Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif has sharply criticised the United States, accusing its political elite of "openly taking bribes" from Israel and pro-Israel lobbying groups while simultaneously defaming Pakistan for alleged corruption.

Speaking to Geo TV, Asif drew a contrast between Pakistan — frequently targeted with accusations of graft — and what he described as the US practice of institutionalised lobbying, claiming that Washington’s military bureaucracy, House of Representatives, and ruling elite admit to financing Israel and its lobbies in a transparent but questionable manner.

He insisted that if anyone in Pakistan were to take bribes, it would be covert, unlike what he sees as America’s normalised influence-buying.

His comments reflect growing frustration within Islamabad over what it perceives as hypocrisy in international narratives targeting Pakistan’s governance and credibility.

Asif’s attack comes after his recent allegation in August that senior Pakistani diplomats and large sections of the country’s bureaucracy have purchased property in Portugal through illicit funds and are seeking EU citizenship—a claim that further fuelled the debate over systemic corruption within Pakistan’s institutions.

Pakistan has long struggled with international criticisms of governance failures, compounded by its economic crisis, IMF dependency, and political turmoil.

Asif’s attempt to redirect criticism toward the US and Israel indicates PML-N’s political tactic of framing corruption accusations within a global hypocrisy narrative, seeking to rally domestic audiences and deflect external pressure.

His statement has quickly stirred controversy abroad given its direct naming of US lawmakers and the Israeli lobby, potentially straining US-Pakistan ties further at a time when Islamabad is desperate for external financial and diplomatic support.

Based On TOI Report