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Khawaja Asif Denies Resignation Amid Sialkot ADCR Controversy Rumours
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif calls resignation rumours “FAKE,” denying claims he quit over Sialkot ADCR's arrest. Says social media claims are “wishful thinking.”
ND
by News Desk
2025-08-07
Khawaja Asif Denies Resignation Amid Sialkot ADCR Controversy Rumours

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday firmly denied widespread social media rumours suggesting that he had resigned from his position following a controversy surrounding the arrest of a revenue officer in Sialkot.

The rumours began late Wednesday night after a former journalist, Zubair Ali Khan, alleged in a series of posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that Asif had submitted his resignation. The posts claimed the minister stepped down due to an "intensified controversy" involving the recent arrest of the Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue (ADCR) of Sialkot on alleged corruption charges.

According to Khan, Asif submitted his resignation to Dr Tauqeer Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister, demanding either the release of the ADCR or the acceptance of his resignation. Khan further claimed that an influential individual, allegedly linked to the Defence Ministry, was behind the officer’s arrest.

In a dramatic twist, the posts also alleged that Asif later met with PML-N President and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Murree, where he was reportedly convinced to withdraw his resignation. Khan added that following the meeting, Asif became “unreachable,” turning off all his phones and “moving to an unknown location.”

However, Khawaja Asif himself swiftly responded to the allegations. Quoting the original post, Asif wrote, “With apologies, this gentleman has written his wishes in this tweet. Not reality.” He also shared a screenshot of the thread, stamped with the word “FAKE” in red, to emphasize that the claims were fabricated.

The rumours coincided with a recent post by Asif in which he criticised Pakistan’s bureaucracy for allegedly securing foreign properties and citizenships, especially in Portugal. “More than half of the bureaucracy of our dear homeland has already acquired property in Portugal and is preparing to obtain citizenship,” he said in a post on Tuesday. He alleged that “Mr Virk” played a key role in facilitating this trend.

Asif’s statement highlighted that, unlike bureaucrats, politicians “eat the leftovers and make a fuss” because they lack plots and foreign citizenship, having to face elections publicly.

The Defence Minister’s rebuttal aims to quash the growing speculation and disinformation spreading online regarding his alleged resignation. The matter also underscores the impact of unverified claims circulating on social media platforms and the need for responsible journalism and digital literacy.

 
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