Sushma asks Imran to clarify his FM’s ‘googly’ remark

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to clarify his Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s recent ‘googly’ comment.

“I say the Pakistan PM must clarify his Foreign Minister’s comment saying Imran Khan threw a googly,” said Swaraj, while addressing a press conference in Jaipur.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra had lambasted Pakistan government over Qureshi’s derogatory remarks. He had said that the apparent ‘googly’ played by Pakistan on Kartarpur corridor matter has exposed PM Imran Khan-led Pakistani government. “The usage of words like googly has exposed Pakistan. For us it is not a googly. Congress is so insensitive that it is doing politics on (Punjab Minister Navjot Singh) Sidhu’s faith. They could not even include the Kartarpur village in India at the time of partition,” Patra told reporters.

On Thursday, while lauding Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that the former bowled a “googly” to ensure Indian government’s presence at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor event.

“Imran delivered a googly and India sent two ministers to Pakistan,” he said, using a cricketing term. A googly is a leg-spinner’s prize weapon, which is almost undetectable. Qureshi noted that it was the same Indian government that had said it will not engage with Pakistan.

Notably, the Pak FM’s remarks came after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj ruled out the possibility of resumption of bilateral talks with Pakistan unless it stops cross-border terror activities against India.

Earlier, Pakistan had invited Swaraj for ground-breaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor. But Swaraj refused the invitation citing prior commitments. India was represented at the events by Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri.