Prominent pro-military Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari has distanced herself from her daughter Imaan Hazir Mazari’s anti-army slant video uploaded on Twitter, reported Geo TV.
In her statement on Twitter, the leader “totally disagrees” with her daughter’s opinion, and condemned “the use of abusive language by her daughter against the armed forces of the country.”
In the video, Imaan vehemently slams the Pakistani Army for its role in the "Faizabad sit-in and the aftermath of a botched operation by the federal government."
Mere hours after the video, which spread like wildfire on social media in Pakistan, was posted, Imaan’s account was nowhere to be found on Twitter.
The Faizabad sit-in saw an alliance of religious parties, including the Tehreek-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwwat, Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY), and Sunni Tehreek Pakistan (ST), call for the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid and stern action against those who amended the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat clause, reported Pakistan Today.
As per a report on Propakistani.pk, the speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, stated that removing the clause – which used to be part of a politician’s oath taking form – was a ‘clerical error’ and that the wordings regarding the finality of Prophet Mohammed will be rectified.
The incident lead to the voluntary resignation of Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid. Pakistan Today reported that the capital city returned to normalcy after a three-week long siege was called off on 27 November and a truce was reached between the government and protesters.
As per a The Times of India report, Imaan said in the video, “Since Pakistan's army is capable of understanding only the language of terror and religious fanatics like Khadim Rizvi, I decided using their language to get their attention.”
Shame on the army because Pakistan Army only understands language used by terrorists like Khadim Hussain Rizvi... We should also use the same language and send message to army. Such force should be condemned for funding people who have always tried to promote terrorism in Islamabad and the rest of Pakistan. I condemn the army who disrespects our martyrs (who laid their lives for fighting against terrorism).Imaan Hazir Mazari
She said that the army had not learnt any lessons in the last 70 years. Imaan further alleged the Pakistani army’s modus operandi involves “funding of terrorists” in the country, reported The Times of India.
“...The army funds terrorists for making people’s lives a hell. I again condemn the army as they still don’t understand that supporting terrorism is destroying this country. Pakistan community has now become effigy on the hands of terrorists. They discuss, accept terrorists demand. Is this our country, our community? This force has destroyed this country,” she adds.
Imaan’s mother, however, didn’t subscribe to her daughter's views.
In addition, a startling revelation was made by Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, one of the Islamists involved in the sit-in, stated that the army ensured that the government meets the terms and conditions of the protesters. "They told us they will get all of our demands accepted," said Rizvi, reported Dawn.
A graduate of London School of Economics and a PhD degree holder in Political Science from Columbia University, Shireen had joined PTI in 2008, and since then has served on several important posts. She was elected to the National Assembly in 2013 from Punjab on a seat reserved for women.
She has been described as "lady Taliban" in Pakistan. In 2016, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif came under fire by Opposition lawmakers for calling her "tractor trolley" during a National Assembly session, reported Dawn News.
(With inputs from Dawn News, Pakistan Today, Times of India, Geo TV)
(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT to find #PollutionKaSolution. Send in your suggestions to fit@thequint.com or WhatsApp @ +919999008335).
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)