Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that the United States would prefer leaders in Pakistan who are willing to eliminate the country’s nuclear arsenal.

“In today’s global environment, if you do not strengthen your defence, you remain at risk. Therefore, our missile programmes and nuclear assets have always been targets and the US would prefer leaders who would de-nuclearise Pakistan or dismantle its missile programmes,” he said while appearing on the Hum News programme Faisla Aap Ka on Monday.

Asif has spoken about alleged threats to the country’s nuclear assets in the past. But he has not shared any piece of evidence to substantiate his claims.

He also described jailed former prime minister Imran Khan as a “proxy” for pro-Israel supporters, drawing concerns from political experts.

The defence minister clarified that Pakistan has no aggressive intentions, saying that preparedness for defence was essential given the regional instability and strained relations with India.

Asif criticised the inconsistency of certain local political figures, noting that those who once strongly opposed US influence were aligning with American interests. “Why should I blame the US when we have such individuals in our country who once said ‘absolutely not’ to America but are now saying ‘absolutely yes’—and even adding conditions to that ‘yes’?”

He highlighted the alleged involvement of PTI supporters in the US elections, emphasising their apparent shift in attitude towards America. He pointed out that while Khan was incarcerated, PTI supporters criticised the US but were pinning their hopes on American assistance for a return to power.

“Take a look at the situation in Parachinar over the past four months; instead of addressing local issues, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has repeatedly targeted Islamabad,” he said and suggested that local governance should be the priority.

Government-PTI negotiations

Asif claimed the PTI was inclined towards verbal negotiations and expressed concerns that if former ruling party was “unwilling” to present its demands in writing.

The PML-N leader added that he does not foresee significant progress in negotiations before January 20.

In response to a question about the deadlock in negotiations, Asif noted that PTI leaders have maintained that they would not submit written demands and prefer to discuss matters verbally.

He suggested that such an approach allows PTI to protect its position in case negotiations fail, as it could claim they never formally proposed any terms. “If they submit written demands, it would serve as evidence of their requests and the negotiations would be based on those points, revealing their true intentions,”

He was of the view that if PTI wished to continue negotiations, it should submit two demands in writing instead of four. He pointed out that two meetings had already taken place and if Khan’s party had provided their demands in writing, discussions could have progressed, eliminating speculation and establishing a credible situation.

Asif expressed concern that if the avenues for dialogue were to close, it would lead to disappointment and an inability to manage the situation effectively.

The defence minister pointed out that discussions have been linked to the potential inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, with PTI claiming that assistance from the US and the UK would follow.