Khawaja Asif trolled over Marilyn Monroe AI puzzle on X

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif became the subject of online mockery after responding with a single word to a viral image puzzle featuring Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe wearing a modern smartwatch in a scene set in 1956.

Asif quote-posted the image on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, October 13, writing simply: “Watch😊”. His brief response prompted users to poke fun at the minister for engaging with what appeared to be AI-generated engagement bait.

The image shows Monroe standing against a backdrop of vintage cars, challenging viewers to identify the detail that does not belong in 1956. The giveaway is a contemporary smartwatch on her wrist, an unmistakably modern accessory in an otherwise period setting.

The interaction quickly drew sarcastic reactions, with users questioning why the defence minister had engaged with a puzzle seemingly designed to generate clicks, comments and reposts.

One user, Hasan, mocked the minister's response, writing, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the defence minister of Islamic republic of Pakistan".

Another joked about the minister's social media activity, "Someone needs to take his phone away."

Another suggested that Asif had forgotten to switch accounts. 

Others questioned whether the post was appropriate for a senior government official. One user tagged the AI chatbot Grok, asking whether such an interaction was suitable for the defence minister of a nuclear-armed country.

The episode highlights a familiar feature of online culture: AI-generated images that place recognisable faces in historical settings while introducing deliberately anachronistic details to encourage engagement.

For public figures, even a brief interaction with such content can attract disproportionate scrutiny. A comment that might pass unnoticed on an ordinary user's account can become a talking point when it comes from a senior government official.

In Asif's case, the response was limited to a single word and an emoji, but it was enough to trigger a wave of jokes about his social media activity and the expectations associated with his office.