Khawaja Asif faces global backlash after Mehdi Hasan’s hard-hitting interview exposed contradictions long shielded by Pakistan’s talk show culture, raising serious questions about media accountability and political credibility.
Khul Ke Bol by Imran Malik
Since yesterday, Khawaja Asif has been trending across Pakistan, and the reason is simple: his much-hyped interview with British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan. For years, Pakistani talk shows have pampered senior politicians like Khawaja Asif. Anchors with personal friendships granted him solo shows, no panelists, no interruptions, and even pre-set questions. In such a controlled environment, Khawaja Asif never faced genuine accountability. But Mehdi Hasan shattered that comfort zone. His piercing questions laid bare Asif’s contradictions, exposing him on an international stage in a way no Pakistani anchor has dared.
This is the tragedy of Pakistan’s media. Politicians dominate the conversation, swallowing tough questions with ease, while anchors act like employees bound by contracts rather than watchdogs serving the public. Whether it is Hamid Mir, Talat Hussain, or Javed Chaudhry, the reality is that million-rupee packages from channel owners buy silence, loyalty, and compromise. Media bosses play both sides of the aisle — government and opposition — while journalism itself is sacrificed at the altar of profit and power.
The humiliation Khawaja Asif suffered in that interview should serve as a wake-up call. Here was Pakistan’s sitting Defense Minister, a senior politician, reduced to evasions and contradictions before a global audience. If one honest, unscripted interview can shake the foundations of his credibility, perhaps it is time for him to rethink his political career.
Adding to his woes is the UNGA controversy. During his speech, seated just behind him was Shama Junejo — a UK-based Pakistani journalist known for courting controversy. Critics quickly recalled her past remarks about Pakistan-Israel relations and her fierce opposition to Imran Khan on Twitter. Outrage spread like wildfire, but Khawaja Asif disowned the matter, saying he did not know who placed her there. In Pakistan’s hybrid system, he may actually be telling the truth — decisions often rest elsewhere, not with the politicians themselves.
The real issue, however, is not Shama Junejo’s seat but the hollowness of Pakistan’s political and journalistic culture. Mehdi Hasan demonstrated what true accountability looks like: tough, unscripted, and fearless. Until our leaders and our media find the courage to face such questioning at home, Pakistan will continue exporting its contradictions abroad — only to be embarrassed on the world stage.
