individuals.