'Imran Khan Niazi': Why India Used Full Name Of Pakistan PM In UNGA Reply

India strongly hit back at Pakistan using the 'Right to Reply' at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in response to Prime Minister Imran Khan's maiden speech on Friday. Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary Ministry of External Affairs, exercised India’s right of reply.

During her reply, she interestingly used the full name of Imran Khan. With Pakistan's representatives taking notes, Maitra addressed the Pakistan PM as Imran Khan Niazi. She used the full name when slamming Pakistan for its doublespeak on human and minority rights. She also remined Khan and Pakistan of the 1971 war and the surrender of Gen A A K Niazi.

"Having mainstreamed terrorism and hate speech, Pakistan is trying to play its wild card as the newfound champion of human rights. This a country that has shrunk the size of its minority community from 23% in 1947 to 3% today and has subjected Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadiyas, Hindus, Shias, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Balochis to draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuse and forced conversions." 

"Their newfound fascination for preaching human rights is akin to trophy hunting of the endangered mountain goat - markhor."

"Pogroms, Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi, are not a phenomenon of today's vibrant democracies. We would request you to refresh your rather sketchy understanding of history."

"Do not forget the gruesome genocide perpetrated by Pakistan against its own people in 1971 and the role played by Lt. Gen A A K Niazi. A sordid fact that the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh reminded this Assembly about earlier this afternoon."

Imran Khan prefers not to use his Niazi surname. He had issue a directive not to use his full name after becoming prime minister. By using Khan’s surname Niazi, India highlighted his link with the Niazi clan of Pakistan. Imran has been facing increasing calls of "Go Niazi Go Back" even inside Pakistan Parliament.

Just ahead of Imran's much-publicised 'Jalsa' at Muzaffarabad this month in support of Kashmir, large crowds of protesters shouted "Go Niazi Go Back". The Niazis are Pashtuns living in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan, they settled mostly in Mianwali. 

The name Niazi reminds Pakistan of its defeat and humiliation at India’s hands in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

The then commanding officer of the Pakistan Army, Lieutenant General Ameer Abdullah Khan Niazi, had surrendered his weapon to the Indian army commander, Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, on December 16, 1971.