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Updated 02 May, 2016

Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed dismissed social media uproar over a comment he made during an earlier press conference as “just a joke that should be taken as such”, adding that he has been misquoted by social network users.

“My reference was to the word ‘Hamfield’, which is the Goldsmith residence where Imran Khan stays when he visits the United Kingdom,” Rasheed told Dawn.com. “Nowhere have I said ‘Middlesex University’.”

Rasheed further said he made the joke specifically against Khan because “he claims to be very religious”.

“I made the joke thinking about him, because if he claims to be so pious, how can he explain the [Hamfield] address to UK taxi drivers when he visits the country?” said Rasheed.

In a press conference held Sunday evening, Rasheed hit out at political rival Imran Khan when he said: “Take the name of that place… where your [Imran Khan’s] children are growing up. I will not take the name of that place…because if a Muslim says the word he will have to perform wuzu (ablution for cleansing) for even bringing it on his tongue.”

He added: “Ask Khan sb the name of that area, if he says the name of that area he will have to do wuzu.”

A short video clip of the press conference went viral on social media, with some Twitter users demanding the minister apologise for a comment made in “poor taste”. Rasheed also became the butt of trending hashtags, with #placespervaizrasheedcantnametaking the lead.

Twitterati weighed in on what other locations might terrify Rasheed so:

Today, in an attempt to clarify his statement, Rasheed said his statement was a joke aimed at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who often takes similar digs at the government.

“It was obviously a joke. The PTI says so many things about us, so I also said something as a joke,” he said.

“I was clearly referring to the Goldsmith house where Imran Khan stays when he visits, the same place where his children also grew up.”

“I made a joke. But people should relax. Things are sometimes said on a lighter note and people in our country should learn how to take it.”

Rasheed further said he made the joke specifically against Khan because “he claims to be very religious”. “I made the joke thinking about him, because if he claims to be so pious, how explain the [Hamfield] address to UK taxi drivers when he visits?”

The ambiguous "joke" centers on the word 'ham' in Hamfield, as Islam forbids Muslims from eating pork.

It is not clear whether the family of Jemima Goldsmith, Khan’s former wife, owns a home in Hamfield.

PTI and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) have re-engaged in a bitter war of words since the Panama Papers named Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s children as owning offshore accounts.

Opposition parties are pressing for the premier to resign over the revelation, but PM Nawaz has maintained his innocence and called for the constitution of a judicial commission to probe any illegality.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly quoted Pervaiz Rasheed as having referred to Middlesex University in his press conference

