Claim: Geo News reported that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif threatened Afghanistan, saying it must hand over the Bagram Airbase to the US or face war with Pakistan.
Fact: The graphic is not authentic. Geo News did not air or publish any news containing such a statement by Khawaja Asif and neither has any other news outlet reported the said statement by the defence minister
X user @ranjha500 shared a Geo News image containing Khawaja Asif’s image, writing: “افسوس کیسے کیسے خبیث مسلط ہو گئے ہیں پاکستان پر
خواجہ آصف 🐸 تیرے جمن تے لعنت”
[Translation: Alas, what vile creatures have been imposed on Pakistan
Khawaja Asif 🐸 I curse your genes.]
It contains the following quote attributed to the defence minister: “اگر افغانستان بگرام ایئر ہیں امریکہ کے حوالے نہیں کرتا تو پھر ہماری کھلی جنگ ہو گی : وزیر دفاع”
[Translation: “If Afghanistan does not hand over the Bagram Airbase to America, then there will be open war, the Defence Minister said.”]
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check identified a major discrepancy in the image: an incorrect Geo News logo. This indicated that the image was likely fabricated.
A reverse image search traced the graphic to a post from 25 October. It used the same template, but the text read:
“اگر مذاکرات سے معاملات طے نہیں پاتے تو پھر افغانستان کیساتھ ہماری کھلی جنگ ہے: وزیر دفاع”
[Translation: If matters are not resolved through negotiations, then we will be in open war with Afghanistan, the Defence Minister said.]
A side-by-side comparison of the two graphics revealed several discrepancies in the viral post. For instance, the orange strip at the bottom was a different shade, and the text formatting also varied slightly, indicating possible fabrication or tampering.
The Facebook post also included a link to a news report. According to that report, while speaking to the media in Sialkot, Khawaja Asif hailed Pakistan’s armed forces and police for sacrificing their lives, adding that citizens sleep peacefully because their protectors remain vigilant.
He added that Pakistan had hosted Afghans for 40 years, noting that those now in leadership in Doha grew up in Pakistan. Asif questioned Afghanistan’s attitude toward Pakistan despite such long-standing hospitality, alleging that Afghanistan is acting as an Indian proxy.
The report further stated that the second round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan was underway in Turkey, reviewing the implementation of points agreed upon in earlier discussions in Qatar. During the Doha talks, both countries had agreed to a ceasefire and to respect each other’s borders.
Asif’s remarks came amid rising tensions between the two neighbouring countries. On 11 October, intense clashes broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after an attack by the Afghan Taliban on Pakistani military posts triggered a heavy exchange of fire, reportedly leaving dozens of soldiers dead. According to officials, Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani army positions along the northwestern border on Saturday night and seized several posts, reported The Guardian.
The attacks followed accusations by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan that Pakistan had carried out airstrikes on Afghan territory, including in the capital, Kabul, earlier in the week. The following day, Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes, gunfire, and ground raids on Afghan Taliban positions along the border. By 19 October, the two countries agreed to an immediate ceasefire in talks mediated by Qatar and Turkiye.
Soch Fact Check searched for additional news reports regarding the negotiations between the two countries. According to the Associated Press, peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan entered their third day in Istanbul on 27 October but ended without an agreement. The discussions followed US President Trump’s pledge to help resolve the crisis and came amid ongoing border tensions that have claimed dozens of lives. Earlier, Qatar had hosted a first round of negotiations on 19 October, which resulted in a ceasefire.
By 29 October, France 24 reported that a Pakistani security source said the Taliban had been unwilling to commit to curbing the Pakistani Taliban, a separate militant group hostile to Pakistan, which Islamabad claims operates with impunity inside Afghanistan. An Afghan source familiar with the talks said they ended after “tense exchanges” over this issue, adding that Kabul maintained it had no control over the Pakistani Taliban, which has recently launched attacks on Pakistani troops.
On 26 October, Pakistan’s defence minister said he believed Afghanistan wanted peace but warned that failure to reach an agreement in Istanbul would mean “open war.” The report added that despite the ceasefire between Pakistan and the Taliban, weekend clashes left five Pakistani soldiers and 25 Pakistani Taliban militants dead near the border, according to the Pakistani military.
According to Dawn, the Turkish foreign ministry released a joint statement following the last round of talks between the two sides. It said that “all parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire” and “to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose a penalty on the violating party”. The communique further stated that “the principals” from both sides would reconvene in Istanbul on 6 November to discuss implementation.
On 6 November, however, Al Jazeera quoted Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying, “While the third round of negotiations with the Pakistani side has begun in Istanbul, unfortunately, this afternoon Pakistani forces once again opened fire on Spin Boldak, causing concern among the local population.”
“The Islamic Emirate’s forces, out of respect for the negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties, have so far shown no reaction,” Mujahid said on X, according to the report. Pakistan denied the accusation, placing the blame on Afghanistan.
While France 24 also reported the defence minister as saying there would be “open war” if matters were not resolved through negotiations, none of the reports mentioned Bagram or the US.
We conducted a keyword search using the terms “Defence Minister Khawaja Asif,” “Bagram,” “US,” and “Afghanistan,” but did not find any credible reports suggesting that Asif had threatened Afghanistan to “hand over the Bagram Airbase to America”.
Virality
The claim was shared here (archive) on Facebook.
On X, it was shared here (archive).
Conclusion: Geo News did not air or publish any news containing such a statement by Khawaja Asif and neither has any other news outlet reported the said statement by the defence minister.
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Background image in cover photo: Dawn
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