‘Mr 10 percent’ should put country first: Khalilzad

ISLAMABAD: Former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Saturday slammed former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, calling him “Pakistan’s Mr 10 Percent”.

The former US envoy said that the PPP co-chairman should “put the country first and honour the legacy of BB [Benazir Bhutto].”

In an interview with senior journalist Hamid Mir on the Geo News programme “Capital Talk” on Friday, the former president had said Khalilzad is a “double agent” who was on “a payroll”. During the interview, Zardari was questioned regarding the support Khalilzad had shown to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — the former ruling party led by Imran Khan.

In response, the former president said that Khalilzad was a salaried person. “He is in a lobby and an agent. A double agent of CIA [Central Intelligence Agency].”

When asked about the negative things Khalilzad had written about Zardari in his book, he said: “Of course, why would he write anything good about me? They can’t tolerate anyone who has roots in the country, can save the country, or loves it. Obviously, he won’t write anything nice.”

In response to this, the former US envoy took to Twitter and wrote: “Responding to Pakistan’s “Mr. 10 Percent”: I do not lobby for anyone or any country and am no one’s agent. I have shared my sincere concern about Pakistan’s triple crisis, which unfortunately is intensifying, and have suggested what should be done. “Mr. Ten Percent” should put country first and honor BB’s legacy, to preclude a meltdown that will hurt the 220 million people who — unlike him and others like him, do not own posh homes in several countries that they can run away to. The Pakistani establishment and the country’s political leaders must commit to rule of law, starting by not splitting the Supreme Court, but instead, implementing its decisions.”

Meanwhile, Federal Minister and Spokesperson for PPP Parliamentarians Shazia Marri strongly reacted to Zalmay Khalilzad’s recent statement, in which he spoke against former president Asif Ali Zardari and said that by making such statements, Khalilzad had further exposed himself.

“Former president Asif Ali Zardari is a patriot like Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and he foiled the ambitions of Zalmay Khalilzad by expelling terrorists out from Swat, “ she said.

Shahzia Marri went on to say that Khalilzad’s figure is visible in every disaster in Afghanistan. She also accused him of falsely blaming the Pakistani state of sponsoring terrorism, stating that he should not fall for the misconception of Pakistan as Afghanistan. The PPP Parliamentarians spokesperson also claimed that Khalilzad has left Mir Jafar behind in betraying his own country. She questioned who Khalilzad’s salary man is and stated that all his secrets have been exposed.

Ms Marri also accused Imran Khan of wanting chaos in the country. She stated that it is time to expose those who spread chaos and instability in Pakistan. Shahzia Marri urged Khalilzad to stop making false and baseless accusations against Pakistani leaders and institutions and to focus on working towards peace and stability in the region.