Rejoinder: PTI takes exception to Hoagland’s statement
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s central information secretary Shafqat Mehmood on Sunday took strong exception to Richard Hoagland’s earlier statement in which he said Imran Khan’s detention at the Toronto airport was “played up for political reasons.”
Hoagland, who is the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy, said last Thursday that stories regarding Imran’s detention by US authorities were inaccurate and played up for political reasons. “This is totally contrary to the facts. It became an international story because he is a world renowned figure and a leader of a major political party in Pakistan,” Mehmood said in a statement emailed to The Express Tribune, adding that questioning his (Imran) stance on drones was “scandalous.”
“If US authorities had any problem they should have not issued a visa. Questioning him like this was uncalled for … he should have been treated with respect.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2012.
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1732621030-0/Express-Tribune-(7)1732621030-0-270x192.webp "won t leave until imran khan orders us to k p cm gandapur")
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1725254039-0/Untitled-design-(24)1725254039-0-270x192.webp "hidden hand blocking pti s dialogue efforts mohsin naqvi")
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@Adnan Siddiqi
Thank you Mr.Siddiqi. But if you didn't like the PMLN vision, don't pull your hair out.....oh wait...
@saima siddiqi:
Good to see you Mrs. Siddiqi! Heartening to note that your mind has not grown an inch since our last encounter.
@Uza Syed:
Concur the whole nine yards my friends! Most importantly, IK in his lust for money and more money; is putting the credibility at risk of those hundreds of donors across Europe and North America who in their naivety and gulliblety are inadvertently helping the cause of retrogressive and extremist forces who are a bedrock of existential threat to Pakistan.
Yes, its true...Nawaz doesn't need to mention his hospital, when he comes up with great visions for Pakistan. Here is the latest PMLN vision for pakistan: http://www.thepmlnvision.com/
@zaigham:
And you forgot that neither NS, his family nor a single office bearer of his party would ever mention Sharif Medical Trust for political glory or personal projection.
ye tu waqai mein aik gambheer samasya hai :D
IK's honour : he built a hospital with charity money but NS made 2 hospitals with his own and family's money
ye to bari nazuk soorat e haal hai :-P
@Adnan Siddiqi: "Even if it is, IK still does not have any right to co-opt to the Talibans and use American funds to further his evil brand of politics." ----- Right!
Frankly, what I find most disturbing is the fact that the innocent U.S. Citizens of Pakistani descent are being mislead into vilolating the 'oath' they took where they solemnly declared their allegiance to be loyal to that country, its constitution and its people and its brave soldiers. And here they are made to conribute and finance someone who stands with talibans and declares publically acts of terrorism by taliban a 'jihad' and incite all believers to either support or remain indifferent to terrorism. People need to be warned that by siding with Imran who sides with the enemies of the USA these US Citizens are actually commiting treason and undermining their loyalty as well as the loyalty of good US citizens belonging to the Pakistani diaspora there.
IK's honour : built a hospital with charity NS built 2 with his family income
ye to bari nazuk soorat e haal hai :-P
@Ch. Allahdaad: your leader Nawaz ji ran away with family and cook with money enough to open steel mills to jeddah after making a deal with the dictator..remember?? Or did he beg the Saudis to give him money to make steel mills there??? On the other hand Imran Khan BRINGS BACK money from PAKISTANIS living abroad. Well... come next elections and you'll never see your Nooras again..
@Ch. Allahdaad:
Dude, take it easy there! The juvenile posse can very easily become sentimental and the next thing you know, a plethora of the most choicest of expletives and verbal brickbats would be thrown your way. I however concur with your assessment, PML-N will sweep despite PTI playing second fiddle to PPP and PML-Q.
@Uza Syed:
The worrying part for this cyber brigade is that even though it would attain the voting age in due course of time; absence of common sense would still be a telling factor.
@Saad:
Mind enlightening us as to what is so honourable about "Your" leader? Oh let me guess, could it be for the following reasons:
He won the world cup He built SKMH (By way of donations and land donated by then CM Nawaz Sharif) He supported the dictatorship of Musharraf and was his main point for a good two years He chose to remain the "Lone Ranger" of his drawing room club in a parliament which came into existence at the back of rigged elections and open manipulation by agencies and establishment Between 2002-2007, never once tabled a resolution condemning the WOT Took all the benefits and remuneration of being a member NA and very conveniently resigned from the same lame duck parliament in November, 2007 out of conscious Promised to get rid of the present rulers by launching "Hakumat Hatao aur Mujh ko Hakumat mein Lao Tehreek: but after a lapse of more than a year, neither there is a tehreek nor the rulers have gone anywhere.You wish me to continue?
PTI being registered in North America is a debatable issue, perhaps you can give us the by-laws. Even if it is, IK still does not have any right to co-opt to the Talibans and use American funds to further his evil brand of politics.
