Defence Minister Khawaja Asif firmly denied social media rumours claiming he had resigned over a recent controversy. The rumours started after X user and former journalist Zubair Ali Khan posted that Asif had submitted his resignation. He alleged that Asif demanded the release of a Sialkot revenue official arrested on corruption charges.
معذرت کیساتھ ان صاحب نے اپنی خواھشات اس ٹویٹ میں لکھیں ھیں ۔ حقیقت نہیں pic.twitter.com/Awgm5EJHMT
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) August 6, 2025
Asif responded directly on X, calling the claims false. He posted a screenshot of the thread stamped “FAKE” in red, rejecting the narrative. “This gentleman has written his wishes in this tweet. Not reality,” Asif stated in reply. He made no mention of stepping down and remained clear in his denial.
Khan’s posts claimed Asif had sent his resignation to Dr Tauqeer Shah, an adviser to the PM. He further alleged that Asif was unreachable after meeting Nawaz Sharif in Murree, where he was advised to withdraw the resignation. Khan said Asif had turned off his phones and vanished from public contact.
The situation gained traction due to a controversial statement Asif made earlier this week. He claimed many top bureaucrats had acquired property in Portugal and were planning to relocate with billions. He accused them of looting the country, while politicians “eat leftovers” and cannot afford the same luxuries due to elections.
Asif also named “Mr Virk” as the key figure helping elites settle in Portugal. His comments sparked debate and may have fueled the speculation. However, Asif’s direct dismissal of the resignation claims has calmed the political buzz—at least for now.
بیوروکریسی اور دوسری اشرافیہ کی پرتگال میں پناہ گاہیں مہیا کرنے میں سب سے بڑا کردار ایک ورک صاحب کر رہے ھیں۔ https://t.co/mDDqywAg7t
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) August 6, 2025