Comments

I. Ahmed May 02, 2016 02:54pm
But isn't PM sons have business in 'london'?
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Asad May 02, 2016 03:05pm
Alas, even this won't change the mind of the blind followers of such people and their party! Janay kab hungay kam is dunya k ghum!
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Harmony-1© May 02, 2016 03:06pm
An innuendo beyond logic from Pervaiz Rasheed. The name means territory of the middle Saxons from the Anglo-Saxon era.
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Ajamal May 02, 2016 03:07pm
Our politicians know "no lower limit" when it comes to morality.
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Shehzad Zafar May 02, 2016 03:07pm
:)
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SAB May 02, 2016 03:15pm
PMLN has completely lost it. And the info min is touching new heights of irrationality.
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Yousuf May 02, 2016 03:16pm
Dying to know his comments on Virgin Islands
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Viqar khilji May 02, 2016 03:17pm
This man is amazing and very funny. Now all Muslims living in Middlesex are living in "Sin City"
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usman May 02, 2016 03:20pm
yeah he showed avoid having lady finger as that might be the cause of napaki for him
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citizen May 02, 2016 03:22pm
Minister proved beyond doubt that he is from the land of 'pure' ... Kudos to him..
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kash May 02, 2016 03:32pm
This guy is a joke
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itrat khaliq May 02, 2016 03:47pm
Incompetent information minister
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Parvez May 02, 2016 03:49pm
This man is just compounding Nawaz's problems.
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Tariq Islam May 02, 2016 03:53pm
His boss Mr.Sharif has properties in Middlesex!
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kanwarch May 02, 2016 04:09pm
Seriously!!!! Then PMLN people say that they are not taken seriously. How can you take a party and it leadership seriously if you have such people in the cabinet and assigned important responsibilities. What a joke and shame for people of Pakistan.
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Einstein Babar May 02, 2016 04:15pm
I was also once interviewed by MDX staff for admission, I asked them same question, I was worried since the name is middlesex university. They interviewer told me not to worry, in old english language, sex means county (town)
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Md. Rustum May 02, 2016 04:49pm
Middlesex refers to Saxons of Anglo Saxon ethnic group.
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adnan May 02, 2016 05:32pm
All imran khan followers have low IQ
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asmat May 02, 2016 05:44pm
When someone else sit for you in your exams for you, this is the type of mentality you get at the end of the day.
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Uzair May 02, 2016 06:27pm
I had the very same moment with word "Middlesex" while reading a cricket almanac, I was 15 year old and quickly learned that it is ok to pronounce it the way it is written.
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Nausheen M May 02, 2016 06:43pm
This Information Minister is a joke!
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Calypso May 02, 2016 07:08pm
What an ill-informed Information Minister!
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Waqas May 02, 2016 07:10pm
Pervaiz Rashid is a loyal worker. I'm sure he reads whatever he is given.
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M. Malik May 02, 2016 07:16pm
Not very bright, In fact his remarks shows how incompetent this man is.
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Mahmood May 02, 2016 07:20pm
An information minister without a clue. He may not be well schooled. But these days, a mere search on Google and you get all the information in seconds. Talk about incompetence!
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Atam Vetta May 02, 2016 07:53pm
Middlesex University is a fine University. I know this as during the period of 1986-92, I was one of the External Examiners for the B.Sc. Honours Degree Examination. Most English Universities are named after the town or area in which they are situated. About 15 Centuries ago, a tribe called 'Saxons' used to live in areas around London. Their area (kingdom) was divided into 3 parts, East Saxon, Middle Saxon and South Saxon. From 7th C to 11th C these areas became known as Essex, Middlesex and Sussex.
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Naeem May 02, 2016 08:35pm
As long as this nation elects people whose cars are bigger than their libraries, this would happen....I see no way out for this nation...
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Zack Khan-USA May 02, 2016 08:47pm
LOL!!!!!!
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Shoaib khan May 02, 2016 09:03pm
Actually he is a Disinformation minister
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shd May 02, 2016 09:08pm
Such a blunder once more but this time really a shocking from Information minister, such a disinformation he is having. Fact is when you do not have reply for your corruption and you could not find any scandal against opponent, you do such things.
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Farrukh Munir May 02, 2016 09:55pm
You clearly have a very poor sense of humour!
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AG May 02, 2016 10:05pm
Are these people running the affairs of Pakistan? Can't believe how Pakistan is surviving
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AG May 02, 2016 10:06pm
@Nasser Can't agree more
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Zak May 02, 2016 10:16pm
@Harmony-1© This is more informative than anything Pervez Rashid ever uttered.
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Syed May 02, 2016 10:22pm
This joke was not even funny.
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Humzah May 02, 2016 11:31pm
Equally worse clarification
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Philosopher (from Japan) May 02, 2016 11:39pm
The information minister without information.
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Saz May 03, 2016 12:06am
Please tell the Minister Saab that Ham is not related to pork. Ham is a part of body like hamstring. Pork is forbidden. Ham can be beef too but yes mostly taken as pork. incompetent govt. Can get these kind of comments.
