Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif is a reporter’s delight. His penchant for tactless statements often lands him in a soup. On his recent trip to the US he said Hafiz Saeed, the Jamaat -ud-Dawa chief who is one of India’s most wanted for having masterminded the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, was a liability for Pakistan. This is ironic because India has been clamouring for Saeed to be extradited to India or to be put to a proper trial in Pakistan for crimes committed against India and Asif’s country has been stonewalling it. The minister said that Pakistan does not have the assets to deal with these liabilities immediately and sought time to deal with the same. But Asif’s statements are often ignored in his country. Recently, while on a visit to the US, in an interaction with Asia Society in New York he said: “The current jihadis in my country were all nurtured by America during the war against the Soviets. Don’t blame us for the Haqqanis or the Hafiz Saeeds. These were people who were your darlings just 20 to 30 years back. They were being dined and wined in the White House and now you say go to hell Pakistanis because you (Pakistan) are nurturing these people.” He said “Pakistan has stood very firmly with the US in the Soviet war which was a wrong decision. It was a proxy war. We were used and discarded. It is a collective sin or mistake that we made,” he added.
A year ago,while referring to the acquisition of nuclear firepower by Pakistan Asif had told a TV channel: “We have not made atomic device to display in a showcase. If such a situation arises we will use it and eliminate India.” This was indeed loose talk that caused many eyebrows to rise. In a blunt message delivered very publicly, the US told the Pakistani government to “exercise restraint” regarding the use of nuclear weapons, or loosely talking about using them to attack India. Asif is vociferous and critical of Pakistani military’s role in the country’s political and civil affairs and in a country where the army calls the shot this could well prove costly for him. For now, Asif is indeed surviving in the key role of foreign minister on borrowed time.
