Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday criticised an honour recently conferred on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing it as an embarrassing episode. In a statement posted on X, he questioned the timing and credibility of the award. His remarks come amid continuing political tensions between Pakistan and India.
Khawaja Asif claimed the award was created only days before Modi’s visit and alleged the accompanying certificates were produced using a low-quality artificial intelligence system. He further alleged the certificates contained spelling mistakes. However, he did not provide evidence to support these claims.
Read more: Khawaja Asif warns India of consequences
The defence minister also claimed Modi became the first and only recipient of the honour. According to Asif, the recognition appeared to be either an attempt to gain publicity or an example of excessive political favouritism. He argued that the circumstances surrounding the award raised questions about its credibility.
This has to be the most embarrassing story ever. Awards created days before arrival, certificates printed through use of cheap AI model, obvious spelling mistakes, and then @narendramodi becoming first & the only recipient. This engineered “recognition” is either the worst kind…
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) July 4, 2026
In his statement, Asif said the episode had embarrassed India and criticised what he described as image-building efforts surrounding the honour. The comments were shared through his official social media account. Indian authorities had not immediately responded to the minister’s remarks at the time of reporting.
Read more: Khawaja Asif highlights Pakistan’s military and diplomatic
The statement is the latest in a series of public exchanges between Pakistani and Indian officials. Leaders from both countries have continued criticising each other over political and diplomatic issues. Such statements reflect the ongoing tensions between the two neighbours.