Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif sparked controversy after attributing claims of downing five Indian fighter jets, including Rafales, to social media reports rather than verified military evidence. In a CNN interview, Asif stated, “It is all on social media, and Indian social media, not ours,” when pressed for proof.
The assertion follows India's Operation Sindoor, where Indian forces struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. India's Press Information Bureau fact-checked Pakistani social media posts, exposing an old 2021 MiG-21 crash photo falsely used to claim a Rafale shootdown.

While Asif warned of a risk of "full-fledged war," he also hinted Pakistan is open to de-escalation if India steps back. Meanwhile, Pakistan's top security body authorized retaliation “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing,” keeping the region on edge as military posturing escalates dangerously.