Pakistan ’ s Prime Minister Imran Khan faced a growing backlash Thursday after he said former Al - Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been “ martyred ” .
Khan made the comment in parliament as he was describing the history of Pakistan ’ s troubled relations with the US since American special forces killed bin Laden in 2011 in the northern city of Abbottabad.
“ The Americans came to Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden . Martyred him , ” Khan said .
Martyrs are greatly revered in Islam and the term is generally used for people who die or are killed while in the service of the religion, or in formidable circumstances .
The prime minister faced blowback from opposition figures and observers following the televised speech .
“ Imran Khan has fiddled with history, declaring Osama bin Laden as a martyr today , ” former foreign minister Khawaja Asif told parliament .
“ Muslims all over the world are struggling because of the discrimination they face due to recent terrorism & our PM makes it worse by calling obl a martyr of Islam !” Meena Gabeena , a Pakistani activist , said on Twitter .
The prime minister’ s office did not immediately issue a statement responding to the criticism , but science and technology minister Fawad Chaudhry described Khan ’ s remark as “ a clear slip of the tongue ” .
Pakistan has officially denied knowing bin Laden was hiding in the country until he was shot dead in a nighttime raid on May 2 , 2011 .
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