Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's speech at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during the AI Innovation Dialogue chaired by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres drew significant attention mainly due to repeated verbal slips and mispronunciations. Asif stumbled over key terms such as "risk" (pronounced "riks"), "development" ("developend"), and phrases like "first time" ("sirst time") and "six pillars" ("six pip-pillars").

He also initially said "breath taking space" before correcting to "breath taking pace." These errors distracted observers from the substance of his speech and became viral on social media platforms, where many mocked the defence minister for his delivery and coherence.

Despite the verbal issues, Khawaja Asif attempted to highlight the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare. He warned that AI lowers the threshold for conflict, compresses decision-making timelines, narrows diplomatic options, and increases risks when not governed by global normative standards and legal frameworks. He emphasised the need for human judgment to remain central in matters of war and peace and cautioned against AI reinforcing digital divides and creating new dependencies that imperil peace.

Importantly, Asif referenced recent India-Pakistan military tensions, notably India's Operation Sindoor in May 2025, which was launched in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. He cited the use of autonomous loitering munitions, high-speed dual-capable cruise missiles, and drones during the conflict as examples of AI-driven military technology raising the risk of destabilisation. However, his repetitive and inconsistent references to AI throughout the speech diluted the clarity of his message, leading to criticism of the speech's coherence and effectiveness.

The UNSC session itself was addressing multiple pressing global challenges, including the possible delay of snapback UN sanctions on Iran, ongoing peacekeeping in Lebanon, and conflicts in Ukraine and South Sudan. The UNSC reform discussion also referenced India's role as a significant voice in a restructured council, underscoring the geopolitical context in which Asif spoke.

Social media reactions were largely critical and mocking, with comments pointing out Asif’s difficulty in delivering a clear, fact-based speech on a complex subject like AI. Some viewers sarcastically linked his performance to Pakistan’s overall diplomatic challenges and questioned the preparedness of officials representing Pakistan at international forums.

Khawaja Asif's UNSC speech at the AI Innovation Dialogue was overshadowed by his multiple verbal fumbles, which drew widespread ridicule despite the serious topics he tried to address, including the strategic implications of AI in warfare and Indo-Pak tensions highlighted by Operation Sindoor. The episode has fueled debates on Pakistan’s diplomatic communications on global platforms and the effectiveness of their messaging amid critical security issues.

Based On NDTV Report