In a tweet, Asif said posted a picture of US Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo and Taliban leader Mullah Baradar with the caption 'You may have the power, but God is with us... Allah is great'.
طاقتیں تمھاری ھیں اور خدا ھمارا ھے.. اللہ اکبر pic.twitter.com/EhO1sZ3bWx
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) September 13, 2020
The decision to shower the Taliban with praise did not go down well with social media users, who pointed out the PML-N's leader duplicity over his views against militant outfits.
Let me jog @KhawajaMAsif’s memory. Taliban not only brutalized Afghan people but they also harbored Pakistani terrorists, who targeted Pakistanis including Mian Nawaz Sharif. This is a non-paper memo from Mian Sahib’s govt. to Taliban demanding extradition of Pakistani jihadists https://t.co/1dK8Vlks8H pic.twitter.com/jH6DNwxDRk
— Mohammad Taqi (@mazdaki) September 13, 2020
Sir it look like ur too intersted in Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan then why u not do the same in Pakistan,,bring TTP and change ur system from Republic to Islamic Emirate of Pakistan also bring ur children from US & enrolled them in Shurayie Quetta.... https://t.co/sLVOkHJhaP
— Peace (@Waziripashtun) September 14, 2020
Pakistan is celebrating Taliban’s gains and this picture of Mullah Baradar with @SecPompeo. What a long way for Pakistan. https://t.co/4nHPpLycKg
— Zahir Moein (@ZahirMoein) September 14, 2020
Responding to Asif's tweet, journalist Gul Bukhari said the PML-N has not distanced itself by the statement made by the lawmaker, which means that is Asif is toeing the party line by making such a statement.
پی ایم ایل نے ابھی تک اس بیان سے نہ دوری کا اظہار کیا ہے نہ خواجہ آصف سے۔ اس کا مطلب یہی لیا جا سکتا ہے کہ یہ پی ایم ایل این کی آفیشل پالیسی ہے ۔
(اگر ایسا نہیں اور میری نظر سے نہیں گزرا، تو تصیح فرما دیجیے)؟ https://t.co/XCdQmDA1Ow
— Gul Bukhari (@GulBukhari) September 14, 2020
Khawaja sab sorry for you! Though you're vying to make your way again to power corridors but your this statement is completely confusing to me. God is ours and power is theirs. what does this means? https://t.co/NnO73yPUGq
— Rehmat Mehsud (@RehmatMehsuds) September 14, 2020
Pakistan’s ex-foreign minister openly endorsing terrorists who are responsible for killing thousands in Pakistan and abroad. https://t.co/VLRHvGKl6J
— Baloch (@deedag82761627) September 14, 2020
Former foreign minister of Pakistan with an open support to the Taliban. If anything else, the US should print this tweet out and put it framed inside the White House as a stark reminder of what their courtship with Pakistan got. https://t.co/M2OgUMF0Ba
— Kabir Taneja (@KabirTaneja) September 14, 2020
At cashing in time, the old denial is gone not just from civilian side of Pakistan — here is the former FM with chants of ‘Allah u Akbar’ in support of Taliban — but also military establishment: Afghan VP saleh said Gen. Bajwa told him ‘yes we supported Taliban;let’s talk future’ https://t.co/MqP1KDQYzJ
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) September 14, 2020
why all the Pakistani generals/politicians who revere the afg taliban have their offspring missed out on the noble cause. why it always has to be backward peripheries like fata and not their constituencies being used as dumping ground for jihad? https://t.co/C5IGRuuRke
— Faizan Ali (@AlyFaizan) September 13, 2020
Pretty incredible apparent open expression of solidarity with the Taliban from Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister: “the power is yours, God is ours” https://t.co/V9VYaySkVT
— Secunder Kermani (@SecKermani) September 13, 2020