Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters in Sialkot on Saturday that civilian governments often arrest individuals before determining what charges to bring against them.
The federal government stated that the imposition of emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 11 October 2026 was required to counter terrorism and manage a deteriorating security situation. Authorities took Chief minister Sohail Afridi and several members of his cabinet into preventive custody following the declaration of emergency.
A party founded by Imran Khan claimed that these detentions are politically motivated. Khawaja Asif, who entered politics in 1991, has served the country for 36 years. The Defence Minister noted that he was imprisoned four times, including a period at Attock Fort during the era of Pervez Musharraf.
During the tenure of the PTI government in 2020, Khawaja Asif spent six months in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau. Two days ago, Khawaja Asif met with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the National Assembly.
Khawaja Asif asserted that Pakistan is playing a historic role in resolving the conflict between the United States and Iran while addressing differences between Iran and its Arab neighbours. He stated that diplomatic efforts continue under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Khawaja Asif claimed that overseas military bases were intended to protect Israel and served the interests of the powers operating them. He further claimed that Pakistan defeated an enemy five times its size during the most recent conflict with India. According to Khawaja Asif, the Indian military and its government acknowledged the outcome of that conflict.
