Islamabad: He has been dubbed as ‘Taliban Khan’ by his rivals for his support of militants. But then Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has not let the title bother him. Imran Khan has continued to demonstrate his sympathy for the militant organisations flourishing in his country. In a recent development he has said that former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been ‘martyred’. It is a statement for which Imran Khan has faced backlash the world over.
Imran made the comment in parliament when he was describing the history of Pakistan’s troubled relations with the United States. It should be stated here that American special forces killed Bin Laden in 2011. They carried out the operation in the northern city of Abbottabad in Pakistan.
“The Americans came to Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden. Martyred him,” Imran said. It was a statement for which he has been criticised by the opposition in Pakistan.
“Imran Khan has fiddled with history, declaring Osama bin Laden as a martyr,” former foreign minister Khawaja Asif said. “Muslims all over the world are struggling because of the discrimination they face due to recent terrorism. Our PM makes it worse by calling obl a martyr of Islam!” wrote Meena Gabeenaon Twitter. She is a Pakistani activist and a staunch anti-Imran politician.
Also read: https://www.orissapost.com/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-calls-osama-bin-laden-shaheed/
Pakistan has officially denied knowing Bin Laden was hiding in the country. However, they had to eat their words when he was shot dead in a night-time raid May 2, 2011. The incident was enough to cause Pakistan huge embarrassment. It also blew up the simmering tensions between Pakistan and the US.
Asad Durrani, a former spymaster, told ‘Al Jazeera’ in 2015 that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) knew where Bin Laden was hiding. It was hoping to use him as a bargaining chip.
The 9/11 mastermind was tracked down after a 10-year manhunt to Abbottabad. It is a small garrison town north of Islamabad where Pakistan’s military academy is headquartered. The incident sparked off debates that authorities were colluding with the terror group.
Imran has made repeated controversial statements over the years. During a trip to the US in 2019 he claimed the ISI provided Washington with a lead that helped them find and kill Bin Laden. Now probably he is trying to cover that statement of his, said another politician.