Sources in the government have slammed Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversy surrounding the "Guardian of the Blue Horizon" award conferred on him by Seychelles.
"That Khawaja Asif is mentally unstable is a known fact. 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," sources told NDTV.
Asif had described the award as an "engineered recognition" and alleged that it had been hastily created ahead of PM Modi's visit. Referring to reports about typographical errors in an early version of the citation, the Pakistani minister claimed the episode was "the most embarrassing story ever".
However, the Seychelles government has categorically rejected suggestions that the award was fabricated or created for PM Modi's visit. In a statement, the Office of the President of Seychelles clarified that the Order of the Guardian of the Blue Horizon was established under the country's National Honours Act and had been formally approved before PM Modi's arrival. The honour, it said, recognises exceptional contributions to the sustainable use and protection of the oceans and the blue economy.
It also said the document circulating online was an internal working draft that had been inadvertently shared before undergoing final proofreading, and stressed that the final, officially approved citation was presented during the investiture ceremony and contained no such errors.
India has not officially commented on the award controversy, but government sources said Pakistan's criticism reflected "envy" rather than facts, accusing Asif of making comments on matters "of which he has little knowledge."
