Modi was speaking like 'defeated gambler', says Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded to Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s recent address, saying that Modi was speaking like a “defeated gambler” who has nothing left.

“I believe there were three important issues, of which he [Indian PM Modi] has acknowledged two: Kashmir and terrorism. The third, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), is not truly an issue as it can be resolved through dialogue,” he said while speaking to a private news outlet.

He emphasised that India has not only fought Pakistan from the eastern front but has also waged a proxy war on the western front through groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Asif added that Pakistan had emerged victorious on all fronts of its conflict with India, and that whenever New Delhi raises the issue of terrorism, Islamabad would insist on a probe into the Pahalgam incident.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside Parliament House on Tuesday, Asif reiterated that any future dialogue with India must revolve around three critical issues: terrorism, Kashmir, and water.

He stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already offered cooperation in investigating the Pahalgam attack, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace.

On the matter of water, Asif criticised India for politicising the issue and warned that the IWT cannot be tampered with. “Any dialogue must adhere strictly to the clauses of the treaty,” he stressed.