Protests driven by political gains, not people’s welfare: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday said that ongoing sit-ins and protests were driven by personal interests rather than national welfare.

Talking to a private news channel, he said a party claimed to be on hunger strike but was not genuinely dedicated, often returning home after a few hours.

The defense minister also criticised the nature of the protests, describing them as symbolic and lacking people’s support.

Khawaja Asif said there is a broader conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, particularly in terms of its economic progress, which he claims threatens both internal and external interests.

Acknowledging the impact of recent budgetary measures on inflation, he was confident that the economic and political situation would stabilize in the coming months.

He criticised the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for economic mismanagement, suggesting that recovery from this period would take time.

Regarding the political climate, he said that he does not foresee an immediate path to new elections.