Khalilzad lashes out at Sanaullah over ‘false’ claims

Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday lashed out at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah for claiming that he was being paid to work against Pakistan, saying that he did not lobby for anyone or any country nor did he receive money from anyone for his tweets.

“Responding to Pakistan's model town killer and Mr Badmash, Pakistan's interior minister. I do not lobby for anyone or any country nor do I receive money from anyone for my tweets,” the former US envoy said on his official Twitter handle.

Khalilzad said, “I share my sincere personal views and concerns about Pakistan's triple crisis, which unfortunately isn't improving but intensifying.”

He said, “These crises threaten to further impoverish and polarise the people of Pakistan.

“They also risk fragmenting the country, which would threaten regional and global security.”

The former US envoy urged the Pakistani leaders to put their country first; agree on a roadmap based on obeying the country's Supreme Court decisions and democratic elections.

“On Mr Badmash, Pakistan has 100s of talented, patriotic, and law-abiding leaders who could serve as minister for interior.”

Also read: Sana lifts lid on ‘disturbing’ PTI plot

He asked Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif that why he has given this key position to a “man who has the blood of innocent Pakistanis on his hand, some 20 of them, among other crimes”?

At a news conference in the wee hours of Sunday, Sanaullah claimed, “Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is being paid to work against Pakistan.”

He said that the plans being hatched on phone were also a part of it, which had to be propagated in the international media later on.

The interior minister had revealed that the intelligence agencies intercepted a call through which it transpired that a fake encounter and rape incident were to be staged on Saturday night by some people belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The minister stated that the PTI had hatched a “disturbing” plot to blame the government and institutions for these incidents in the international media.