Imran Khan Called Osama Bin Laden A Shaheed & What Was That?!

Ever since Imran Khan has come to power, the Prime Minister has made headlines more often than one would like for statements that sometimes border “silly.” From calling the pandemic “…just a flu,” to blaming the lockdown on the “elites” and now referring to Osama Bin Laden as a shaheed, Imran Khan has made it a habit to leave many of us regularly shocked.

Yes! While addressing members of the National Assembly on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan referred to Osama Bin Laden as a martyr!

The PM’s statement came just a day after the United States accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists in its 2019 Country Reports on Terrorism.

Imran Khan said, “The Americans came to Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden, shaheed kar diya [martyred him]. What happened after that? The entire world cursed us and spoke ill of us.”

PM Pakistan Imran Khan considers Osama bin Laden a martyr. pic.twitter.com/tax0t3V5wg

— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) June 25, 2020

Now, the flak that Imran Khan is receiving from the citizens is nothing that could’ve been avoided after a statement as reckless as this!

As if the fact that Osama Bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda and the man responsible for many terror attacks was found in Pakistan wasn’t humiliating enough, the PM also had to sound like a terrorist apologist…

Perhaps the real national embarrassment is the fact that OBL was in Pakistan to begin with?

— Hassan Javid (@HassanJavid_) June 25, 2020

Perhaps the PM has forgotten that OBL being found in Pakistan was far more humiliating than just a superpower entering our airspace and “martyring” OBL. https://t.co/4SniZOIhhs

— Amber Rahim Shamsi (@AmberRShamsi) June 25, 2020

So, I guess I’m not the only one who took a double-take when the Prime Minister’s Osama-Bin-Ladin-is-a-shaheed statement went viral all over the show!

I actually had to hear it say it for himself to ensure it wasn’t fake news!

Cannot believe what I just heard. A global terrorist being called a martyr by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on the floor of the parliament! WOW https://t.co/DGEEiUGKNh

— Uzair Younus عُزیر یُونس (@UzairYounus) June 25, 2020

Also Read: People Want Imran Khan To Be Fined For Not Wearing A Face Mask In Public

In an effort to call out the US for accusing Pakistan for supporting terrorists, the Premiere actually made it worse for Pakistanis to defend their country’s integrity.

Muslim world is trying to reclaim their image&values that terrorists like OBL and many more had destroyed … 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!

— meena gabeena (@gabeeno) June 25, 2020

And it did not seem to be a slip of tongue.

He remained calm, his body language didn’t change, he didn’t correct himself…

I just saw the video of Imran Khan's speech in Parliament where he described OBL as a martyr. It didn't appear he misspoke. He even paused right before using the term. It's almost like he was emphasizing the term.
Not his finest moment, alas.

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) June 25, 2020

Why would the PM refer to OBL as a shaheed on the floor of parliament? If it was a slip of tongue, he should clarify this without delay to avoid further international embarrassment. Else this may be his personal opinion but can’t be our policy position as a responsible state.

— Taimur Malik (@taimur_malik) June 25, 2020

Referring to the now infamous speech, Special Assistant to PM on Political Communication Dr. Shahbaz Gill clarified that the PM had twice used the word ‘killed’ for Osama bin Laden.

Gill being Gill, is using the blowing-a-statement-out-of-proportion argument to get Khan out of the absolutely avoidable controversy that the PM has dragged himself into.

PM’s and Pakistan’s commitment against terrorism is unwavering and our track record in eliminating this menace is better than anyone else in the world.

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) June 25, 2020

A slip of tongue or not an apology is certainly in order, Mr. Prime Minister!

IK used the term "killed" for OBL before pausing for a second and said "shaheed" in the national assembly of Pakistan. I am sorry but this isn't a mere slip of tongue; he needs to apologize and retract this statement.

This is the least he can do

— Hasan Saeed (@hasansaeed6) June 25, 2020