Pakistan Defense Minister Faces Backlash Over Throat-Cut Gesture to Afghan Journalist
· World · Times of India, Hindustan Times
Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif faced widespread online criticism after making a throat-cut gesture toward an Afghan woman journalist in New York. The incident occurred on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly when the journalist asked about Islamabad's ties with the Taliban and its response to the treatment of Afghan women. Instead of answering, Asif interrupted her, pointed at her attire, and made the menacing hand gesture while remarking that she would face severe consequences if she returned to Afghanistan. Social media users strongly condemned the minister and his accompanying aides for laughing during the exchange. The controversy unfolds amid escalating border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan following recent military strikes.
Why it matters
The incident highlights diplomatic friction and hostility toward journalists addressing human rights abuses in Afghanistan, impacting regional media freedom and cross-border relations.
Read the original report — Times of India
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