Khawaja Asif On Mahmud Ghaznavi: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has given a statement which may spoil the relations of the neighboring country with Afghanistan. Afghanistan has also expressed objection to his statement. Khwaja Asif called Mahmood Ghazni a robber, whereas in Pakistan he is called a hero.
Speaking to a Pakistani TV channel, he said, “The way Mahmud Ghaznavi, the ruler of the Ghaznavi Empire, has been shown is not right. He was like a dacoit-robber, he used to come here and loot and go away. In Pakistan he is portrayed as a hero instead of an attacker, which I do not believe. I don’t consider him a hero.”
Presented as a hero of Muslims
This statement of Khawaja Asif becomes more special because he was presented as a hero in the history and schools of Pakistan. Efforts were made to portray him as the messiah and hero of Muslims. Even Ghaznavi is written on Pakistani weapons.
“Mahmud Ghaznavi was a bandit, he used to come here to loot and went back after looting. We paint him as a hero, but I don’t consider him a hero.”
—Khawaja Asif, Def. Minister of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/SCTptilVuV
— P.✓️ (@TweetsOfPR) December 18, 2024
Afghanistan lodged protest
On the other hand, Afghanistan has registered its protest. Expressing displeasure, Vice President Amrullah Saleh said, “Pakistani missiles are mostly named after our provinces or historical figures like Ghori, Ghaznavi, Abdali etc. The Ghaznavi missile system, inducted since 1987, is reportedly the best missile in their arsenal. Now, in a strange interview, Pakistan Defense Minister Khaja Mohammad Asif (KMA) has used indecent and uncivilized language, calling Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi of the Ghaznavid Empire (998-1030 AD) a gang leader and a master thief.”
A response to vulgarism of a minister.
The Pakistani missiles are mostly named after our provinces or historical figures like Ghori, Ghaznavi, Abdali and so on. The Ghaznavi missile system induced since 1987 is reportedly the best of what they have in their arsenal. Now…
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) December 19, 2024
He further said, “Their crude language reflects the identity crisis in Pakistan, the feeling of historical inferiority and historical void. This is understandable. Minister KMA should remove the Ghaznavi name from its missile systems and respect Afghanistan’s intellectual and property rights on this word. They should give new names to these missiles. The question is, can he find anything non-Indian in his dictionary? I think not. Pakistan has nothing to be proud of since 1947.
The Afghan minister further said, “They can name their missiles after General Ayub Khan or General Rani (Akhtar Kalim), who was his closest confidant and advisor at that time. Jinnah did not live long enough to see the functioning of the state he had whispered and helped create. Thus, the credit for building the state goes to General Ayub Khan and his comrades.”