Khawaja Asif Defends Marilyn Monroe AI Riddle Reply: ‘I Run My Own Account’
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday brushed aside online mockery over his reply to an AI-generated Marilyn Monroe riddle, insisting that he runs his own account on X and lives an ordinary life despite holding high office.
Appearing on the private television programme Naya Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was asked whether he managed his X account himself. “I operate it myself, 200 per cent,” he said, adding that he carried no airs about his position.
What the Khawaja Asif Marilyn Monroe riddle row is about
The row began on Tuesday when Asif reshared an AI-generated image of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe that challenged users to spot the object out of place in the 1950s. He identified the smartwatch on her wrist as the anachronism.
The original post has since been deleted, but screenshots kept the episode alive, with critics questioning whether a defence minister should engage with such content. Asif countered on Friday that he had simply answered the question posed: what was amiss in the 1956 photograph was the watch, and there was nothing unserious about that.
Minister says office does not erase personality
Asif maintained that becoming defence minister did not mean surrendering his personality or avoiding light-hearted content. He said he used his account “for fun” and asked why his position should stop him expressing himself like anyone else. “If I am the defence minister, should I let go of my identity?” he said.
The remarks cut against the grain in Pakistan, where most senior officials hand their accounts to media teams. Asif has instead built a reputation as one of the most outspoken ministers on X, and his posts regularly make headlines.
Asif’s X activity has repeatedly made news
His statements on the platform frequently set the news agenda. Only days ago, Asif said the Makkah pact did not bar member states from taking direct action when facing a threat, a remark that travelled widely. He has also called governor’s rule in K-P a last option and joined Information Minister Attaullah Tarar in attacking the PTI after talks deadlocked, while earlier warning that Pakistan would defend Saudi Arabia against any threat.
Why AI riddle posts keep going viral
“Spot the anachronism” images, many of them AI-generated, circulate as engagement bait across social platforms. They invite users to find the modern object hidden in a supposedly vintage scene, and replies pour in because the puzzle is easy to attempt and fun to argue about. In Asif’s case, the image was openly presented as a riddle, and his answer was correct. His critics focused less on the answer than on whether a defence minister should spend time on such content at all.
The episode lands amid growing scrutiny of social media in Pakistan, where the PTA has been directed to tighten age checks for young users and restricting children’s access to the platforms remains under debate.
What happens next
By his own account, Asif will keep running the account himself and replying to whatever catches his eye. For his critics, that promises more episodes like this one. For his supporters, it is proof he remains accessible.
The original report appeared in The Express Tribune.
Why did Khawaja Asif reply to a Marilyn Monroe AI image?
Asif said the post posed a riddle asking what was out of place in a 1956 photograph of Marilyn Monroe. He answered “watch”, identifying the smartwatch on her wrist as the anachronism, and saw nothing wrong in replying to a light-hearted post.
Does Khawaja Asif run his own X account?
Yes. The defence minister said on Friday that he operates his X account himself, “200 per cent”, and uses it for fun alongside his official work.
What was the Marilyn Monroe riddle about?
The AI-generated image showed Marilyn Monroe wearing a smartwatch and challenged users to identify the object that did not belong in the 1950s. The smartwatch was the intended answer.
