'This is Hard Talk not Capital Talk,' Ishaq Dar gets butchered on Pakistani Twitter

Ex-finance minister feels the heat in BBC interview with Pakistani trolls ready to pounce

BBC journalist Stephen Sackur is known for grilling his guests on his show 'HardTalk and former finance minister Ishaq Dar was no exception as he was posed with hardhitting questions.

Soon after the interview was aired snippets were widely shared on Pakistani Twitter Dar answering Sackur's questions with #IshaqDar and #StephenSackur becoming the top trends in the country.

One Twitter user said that Dar expected the interview be like Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir's 'Capital Talk', however, he the PML-N leader was in for a rude awakening.

Ishaq Dar thought BBC HardTalk was going to Geo Capital Talk and Stephen Sackur as shrewd as Hamid Mir

I told you Stephen Sackur was going to skin Ishaq Dar and he did just that! 😂pic.twitter.com/QtHotQVS43

— Roznama Lifafa (@RoznamaLifafa) December 1, 2020

Journalist Shiffa Yousafzai drew attention to Sackur telling the former minister that "Nawaz Sharif worked hand in glove with Zia ul Haq and now the PML-N is complaining about military interference in politics".

Yousafzai added that the journalist interviewing PML-N vice-president would be "interesting"

NS worked hand in glove with mil. dictator Gen. Zia ul Haq & now complains abt mil interfering in politics.What kind of hypocrisy is that? Stephen Sackur asked former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar@stephensackur must interview Maryam Nawaz,wud b interesting
pic.twitter.com/leWYgIQKyY

— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) December 1, 2020

Even the BBC journalist himself wrote on his Twitter handle that his interview had caused quite a stir in Pakistan.

My interview with former Finance Minister @MIshaqDar50 seems to be causing quite a stir in #Pakistan.
Well worth watching the whole interview if you can... @BBCHARDtalk on @BBCWorld https://t.co/PAuyjw6EsP

— Stephen Sackur (@stephensackur) December 1, 2020

The interview

Dar said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is struggling for democracy and supremacy of the parliament in Pakistan and the current government is a form of 'judicial martial law'.

The now absconding former minister said he does not accuse the army, as an institution, of undermining the democratic process in Pakistan but stated that "it is the will and plan of some people, the same people who enforce martial law in Pakistan".

When Dar was asked if the army or the army chief were undermining democracy, he said that the PML-N is not alone and international reports also have said the same. "I am not talking about the entire institution, we need to differentiate. These are the wishes and plans of certain people, the same people who enforce martial law in Pakistan."

"We are saying that if the elections were rigged, and this has now been proven, without doubt, someone is planning the entire thing. This is not us saying it, but the interior minister of Pakistan said that if Nawaz Sharif did not have issues with the institutions and the deep state, he would have become prime minister for the fourth time."

When asked if he had come to London seeking refuge as he is an absconder in Pakistan, the former finance minister said corruption allegations have been used repeatedly in the country's history and in the present circumstances, the current government is a "judicial martial law".