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Lucky Star May 03, 2016 12:13am
@I. Ahmed Yes, they, what's the problem?
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Lucky Star May 03, 2016 12:14am
@Nasser He is not as big as Imran Khan is; no wonder, people don't vote for Imran Khan.
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Lucky Star May 03, 2016 12:15am
@Asad Goes both ways.
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Lucky Star May 03, 2016 12:18am
@adnan Fact is they don't even have IQ. To them, he is the last hope.
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Faheem T May 03, 2016 12:31am
The talk backfired on him.
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H_A May 03, 2016 12:37am
@Einstein Babar Not really. The term stands for Saxons, a group of Germanic tribes. The English descended from Anglo-Saxons. The terms Saxon itself is derived from 'saex' a knife these tribes used. Even today, the flag of middlesex bears this dagger.
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Latif May 03, 2016 01:29am
My heart bleeds when you read the comments made by minister, how ignorant they can be. God help Pakistan.
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Abdulla Hussain May 03, 2016 01:34am
Cheap j, these are our elected leaders under oath,
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Khawar T khyam May 03, 2016 02:25am
Politicians are ready to dig all kind of dirt on you and your family without talking about corruption.
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Imran May 03, 2016 02:27am
Oh I live in West Ham . Since when saying ham is sin.
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shd May 03, 2016 02:35am
Thats very immature and childish approach from people who are handling most important affairs..
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Musa May 03, 2016 02:52am
Smoke screen to take focus away from the real issue of the PM's corruption exposed by Panama papers.
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Lafanga May 03, 2016 02:54am
And this guy is the information minister in the govt.
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Iqbal May 03, 2016 03:06am
Is that the best he can come up with.
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Abbas Syed May 03, 2016 03:14am
Will our political leader ever grow up and stop this mud slinging on each other
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Amer Awan May 03, 2016 04:38am
Ham in short of Hamlet..which means small town in rural england..Pls correct ur self MR
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Hassan May 03, 2016 05:57am
Sure....how long are you going to joke with the nation? By the way, do you know where Nawaz got the money from that were discovered by Panama leaks?
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Baba May 03, 2016 07:13am
These people are running the country,
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Tamhid May 03, 2016 08:39am
@Atam Vetta Thanks for explaining this in a very precise and easy way.
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Asif Ahmed May 03, 2016 08:51am
Good U Turn
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SQ May 03, 2016 09:49am
More stupidity!
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Skeptic May 03, 2016 10:26am
An ill-informed Information Minister
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ali May 03, 2016 10:34am
the LEVEL, this man is waste of time,, dont know him much but truly he cannt speak well. he is information minister but he cannt speak fluently..
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Ahmed May 03, 2016 10:37am
Great press conference. Khan sb and his followers live in glass houses. We need to show them the rear view mirror very regularly.
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Umair May 03, 2016 11:34am
This guy is a government minister getting paid by the government of Pakistan to serve it but all he is doing is to defending family of PM not only him but all the ministers!
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Striker May 03, 2016 11:43am
These are the representatives of some 20 crore ppl!
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zargham May 03, 2016 11:54am
You are supposed to show some maturity being information minister of federal government.
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Qamar Valliani May 03, 2016 11:56am
He also does not know how to talk like all the PML( N)) ministers.
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Zafar Ahmed May 03, 2016 12:20pm
It is all about his responsibilities to defend the royal family in whatever way it comes in his mind .
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Saad May 03, 2016 12:37pm
The worst is the clarification. The minister has conducted a blunder and the cover up is even worst and completely illogical
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Raees Ahmad May 03, 2016 01:23pm
Pervaiz Rashid is very sensitive.
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Naim Khan May 03, 2016 01:25pm
Information minister of Pakistan mr Rashid talks so much rubish, Imran Khan' children live in Surrey, how about Nawaz's sons have registered their business in Virgin island? PMLN government has lost it,
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syed wasim haider May 03, 2016 09:08pm
@Yousuf This is a tough question for him.
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Haseeb May 03, 2016 10:26pm
Wrong again...t he name derives from the Old English word Hamme meaning place in the bend of a river.....
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Talha May 04, 2016 06:39am
It is indeed a joke as Pervaiz Rasheed pointed out but it only makes us laugh at himself.
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Iamnotjoking May 04, 2016 07:21am
Is it a Middle - Sex Univesity, or what. Anyway Pervez Rasheed is a tit for tat to Imran Khan,and a staunch supporter of Mian Nawaz Shareef. It's an amazing contrast how such honest serious guy remained committed to PML(N) for so long and defending it's known corruption .Pervez Rasheed I know is a friend of Sheikh Rasheed, it will an honor for him to join Sheikh Rasheed's party,and if just imagine these two guys together comes on any TV the people will love to see and hear them,and the TV programme ratings ++++++++++++
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Iamnotjoking May 04, 2016 07:24am
@Atam Vetta .While appreciating your valuable information,please take easy Pervez Rasheed was just kidding.
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