Pakistan’s Khwaja Asif’s UN speech goes viral as ‘risk’ turns into ‘riks’, netizens say ‘Op Sindoor shook him’: Watch

During a recent address at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attracted attention not for the content of his speech, which addressed artificial intelligence and Indo-Pak tensions, but for his verbal slip-ups. Observers noted that he made a series of errors while reading from his notes, mispronouncing words such as “risk,” which he said as “riks,” and “development,” which he referred to as “developend.” Overall, he made seven noticeable mistakes, including confusing “breathtaking pace” with “breathtaking space.”

Other notable mispronunciations included “instability” and “technological disparities,” as well as awkward phrases like “sirst time” instead of “first time” and “six pip-pillars” instead of “six pillars.” The speech provided fodder for social media users, who commented humorously on the situation, with one stating, “Operation Sindoor shook him.” This reference relates to India’s military operation during a period of heightened tensions, which Asif mentioned while cautioning about the dangers posed by AI-driven military technology.

Asif also addressed the implications of AI on global stability, warning of digital divides and new dependencies that may arise in the absence of normative standards and legal frameworks.