Fawad Chaudhry, the Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting, clearly stated that individuals who kill innocent people are terrorists.
The minister stated in a tweet that there is “no misunderstanding at any level” regarding those who murder innocent people. “Terrorism is being perpetrated, and the culprits are terrorists. We have experienced the anguish of terrorism in our own country and can empathise with those who have lost loved ones in these terrible acts.”
There is no confusion at any level re anyone who kills innocents. That is terrorism and the perpetrators are terrorists. We have suffered pain of terrorism in our own land and can understand pain of all who have lost their loved ones in these cowardly attacks. #Tollo
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 21, 2021
In an interview with Afghanistan’s Tolo News the day before, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi refrained from declaring Osama bin Laden a terrorist.
Qureshi said, “Well, again,” when the interviewer reported Prime Minister Imran Khan calling Osama bin Laden a “martyr.” It was taken out of context. His [the Prime Minister’s] words were taken out of context. And it’s paired up in a certain portion of the media.”
When asked if he agreed, the foreign minister pondered for a while before saying, “I will let it pass.”
Last year, PM Imran had delivered an all-encompassing speech in the parliament. Speaking about the country’s relations with the United States, he had said Pakistan had to face a lot of “humiliation” despite supporting Washington in the ‘war on terror and was then blamed for the US’s failures in Afghanistan.
Recalling an incident that he said caused “embarrassment” to Pakistan, the premier had said: “The Americans came to Abbottabad and killed, martyred Osama bin Laden. What happened after that? The entire world cursed at us and spoke ill of us.”
The opposition had slammed the premier at the time for his statements. Imran’s statements were consistent with “his history of appeasement to violent extremism,” according to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
“Those engaged in the APS Army Public School attack ‘escaped’ during his administration, as did those implicated in Daniel Pearl’s murder. Hunting with the dog and running with the hare, “he stated.
According to PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, Pakistan is still a target of terrorist strikes as a result of Osama Bin Laden. “Because of him, the country is in such a mess, and you’re honouring him on the assembly floor as a hero?”
Imran’s comments, she remarked, will go down in history. “Keep in mind that Osama Bin Laden may be the PM’s hero, but he is not the country’s. He was and will continue to be a state and people’s criminal.”
Dr. Shahbaz Gill, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication, defended PM Imran, stating he used the word “dead” for bin Laden twice (in addition to martyred).
“An unjustified attempt is being made at home/abroad with the evident purpose of making his words needlessly contentious,” he added, adding that the prime minister’s commitment to fighting terrorism is “unwavering.”
