Asif meets Nawaz amid rumours

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".

"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 Khawaja 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 Khawaja Asif and his family.