Zartaj Gul Wazir fumbles again, says Gen Zia-ul-Haq was born on Aug 17
Despite being corrected, the PTI minister tried to save the crumbling pieces of her sarcastic comment, saying PML-N 'should celebrate it'
August 18, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir has once again graciously given the Pakistani Internet community meme fodder, saying former president Gen Zia-ul-Haq was born on August 17 — when, in fact, the former military dictator was assassinated on this date.
Speaking during a current affairs talk show on a private TV channel, Zartaj Gul Wazir — in what ultimately became a failed jibe at the PML-N — told lawmaker Mian Javed Latif she wanted to congratulate him on the birth anniversary of his party’s "founder", Gen Zia-ul-Haq.
"I want to congratulate Mian Javed Latif for it's probably the birthday of Gen Zia-ul-Haq — who created this party [the PML-N] — as far as I remember," the PTI minister said.
The anchor and other participants in the show were left dumbfounded on the state minister’s lack of knowledge about the political history of Pakistan.
Anchorperson Nadeem Malik then corrected her, saying "today is August 17 when Gen Zia and many others were killed in a plane crash in 1988".
Despite being corrected, Zartaj tried to save the crumbling pieces of her sarcastic comment, saying: "Okay, whatever, even if it was an accident, they should celebrate it because he created the party. They should commemorate the anniversary of his martyrdom."
Fellow talk show guests — Sindh government spokesperson Senator Murtaza Wahab and Latif, the PML-N leader — were speechless, with the former putting his head in his hands and the latter showing an expression of contempt.
