Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif found himself at the centre of fierce social media ridicule after engaging with an AI-generated image of Marilyn Monroe on the platform X. The post, shared on a Tuesday in October, appeared to be designed as engagement bait and depicted the Hollywood icon in 1950s attire standing outside a vintage hotel alongside classic cars and a period valet.
The online challenge invited users to identify anachronistic elements within the picture that did not belong to the 1950s era. Asif reposted the image with a single-word message reading "Watch," accompanied by a smiling emoji, having correctly spotted a modern smartwatch on Marilyn Monroe's wrist.
The activity immediately drew widespread criticism, leading the defence minister to eventually delete the post. However, screenshots and quote-tweets continued to circulate widely, generating hundreds of mocking comments from online users who questioned why a high-ranking official of a country grappling with serious economic hardship, insurgency, and internal security challenges would devote public attention to an AI Marilyn Monroe puzzle.
Numerous online commentators expressed disbelief at the minister's focus. A verified user named Hasan remarked on the situation, while Afghan political commentator Burhanuddin criticized the official publicly for embarrassing the nation. Another user, Fatimah, joked that anyone feeling unqualified for their employment should remember that Pakistan's defence minister was busy conducting strategic analysis on artificial intelligence imagery.
Journalist Nadir Baloch also entered the commentary stream by breaking down the puzzle details for followers, prompting other users to jokingly dub him an investigative journalist. The online episode has underscored a perceived gap between the gravity of a major defence portfolio and the minister's casual social media activity, leaving many observers questioning whether such distractions represent an appropriate use of a public platform.