CNN anchor schools Pak minister for absurd 'social media' reply as proof of downing Indian jets

In a recent CNN interview, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif found himself at the center of criticism after failing to provide evidence for Pakistan's bold claims of shooting down five Indian Air Force jets. The encounter highlighted the pitfalls of relying on unverified social media reports for serious defense claims.

During the interview, CNN’s Becky Anderson directly questioned Minister Asif about Pakistan’s assertions tied to Operation Sindoor.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CNN anchor grills Pakistan&#39;s defence minister<br><br>Anchor: You say PAK shot down 5 Indian jets. Where&#39;s the evidence?<br><br>Khwaja Asif: It&#39;s all over social media <br><br>CNN Anchor: ....I&#39;m sorry we didn&#39;t ask you here to talk about social media content <a href="https://t.co/hA8LucaaKv">pic.twitter.com/hA8LucaaKv</a></p>&mdash; Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattooShashank/status/1920176422171136267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When asked to furnish concrete evidence for the alleged downing of five Indian jets, Asif curiously pointed to social media as his source. “It’s all over social media. On Indian social media, not on our social media,” he said, adding that debris from the jets was supposedly mentioned in Indian outlets.

However, Anderson was quick to redirect the conversation, emphasizing the need for official, substantiated information rather than unverified online chatter.

“You’re the defense minister, sir. The reason to talk to you today, sir, is not to talk about content all over social media. I’m sorry,” she interjected.

This exchange not only underscored the importance of evidence in international military claims but also led to widespread commentary and trolling on various social media platforms.

The interaction serves as a reminder of the critical nature of credible communication, especially in matters of international security.