LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan would not have slandered political leaders had he read the holy Quran’s verse 11 of Surah Al Hujurat, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said on Sunday with reference to the speech by the premier three days ago in which he ridiculed his major rivals.

In a statement, Mr Hussain said: “My advice to all politicians is do not give up on politeness and tolerance.”

While addressing a public meeting in Lower Dir on Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a scathing attack on the troika of opposition figures who are spearheading the no-trust move against him. But he kept his choicest slur for the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl. “I was just talking to Gen Bajwa and he told me not to refer to Fazl as ‘diesel’. But I am not the one who is saying that. The people have named him diesel,” the prime minister said.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2022