Former finance minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Ishaq Dar has sparked yet another controversy following his recent appearance on BBC HardTalk. While he remains banned by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) from giving interviews in his home country, Dar recently appeared on a 20-minute episode of the international show hosted by Stephen Sackur. The latter roasted him while trying to get important answers out of him, related to the number of properties he owns and why he would not return to Pakistan. Dar mentioned to Sackur that his tax records are clear and all tax matters have been reported by him. “It’s all declared in my tax returns. Everything is accounted for,” he said.
Upon being asked by Sackur about his properties again, Dar added, “I have my main residence in Pakistan which has been taken over by this regime. I haven’t got too many properties.” Speaking about why he will not return to his homeland, he stated, “I am here for medical treatment for almost three years as my lawyers represent me in court.” Following his interview, which has now gone viral on the internet, the hashtag #HardTalkNotCapitalTalk has been trending on Twitter since Wednesday night. From reactions to the interview to hilarious memes, here is how the internet has reacted to Dar’s interview:
Ishaq Dar thought BBC HardTalk was going to Geo Capital Talk and Stephen Sackur as shrewd as Hamid Mir
I told you Stephen Sackur was going to skin Ishaq Dar and he did just that! 😂pic.twitter.com/QtHotQVS43
— Roznama Lifafa (@RoznamaLifafa) December 1, 2020
NS worked hand in glove with mil. dictator Gen. Zia ul Haq & now complains abt mil interfering in politics.What kind of hypocrisy is that? Stephen Sackur asked former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar@stephensackur must interview Maryam Nawaz,wud b interesting
pic.twitter.com/leWYgIQKyY— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) December 1, 2020
Stephen Sackur: "How many properties do you and your family own?"
Ishaq Dar: 😳😳😳pic.twitter.com/Aboi2uOsXw
— Hashim (@hashim_i) December 1, 2020
Please invite @stephensackur in Pakistan and give him "Nishan-e-Pakistan"#HardTalkNotCapitalTalk
— Voice of Pakistani (@munawar__ali) December 3, 2020
Some people roar like lions in Capital Talk and panic in Hard Talk and get confused.#HardTalkNotCapitalTalk
— Malik Sadaqat Frhan (@MSadaqatfrhan) December 3, 2020
Easy to understand explanation of what happened to @MIshaqDar50 on #HardTalkNotCapitalTalk 👇 pic.twitter.com/nqHFscZj3q
— Javed Hassan (@javedhassan) December 3, 2020
Mom: Namaz parhi?
Me: #HardTalkNotCapitalTalk pic.twitter.com/fdGpV5CA8O— birraha (@WittyMeeee) December 3, 2020
Hard talk Punjabi Dubbing me
😂😂#HardTalkNotCapitalTalk pic.twitter.com/zLbFPmns1J— Ahtisham._.malik (@Ahtisham_Says85) December 3, 2020
when you sleep for 16 hours and wakeup thinking if all of this is real or not pic.twitter.com/289aGjXybH
— anastipu (@teepusahab) December 2, 2020
When people in real life question you about your tweets pic.twitter.com/n0MdNFQN1z
— Shumail (@Shumyl) December 1, 2020
5 stages of grief pic.twitter.com/1kYCZ4JYo0
— Shumail (@Shumyl) December 1, 2020
If 2020 had a face.#HardTalkNotCapitalTalk pic.twitter.com/rLGqLW6Z8W
— Usama. (@idcusama) December 2, 2020
Coronavirus when the vaccine comes out pic.twitter.com/w1WkeoVFbK
— S² (@PsychedSam) December 1, 2020
When you realize it's Hard Talk not Capital Talk lol pic.twitter.com/ayXo5vkMZg
— Adil (@AdilGhumro) December 1, 2020
“Ishaq Dar thought BBC HardTalk was going to Geo Capital Talk and Stephen Sackur as shrewd as Hamid Mir I told you Stephen Sackur was going to skin Ishaq Dar and he did just that!” wrote a user. Journalist Shiffa Yousafzai added, “NS worked hand in glove with military dictator Gen. Zia ul Haq and now complains about military interfering in politics. What kind of hypocrisy is that? Stephen Sackur asked former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. @stephensackur must interview Maryam Nawaz, would be interesting.” A user stated, “Please invite @stephensackur in Pakistan and give him Nishan-e-Pakistan #HardTalkNotCapitalTalk,” the highest civil award bestowed by the Pakistani president on foreign nationals as well as for the highest degree of service to the country. Taking a dig at Dar, a tweet read, “Some people roar like lions in Capital Talk and panic in Hard Talk and get confused. #HardTalkNotCapitalTalk.” And of course, how can Pakistanis not make a joke about everything? A dubbed Punjabi version of Dar’s exchange with Sackur is now making rounds on the net.
