Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari and the late former prime minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto, has bashed American whistleblower, author, journalist and former intelligence officer John Chris Kiriakou over his claims regarding alleged corruption by Benazir as premier.

 

Appearing on ANI Broadcast – the Indian news agency’s interview series – Kiriakou, who worked for the United States’ (US) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), had recalled his interaction with the late former PM during her time in exile in Dubai.

 

He spoke of Benazir and Zardari’s “$5 million house” and collection of Bentleys, saying it made him wonder if they were “not ashamed” given how people back in Pakistan “did not have shoes to wear and food to eat”.

 

Instagram Post

Instagram Post

 

 

“I understand that corruption is a problem there, but that level of corruption?” Kiriakou had questioned in the viral video, which prompted Bakhtawar to set the record straight on Sunday.

 

“The implication that she was born with nothing and had to be dependent on something illicit to afford her lifestyle is incredibly dishonest and just absolutely false. She was paid $100,000 for a single lecture whilst in exile. This doesn’t even include any of her inheritance or agricultural land(s),” she commented on the video.

 

Bakhtawar went on to say she pitied Kiriakou’s envy of a successful woman’s house that came with incredibly hard work and sacrifice.

 

“She worked to maintain her lifestyle & family even when wanted by a military dictator & fighting politically motivated cases (that saw her own father hung) but relentlessly continued to work and fight whilst her husband was imprisoned for over 11 years. Pathetic to attack and attempt to defame someone who is no longer in this world for some desperate clicks with nothing but absolute disinformation.”

 

As for her father, Bakhtawar said, he was wealthy in his own right and could buy whatever car he wanted.

 

“Again, the implication that the only means of success must translate into crime is absolutely ludicrous - he came from a land owning family who had multiple business ventures including building and owning the first cinemas in Pakistan in the 1960’s,” she added.

 

“The state of Pakistan & rampant poverty was certainly not a fault of my parents like you try and make it out to be - though you could spend 5 minutes to see what accomplishments they did for the working class despite their very privileged backgrounds and the difference it did make - not that we need your validation it does come in the form of votes from the very same people you very colonially assume cannot afford to eat,” Bakhtawar concluded.