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NEW DELHI: India Sunday mounted a strong rebuttal to Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif after he questioned the international honour conferred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Seychelles, with government sources dismissing his remarks as uninformed and describing him as “mentally unstable”.The sharp response came after Asif cast doubts on the legitimacy of the “Guardian of the Blue Horizon” Presidential Distinction awarded to Prime Minister Modi during his recent visit to Seychelles.Reacting to the remarks, government sources said Asif’s comments reflected ignorance and underscored the state of Pakistan’s political leadership.“That he could be entrusted with his current responsibility says much about today’s Pakistan. Clearly, he has no day job and passes time by making silly comments on matters of which he has little knowledge. Envy is always a bad motivation, particularly so from someone steeped in hate speech,” government sources told news agency ANI.The sources also described Khawaja Asif being mentally unstable as a “known fact”.Prime Minister Modi received Seychelles’ newly instituted “Guardian of the Blue Horizon” Presidential Distinction in recognition of his leadership in environmental conservation and his support for the aspirations of Small Island Developing States.He became the first recipient of the award after Seychelles revamped its national honours system. Accepting the honour, the Prime Minister thanked the people and government of Seychelles and dedicated the distinction to countries working together to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.The latest exchange comes against the backdrop of a series of international recognitions conferred on Prime Minister Modi for his initiatives on sustainability, climate action and environmental protection.Khawaja Asif has previously faced criticism over his public remarks from regional leaders as well. In November 2025, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration criticised the Pakistan minister after he reportedly threatened military action against Afghanistan.Noorullah Noori, the Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, described Asif as a “mentally ill” person at the time.Addressing a gathering, Noori said, “Your history against Bangladesh and India is clear. Our history against Russia, America and Britain is clear. You judge.”
