Watch| Pakistan Minister's Bizarre Response to 'Operation Sindoor' Claims Criticized on Social Media

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who has repeatedly found himself in the midst of embarrassing moments because of his statements to foreign media, again walked into ridicule after attempting to explain away his claim of shooting down Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor with "social media content."

This fresh incident is the result of Asif's dubious assertion that Pakistan shot down five Indian fighter planes during India's aerial strikes on Pakistan-based terror camps and PoK on the night of May 7.

India's Operation Sindoor was in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 people were killed. The airstrikes were conducted on nine terror camps and 21 locations used by terrorists. During the time of an epidemic of misinformation going around on Pakistani social media, the Pakistan Information Bureau (PIB) had fact-checked a few of these reports, such as Asif's report of downing a jet.

When asked by CNN for evidence to corroborate his statement, Asif was asked questions. In response to this, he stated, "It's all over Indian social media, not on our social media. The wreckage of these jets came down in Indian-occupied Kashmir."

The anchor, clearly incredulous, interrupted and asked, "The reason to talk to you today is not to talk about social media content. I'm asking specifically for the evidence, details. For example, was there any Chinese machinery used to down these Rafale jets, as I understand you are claiming to be?

Instead of a direct answer, Asif sidestepped it with an answer that was factually irrelevant. "If India can buy airplanes from France, then Pakistan can buy from China," he sidestepped the question.

Also embarrassing him, Asif claimed, "No Chinese hardware. We have Chinese aircraft, but they are manufactured and assembled in Islamabad now. If India is able to buy aircraft from France and deploy them, we can buy aircraft from China or Russia or the US, or the UK. They already accepted that their 3 planes were brought down," making unfounded and exaggerated accusations.

Pressed once more on whether Chinese "equipment" was used, Asif tried to make his assertion more specific by stating that the Indian aircraft were brought down in a "dogfight." "The Indian aircraft were brought down in the dogfight. Missiles were fired from our planes, and they were brought down. What equipment are you referring to?" he stammered, struggling to maintain any semblance of credibility as he kept offering conflicting statements.

This is not the first time Asif has landed in a difficult spot. Previously, during an interview with Yalda Hakim on Sky News, he was left red-faced after claiming Pakistan had been carrying out the "dirty work" for the West and the United States for three decades. The confession was made while explaining Pakistan's longstanding participation in the sponsoring and training of terror groups.