Khawaja Asif meets Nawaz Sharif amid resignation rumours
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif meets with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif at his residence on August 9. Photo: NNI
Amid swirling rumours of his resignation — which he has vehemently denied — Defence Minister Khawaja Asif met with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif at his residence on Friday.
No statement was issued to the media regarding the contents of their discussion. The defence minister recently drew public attention after lashing out at the bureaucracy, accusing it of rampant corruption.
In a post on Tuesday, Asif wrote on X, “More than half of the bureaucracy of our dear homeland has already acquired property in Portugal and is now preparing to secure citizenship”. “These are prominent bureaucrats who, after embezzling billions, are now enjoying a relaxed, retired life,” he wrote.
Commenting on politicians, Asif remarked that they “feed on the leftovers and make noise, without owning plots or holding foreign citizenship, because they are bound by the need to contest elections”.
He also alleged that “the key figure facilitating the bureaucracy and other elites in obtaining shelter in Portugal is Mr Virk”.
وطن عزیز کی آدھی سے زیادہ بیوروکریسی پرتگال میں پراپرٹی لے چکی ھے اور شہریت لینی کی تیاری کر رہی ھے۔ اوریہ نامی گرامی بیوروکریٹس ھیں ۔ مگر مچھ اربوں روپے کھا کے آرام سے ریٹائرمنٹ کی زندگی گزار رہیں۔ بزدار کا ایک قریب ترین بیوروکریٹ چار ارب بیٹیوں کی شادی پر صرف سلامی وصول کر چکا…
“These are well-known bureaucrats. Yet, after devouring billions of rupees, they are comfortably living a retired life. One of Buzdar's closest bureaucrats has collected four billion rupees just in salami for his daughters' weddings and is now calmly enjoying a retired life. Politicians, on the other hand, gobble up the leftovers and make a fuss, with neither plots nor foreign citizenship because they have to contest elections. This bureaucracy is polluting the sacred land of Pakistan.”
It is being reported that Asif’s outburst was triggered by the arrest of an Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Sialkot on graft charges. The said officer is reportedly close to him and his family.
Following the controversy, rumours surfaced that Asif had tendered his resignation – claims he has since denied. However, his meeting with Nawaz at this critical juncture is being seen as an attempt to mend fences between the party and the federal minister.
The unusually strong public rebuke by Asif, aimed at officials operating under the same political command, is being interpreted as a sign of growing discord within the party. Efforts to reach the defence minister for comment remained unsuccessful.
It is pertinent to mention that while Punjab is governed by the PML-N, the central government has little influence in the province. The region is effectively overseen by the party’s de facto leader, Maryam Nawaz, who operates independently as her own authority.