Pakistan FM's personal attack on PM Modi sparks backlash, protest in India

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari sparked a massive backlash after a personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. India hit out calling the FM’s remarks “a new low, even for Pakistan”. Zardari had launched a tirade directed at PM Modi in response to a question on Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s allegations against Pakistan’s role in supporting terrorism. Zardari used extreme, unparliamentary language and derogatory words for PM Modi. 

The Pak FM drew a sharp response from India which called the comments Zardari’s “frustration". 

"Pakistan is a country that glorifies Osama bin Laden as a martyr, and shelters terrorists like Lakhvi, Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar, Sajid Mir and Dawood Ibrahim. No other country can boast of having 126 UN-designated terrorists and 27 UN-designated terrorist entities," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

Meanwhile, BJP cadres protested against Bhutto’s comments near the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, demanding an apology from Pakistan. Protesters held out placards reading “Pakistan Apologise”, “Pakistan Stay In Your Limits” and Wake Up Pakistan” as police tried to control the crowd.  

Senior BJP leaders also hit out at the attack. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur called the comments “nefarious” and “shameful”.

"On this day in 1971, India defeated Pakistan`s army and after that crushing defeat at that time his maternal grandfather wept bitterly. It seems that Bilawal Bhutto is probably still in his pain," Thakur was quoted as saying by IANS.

“Such a statement does not suit the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and such a statement is not going to divert anyone’s attention. The world has seen the real face of Pakistan, so it would be better that instead of giving such statements, Pakistan should not patronise terrorism and take strict action against terrorists,” he added.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi also slammed the remark. "The whole world knows about Pakistan’s record as far as terrorism is concerned. It would have been better for Pakistan’s half-educated foreign minister to get all the information about his country, how many times Pakistan has been in the FATF list and also find out in how many terrorist incidents Pakistan was involved," she was quoted as saying.

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(With inputs from agencies)