Pakistan's 'IAF jets downed' lie EXPOSED on global stage as Asif cites social media as proof (WATCH)

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif cites social media videos as proof of downing Indian jets during CNN interview, drawing global ridicule amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions.

India launched a high-precision counter-terror operation named Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes, which began at 1:05 am and concluded by 1:30 am, destroyed nine key sites — four in Pakistan and five in PoK — according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Misri described the mission as “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible,” emphasizing that the operation specifically targeted terror camps, not military installations. “India exercised its right to act against terrorism,” he said, adding that UAV reconnaissance confirmed the destruction of command centres, arms depots, and infiltration staging points linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

CNN Grills Asif: ‘Where’s the Proof?’

In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attempted to assert that the Pakistan Air Force had retaliated by downing five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets in a “dogfight.”

However, in an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, Asif faced intense scrutiny when asked to provide proof of the downed jets. His response stunned viewers worldwide: “There are videos all over… not just on Pakistan’s social media but on India’s too,” Asif said, without presenting any official evidence or verifiable data.

The moment has since been widely labelled a diplomatic embarrassment for Islamabad, as relying on unverified social media content in response to a serious international incident drew mockery and disbelief across platforms. Defence analysts and international media called it a public humiliation on a global stage.

Pakistan’s Conflicting Signals: War Talk Meets Peace Pitch

While Asif issued strong warnings about the potential for full-fledged war, he simultaneously indicated a desire for de-escalation. Speaking to CNN, he said: “There is a possibility of expansion of this conflict into a full-fledged war, which we are trying to avoid.”

He further claimed that India “crossed an international boundary” and warned that Pakistan would not be caught off-guard.

“There is absolutely no doubt, because India is increasing the intensity, the stakes of this conflict,” Asif said. “So… we can’t be caught with our guards down.”

Yet in a seemingly softer tone during a separate appearance on Bloomberg Television, he added: “We have been saying all along in the last fortnight that we’ll never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we’re attacked, we’ll respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension.”

Pakistan Claims Civilian Deaths, Faces Isolation

Pakistan claimed the Indian missile strikes killed 31 people, including women and children, according to Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry. However, India has maintained that its operation avoided civilian areas and caused no collateral damage.

Internationally, Operation Sindoor received broad support for its counter-terror objective. Only Turkiye and Azerbaijan came out in public support of Pakistan, with the latter condemning the use of force. The limited backing underscores Pakistan’s growing diplomatic isolation on the issue of terrorism.