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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan faced a growing backlash Thursday after he said former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was “
martyred“.
Khan made the comment in parliament as he was describing the history of Pakistan’s troubled relations with the US since American special forces killed bin Laden in 2011 in the northern city of Abbottabad.
Pakistani Prime Minister’s comments: Osama bin Laden was martyred
“The Americans came to Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden. Martyred him,” Khan said.
Martyrs are greatly revered in Islam and the term is generally used for people who die or are killed while in the service of the religion, or in formidable circumstances. The use of the term was seen to have reflected a subtle stab at Washington as it’s mainly used for honorable figures slain in battle. It has also been interpreted by people on social media as an effort from Pakistan to appease the Afghan Taliban and keep them on the negotiating table.
Khan also said Washington used abusive language against Pakistan, blaming Islamabad for its failures in neighboring Afghanistan and most of all — refused to tell Islamabad of its operation against bin Laden in 2011 before carrying out the Navy SEALs nighttime raid. The special operations force swooped into Pakistan’s military garrison town of Abbottabad in the middle of the night on May 2, 2011, killing bin Laden and several of his operatives.
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Pakistani intelligence helped CIA find Osama: Imran Khan
“The way we supported America in the war on terror, and the insults we had to face in return … They blamed us for every failure in Afghanistan. They openly held us responsible because they did not succeed in Afghanistan,” Khan said.
Opposition flays Imran Khan for his comments
The prime minister faced blowback from opposition figures and observers following the televised speech.
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Pakistan’s Prime Minister thinks Osama bin Laden was martyred: huge debate sparked