Islamabad. Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has made highly controversial remarks against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an interview, triggering fresh debate in international diplomatic circles. Speaking openly, Asif urged countries such as the United States and Turkey to abduct (kidnap) the Israeli Prime Minister so that he could be prosecuted for alleged war crimes related to the ongoing military operations in Gaza.
While speaking to a Pakistani journalist, the Defence Minister described Netanyahu as one of the greatest offenders against humanity. Referring to the arrest warrant reportedly issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu, Asif stated that he is among the world’s most wanted criminals. He argued that if the United States truly considers itself a defender of humanity and justice, it should arrest Netanyahu and initiate legal proceedings against him. Citing past U.S. actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Asif demanded that similar firmness be shown in Netanyahu’s case as well.
The interview grew even more tense when the Defence Minister also called upon Turkey to take action. He said that Turkey could detain Netanyahu and claimed that the people of Pakistan were praying for such a step. The controversy escalated further when Khawaja Asif spoke about punishing global leaders who support Israel. Although he did not name anyone directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as being aimed at former U.S. President Donald Trump.
