Finance Minister Ishaq Dar heckled at airport in Washington

Published October 13, 2022
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was heckled at an airport in Washington on Thursday. — screengrab
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was heckled at an airport in Washington on Thursday. — screengrab

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday was heckled by unidentified people at the Dulles International Airport in Washington DC after he landed in the US capital ahead of important meetings with global lending institutions.

Dar is expected to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He is also expected to hold direct talks with their officials.

Videos widely shared on social media today showed the minister accompanied by Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Masood Khan and other officials jeered near the airport’s arrivals. In the clips, the hecklers can be heard chanting slogans of “chor chor” directed toward Dar.

In one of the videos, a man can be heard shouting: “You’re a liar. You’re a chor”.

In his retort, Dar says: “You’re a liar.”

Mani Butt, the president of PML-N’s Virginia chapter — who accompanied Dar — can be seen exchanging profanities with the hecklers.

This is not the first time federal ministers have been jeered at public places on their trips abroad and even within the country. Last month, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb was heckled at a coffee shop in London. Earlier, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal was harassed by PTI supporters at a restaurant.

In April, a group of Pakistani pilgrims accosted, heckled and chanted slogans against PM Shehbaz and his entourage at the Masjid-i-Nabwi in Madina during their three-day visit to Saudi Arabia.

Politicians and other religious figures had condemned the incident and some had blamed the PTI.


Additional reporting by Anwar Iqbal

Opinion

Editorial

Ghastly attack
Updated 12 Oct, 2024

Ghastly attack

Duki attack comes at a time when Pakistan’s foreign friends are looking to make major investments in the country, while SCO moot kicks off next week.
Saudi investments
12 Oct, 2024

Saudi investments

THE Saudi investment commitments to Islamabad seem to be taking tangible shape after months of uncertainty around...
Into the abyss
12 Oct, 2024

Into the abyss

THE Pakistan cricket team continues to set unwanted records. On Friday, Shan Masood’s men became the first team in...
Disaffected voices
11 Oct, 2024

Disaffected voices

A FRESH stand-off is brewing between the state, and the recently banned PTM, principally over the tribal jirga that...
Joint anti-smog steps
11 Oct, 2024

Joint anti-smog steps

CLIMATE change knows no borders. Hence, much of the world is striving to control the rapidly rising global...
Agri taxes
11 Oct, 2024

Agri taxes

IT is not a good omen that reforms are once again being delayed. According to the finance minister, a new tax regime...