Video: Pakistan Minister Heckled by Imran Khan Supporters Over ‘Wasting Taxpayers' Money' in London
09:33 GMT 26.09.2022 (Updated: 15:21 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AFP 2023 / AAMIR QURESHI
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Khan has been calling upon Pakistanis at home and abroad to take to the streets to show their opposition to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, which, he insists, came to power with US support. Many of Khan’s supporters have heeded to his call and staged protests in cities across the world.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb has been heckled in London by supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan, according to videos circulating on social media.
Aurangzeb flew to London from New York, where she was part of a Sharif-led delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
In one of the videos, local Pakistani supporters of Khan’s PTI can be seen calling her “chorni" (woman thief).
“Maryam Aurangzeb makes big claims on TV about donning a dupatta (drape) on the head. But she isn’t wearing a dupatta on her head right now,” a woman can be heard saying in front of the Pakistani cabinet minister.
Aurangzeb could be seen being chastised by overseas Pakistanis after she entered an organic coffee shop in the British capital.
“She is throwing away the Pakistani taxpayer money… People are dying in Pakistan… There is no money there,” one of the hecklers tell her, after the minister purchased a diet Coke from the café.
دلی تسکین 😂❤️
— Sheikh Hanan PTI 🇵🇰 (@sheikhhananpti) September 25, 2022
Thankyou overseas Pakistanis for destroying Maryam Aurangzeb (Jhooti) in public. pic.twitter.com/vUJgehI79O
Pakistan has been facing a devastating flood situation which has affected more than three million people and left close to 1,600 dead, while causing economic damage to the tune of $30 billion.
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb has hit back at her hecklers, calling them “victims of Imran Khan’s propaganda.”
Sad to see the toxic impact IK’s politics of hate & divisiveness has had on our brothers & sisters. I stayed & answered each & every question they had. Sadly, they are victims of IK’s propaganda. We will continue our work to counter IK’s toxic politics & bring people together https://t.co/KEgOPa5Y3p
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) September 25, 2022
The heckling videos have also triggered a strong reaction from Aurangzeb’s cabinet colleagues, with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal blaming Imran Khan’s politics inciting his supporters into such encounters.
“These were Hitler’s tactics. Imran is a fascist and turning his followers into street gangs,” Iqbal remarked.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif also berated the hecklers for representing the “lowest level of our society.”
“Giving this color to political differences is a sign of bad training and a trend that is the height of intolerance. The violent trend in politics after Madhhab (a school of thought within Islamic jurisprudence) will destroy our society,” he said.
