• Source:JND
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Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the National Assembly that Pakistani "cyber warriors" had made targeted attacks on Indian systems, including floodlights during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and even Indian dams' control systems. His remarks in a speech in Parliament have drawn widespread ridicule on social media. “Our cyber warriors did wonders during this war with India. We switched off floodlights during an IPL match,” Khawaja Asif said in a speech that rapidly went viral on the internet. He also claimed that Pakistani agents had gained access to control systems of dams within India, without presenting any evidence or technical detail.

The comments come as Pakistan struggles with mass electricity outages, with rolling blackouts being imposed in major cities and rural towns. The irony of the situation was not missed by netizens on the other side of the border. X users mocked that the irony of a nation that is itself unable to keep its lights on bragging about undermining lights in another nation.

Social Media Overrun With Memes and Sarcasm

Asif's argument that Pakistani hackers switched off IPL floodlights led to a fury of funny responses. "Pay your electricity bill first before bragging about switching off ours," posted a user on X (formerly Twitter). Another wrote, "IPL floodlights don't use Wi-Fi; don't hack them like you're hacking your neighbor's router."

A meme that went viral said, "If turning off lights is a cyber victory, then my 3-year-old nephew is an international threat. He unplugged the Wi-Fi once during a Zoom call." Many questioned the logic behind Asif’s statements, with one of them suggesting, "What is wrong with Pakistan at a root level? How are they so detached from reality?" Another said, "From battlefield bravado to stadium lights, Pakistan's so-called 'cyber strike' reads like a script for a comedy show rather than a masterstroke in tactics."

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Pattern Of Absurd Comments

It is not the first time that Khawaja Asif has raised controversy with wild comments. Earlier in an interview with CNN, the minister claimed that Pakistan had shot down five Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft. When pressed by the anchor for credible evidence, Asif responded, “It is all on social media...” The interviewer quickly rebuked the claim, stating, “You’re the defence minister, sir… not a social media analyst.”

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In another much-ridiculed statement, Asif announced in National Assembly that Pakistan did not shoot down Indian drones to "reveal their radar positions," a justification that was widely dismissed and mocked by social media users.