Many reporters from Pakistani media outlets have, time and again, veered off the subject with their partisan questions to US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller concerning the country.
This time around, a reporter asked about the latest viral video of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s visit to Crusteez Donuts. In the video, one of the employees curses at Isa and is later hailed across social media—primarily by pro-PTI supporters. The employee filmed the encounter almost a month ago, when the Mubarak Sani verdict, which concerns minority rights, was given out by the Chief Justice.
“In Pakistan, this donut shop has become very popular by the name of Crusteez because its employee had called the Chief Justice of the supreme court of Pakistan that – shame on you. My question is – do you hear these things? I mean, spokesperson, you’ve seen globally – do you see countries where Chief Justices are called shame on you?” he asked.
Visibly taken aback by the frivolous question, Miller responded sarcastically, “I am not fully tracking donut shop – the latest donut shop news from Pakistan, I will admit.”
After a short, awkward exchange to laugh off the unnecessary question, the reporter continued: “After the three pillars of the states are gone in Pakistan, that’s why I was asking about it.
But KP, the province which I belong to and have the newspaper since 40 years, its chief minister in a statement yesterday said to the federal government of Shehbaz Sharif, after their protest was interrupted and stuff, that if next time you shoot us with one bullet, we’re going to shoot you with 10 bullets. Does these kind of statements worry the U.S. at all about the situation in Pakistan?”
To which Miller replied, “So I wasn’t aware of that statement until you brought it to my attention. I’d want to see it in its full context before I commented.”
The reporter attempted to contribute further to the conversation, but Miller cut him off, saying, “Let me – let me go ahead because I’m – we’re running out of time. Let me go to your colleague.”
