The United States “martyred” al Qaeda terror chief Usama bin Laden when he was killed by the Navy SEAL nine years ago, the Pakistani Prime Minister told Parliament.
Imran Khan’s comments on Thursday came during a speech on the budget, attacking the foreign policies of his predecessors and saying that Pakistan’s association with the United States in the war on terror was a mistake.
“I will never forget how we Pakistanis were ashamed when the Americans came to Abbottabad and killed Usama Bin Laden, they martyred him,” Khan said, according to the BBC.
Khan used the word “shaheed”, a reverent Arabic term for a martyr to Islam, the BBC reported.
Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11 terrorist attacks, was hiding in Pakistan when the Navy SEAL killed him in a nighttime raid in the city of Abbottabad military garrison on May 2, 2011.
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In this photo released by the Press Information Department, the Pakistani Prime Minister addresses Parliament in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Khan on Thursday accused the United States of having “martyred” the leader of al- Qaida and the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, Usama bin Laden. (Department of press information, via AP)
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The BBC reported that opposition leader and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif criticized Khan and called Bin Laden “the last terrorist”.
“He destroyed my nation, and [Khan] He calls him a martyr, “Asif said in parliament.
The BBC reported that high-profile Pakistani activist Meena Gabeena tweeted: “Muslims around the world are fighting because of the discrimination they face due to recent terrorism and our Prime Minister worsens by calling [Bin Laden] Martyr of Islam! “
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Khan spoke when the Pakistani Foreign Ministry rejected a report by the US State Department accusing Pakistan of harboring terrorist groups focused on the region, the BBC reported.
Critics have called Prime Minister “Taliban Khan”.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
