Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, is in the middle of a new dispute after saying that exporting the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet could help Pakistan pay back its IMF loans. Many people thought the comment, which was made during a time of ongoing economic stress, was unrealistic and not in line with the facts.
The Things Khawaja Asif Said
Asif pointed out that the JF-17, which was made by both Pakistan and China, could bring in money for the country. His comment that more defence exports might make Pakistan less reliant on foreign lenders like the IMF caused immediate eyebrows to rise in both political and economic circles.
Why the claim caused worry
Economists were quick to point out that IMF loans are in the billions of dollars and that defence exports, especially fighter jets, are slow, limited, and highly affected by politics. Even in the best-case situations, selling the JF-17 would only bring in a small amount of money to pay off Pakistan’s foreign debt.
Experts also said that IMF programs aren’t about speculative arms sales, but about fundamental reforms like raising taxes, cutting back on subsidies, and maintaining tight budgets.
What Netizens Say: Memes Take Over
People on social media didn’t take long to turn the comment into a meme. Platforms like X were full of jokes and mocking posts making fun of Pakistan, like ones that said they should sell jets door-to-door. A lot of people on the internet said that leaders were just saying soundbites instead of serious economic solutions.
The Bigger Economic Reality: Critics also pointed out that it didn’t make sense to tie IMF repayment to defence exports, since the IMF often tells Pakistan to cut back on defence spending and put more money into things like healthcare, education, and economic security.
