An old controversy has resurfaced on Social Media with several people pointing out that the Internet behemoth Google shows up images of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan when searched “Bhikari”- a Hindi word that means “Beggar”.
Several people on Social Media pointed out that when one googles ‘Bhikari’, the search engine shows up images of Pakistan PM Imran Khan.
Did a google search with the word “Bhikari” (in english, beggar). It showed the photos of @ImranKhanPTI . LMFAO. Well done @Google .#UNSCKashmir #PakistanTerrorState #Pakistanhumiliated #KashmirWithModi pic.twitter.com/HTnKI33DNv
— Ola_Hu_Uber (@kehne_wala) August 17, 2019
This is a you and will always remain… Beggar country ke beggar PM pic.twitter.com/8mVWhIDUT3
— Sourav Johari (@a2431961) August 17, 2019
People possibly started pointing out that Imran Khan is shown as a ‘beggar’ in Google search after the United States of America cut Pakistan’s aid further by $440 million. This was also in reaction to Pakistan losing its mind over the Modi government’s bold decision to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir thereby fully integrating the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.
This controversy is, however, not new. In December 2018, a resolution had been submitted in Punjab Assembly, Pakistan to summon Google CEO and question him as to why Imran Khan’s images show up when one searches for the word ‘Bhikari’.
Resolution submitted in Punjab assembly to summon Google CEO and ask him to explain why search for ‘bhikari’ shows PM Imran Khan’s photo. pic.twitter.com/PTlBP49G3l
— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) December 15, 2018
Pakistan is suffering from an unprecedented economic crisis. Its foreign reserves are at an all-time low. According to credit rating agencies, Pakistan’s economy is on the brink of collapse. To deal with such a catastrophic situation, Islamabad is now finalising a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ward off a balance of payments crisis, despite more than billion in short-term loans from allies such as China and Saudi Arabia.
In such dire straits, Pakistani PM Imran Khan has been consistent in his implorations to its diaspora across the world to make a donation towards Pakistan and help its government in lifting the country out of an endless abyss. Khan has also propounded austerity measures within Pakistan to tackle the economic woes besieging the country.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has given an ultimatum to Pakistan to act on terror by October 2019 or face blacklisting. Last year in June, the FATF had placed Pakistan on the grey list of countries whose domestic laws are considered weak to tackle the challenges of money laundering and terrorism financing. A blacklisting from FATF would severely reduce Pakistan’s chances of securing bailout packages from institutions like IMF.
Imran Khan has been queuing up to world leaders to winkle financial packages from them. Recently, he met American President Donald Trump with the hope to renew the financial aid that America offered to Pakistan. However, it appears like Khan did not cut ice with Trump as America proceeded to slash the aid to the cash-strapped nation by nearly US $440 million, bringing down its commitment to just US $4.1 billion. Khan also met Saudi Prince who assured investments to the tunes of $15 billion in Pakistan’s fragile economy, following which Pakistan has announced the highest civilian award to be accorded to the Saudi Prince. The leitmotif of Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s recent foreign trips has been extrication of Pakistan from its financial tribulations.