A simple question: Are diplomats authorised to issue statements on a host country's internal issues, such a Pakistan political leader, Imran allegedly trying to "politicise" his detention?
@haider ali:
American insulted a National Hero?! Yeah right, even IK's new found ally against status-quo Sheikh Rasheed presented the same argument :D
@Saad: My party leaders are brave lions of Punjab. Not coward like Imran Khan who run off to USA to beg for aid. Only Nawaz bhai have the courage to look at US leader in the eyes. PML-N will sweep next election. Mark this word of mine.
I have said this before and I would reiterate it again!
Notwithstanding the "Real" reason of IK's detention/interrogation/strip search at Toronto Pearson by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); a self proclaimed "Patriot" and a "Pakistani Nationalist" at heart who vows to make the Green Passport enviable around the world - should have immediately modified his itinerary and left for Pakistan in sheer protest instead of continuing his journey to Big Apple. I guess for some people, passing around a begging bowl is just too revering than raising voice against injustice and absence of due process of law.
Please note that I have raised this argument a number of times on numerous ET blogs over the last many and the only rejoinder the internet brigade can come up with is:
IK is gifted IK is the next PM IK is honest IK is more famous than SRK IK is truthful and Hoagland is a liar of supreme pedigree IK made SMKH and NAMAL IK won the World-Cup - all by himself IK is against status-quoEtc. etc. etc. etc.
@haider ali: Good appeal all these kids must "stand up and be counted" once they have attained the voting age and a bit of common sense.
@hassan: Not in the least, I thought treating all acts of criminal offences equally is the very jist of the idea the very notion of justice (Insaaf which PTI stand for) and I'd have expected Imran and his underage immature voters (not eligible to vote, yet!) to appreciate and strive for such 'Rule of Law' and 'justice'. I'm sure that after particpating in election this time and losing it would give them all enough time help grow up and be better prepared. It is said that political parties learn from defeats better and faster, let's see if they can learn, too.
@Ch. Allah Daad:
You are right. However, they did concerts all over Pakistan. Biggest one were in Lahore and Karachi. The Rawalpindi (concert aka) Jalsa on 13th August failed because they were unabale to show performance due to Ramadan...
American insulted a nation hero i dare say only hero left in Pakistan what r we alaves r doing stand up and be counted vote 4 IK PTI
USA should opologize that it
@ ch Allah daad
Denial is not just the name of a river in Egypt :)
@Ch. Allah Daad: You want to disagree than disagree with sense.
The reason that he was stopped because of fund raising is absurd. IK has travelled to the USA before for exactly the same purpose earlier his year. He was not stopped then. The only thing that changed since the previous visit and the latest visit was the more vocal stance against drones of IK and pti.
Also he was allowed to continue and attend all the fund raising functions etc. If there was an issue with the visa he would not have been allowed to do that.
@Zaigham: You voiced my thoughts. Very true. A bold move would have been to walk out from the Airport and not enter the U.S. But thats for a person with a real character. Not this fake guy.
@M Ali Khan: So since he was on visit visa, he was questioned about his opinion on drones...hmmm
If wiki leaks are true then American spokesman should also be true.
@Ch. Allah Daad: And that concert changed the political scenario in Pakistan and sealed the fate of your Raiwind Party leaders.
Perhaps Mr Richard Hoagland should have been slightly more to the point and let us know openly and frankly the real reason for the former cricketer Imran Khan's detention at by the U.S. Customs and Border Security which was carrying of cash over and above and beyond the permissible limit and a documented proof of the sources for this cash and the leaglity involved. Often straight talk worls better than diplomacy. I demand that these facts are disclosed to avoid further disinformation campaign lodged by Mr Khan and his Shafqat Memoods.
USA insulted Pakistan by meting out such treatment to our honorable leader. PTI is a registered party in USA so the only reason they interrogated him was his anti drone stance. The nation stands with you my leader.
I think it's fair to investigate him. He raises a lot of money in the US and at the same time he tries to appease the Taliban. This raises serious questions.
Okay we got your point, what if, IK became next PM (which is rather unlikely) is he going to welcome Americans in the same manner he faced?
Absolutely correct Shafqat sb. His stance on drones is well known because he has been saying it for last many years. They DO HAVE CABLE TV in USA. Ridiculous argument by Hoagland.
For decades, we were made to bow down to USA, now with the grace of Allah we r getting a true leader. Who will raise our heads high. Long live the khan
Everyone they stopped at the airports,has been issued visa, like they once they stopped our ministers, shah rukh khan, etc. Shafaqat Mahmood must be known that it comes under home land security to interrogate some one to entering USA, visa issuing authority is different. If IK think that in this way they disgrace our nation then they should have come back from the air port, its a political stunt to exploit the situation.
then why Sheikh Rashid was detained at US airport???
Leader of a major political party? Any proof? Yes, it organized a big concert one year ago.