Politics over Pulwama: Benazir Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari calls Imran Khan immature

This is not the first time Asif Ali Zardari has spoken against Imran Khan. Earlier, when Khan assumed power in August, 2018, Zardari said he would not complete his constitutional five-year term. (File photo: Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Asif Ali Zardari Zardari said Imran Khan was immature and did not know how to handle international politics
• Pakistan maintains it was not involved in the Pulwama terror attack
• Imran Khan, notably, in his televised speech on February 19, did not utter a word of condolence for the martyred CRPF jawans

Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan's way of handling India's allegations that Islamabad was providing safe havens to the terrorists.

Zardari said Khan was immature and did not know how to handle international politics.

"During my tenure, the Taj Hotel in Mumbai was attacked. But back then, we handled the issue amicably. This time around, the prime minister [Imran Khan] is pretty immature. He does not know what to do. He is, in fact, a back seat driver and is acting at the behest of others. That's why the situation is getting worse," Zardari told ARY News.

For the unversed, Asif Ali Zardari was the president of Pakistan when, in 2008, Mumbai was attacked by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The LeT, a Pakistan-based group, opposes Indian rule in Kashmir.

Zardari, at that time, had promised the then US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, that his government would take a "strong action" against Pakistani elements implicated in the Mumbai attacks, as opposed to Imran Khan's clear dismissal of Islamabad's involvement in the Pulwama terror attack.

Over 40 CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14, drawing condemnation for Pakistan from across the world.

Pakistan, however, maintains that it was not involved anyhow in the attack and will take an action against India, if it continues with its blaming spree. Imran Khan, notably, in his televised speech on February 19, did not utter a word of condolence for the martyred CRPF jawans.

Asif Ali Zardari further said, "We, however, still support the Army and if India plans to carry out any misadventure against us, we will be together and fight against it."

This is not the first time Zardari has spoken against Imran Khan. Earlier, when Khan assumed power in August, 2018, Zardari said he would not complete his constitutional five-year term.

"Sit down and think about the government. Now that you have become an accidental, selected prime minister, learn something," Zardari had further said.

Even, PPP chairman and Zardari's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, also said Imran Khan lacked the courage to talk face-to-face during Parliament sessions.

In response to these barbs, Imran Khan had once said Zardari was the biggest disease of Pakistan.

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