Zartaj Gul mistakes Gen Zia’s death anniversary for his birthday

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul is once again in the spotlight after a gaffe on national television.

During an appearance on a private TV channel, the state minister referred to the death anniversary of former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq as his ‘birthday anniversary.’

When reminded by the host that it was his death anniversary and the day marks an accident, the state minister quickly rebounded and said the PML-N should observe this day as General Zia had supported their party.

The statement by the minister had social media in stitches which made no qualms in mocking the state minister.

“This is not the first case of #Zartajgul’s talent,” said Twitter user. “Beauty with no brain,” said another. “Zartag Gul reminds me of empty-headed blond jokes I read online and are prevalent in the West. Not a day passes, when we don’t listen to some pearls of wisdom of a member #PrimeMinisterImranKhan’s cabinet,” said another.

PPP spokesperson Murtaza Wahab and PML-N’s Mian Javed Latif were also present during the show and were in utter disbelief. 

Federal Minister Zartaj Gul says it’s Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s birth anniversary pic.twitter.com/9PGsuHKZBM

— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) August 17, 2020

This is not the first time that Zartaj Gul has been mocked for her views. Earlier in June, she gave a novel definition of the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID-19 means that it has 19 points that can be applied in any country in any way,” she said during a current affairs show on a state-run TV show.

The minister took to Twitter a few hours after her video clip started trending on social media, to issue a clarification. “Every day I appear on national TV and speak without a piece of paper (parchi),” she tweeted.

“Wanted to say that the infections effect and intensity varies across different countries. Instead of crying on the situation over a minor mistake, maybe that will be better for them. I am not afraid of criticism, it strengthens me.”