In a video post, the prime minister of Pakistan urged the international community to help developing countries fight the coronavirus pandemic, however, some people could not focus on the message because of his attire.
Social media users in Pakistan went into a frenzy after Imran Khan was seen wearing a tracksuit in his address.
While his fans praised him for his ‘simplicity’, others criticised him for being unprofessional.
Journalist Cyril Almeida, @cyalm, tweeted: “Appealing to the developed world in his... PJs?”
Similarly, tweep @KamranShafi46 wrote: “Wearing a tracksuit and addressing the World! How you have diminished our good country…”
Twitter user @ejopinion was not happy with the premier’s wardrobe choice either: “Did Imran Khan just address the nation and UN in a tracksuit? Seriously?”
Then there were those who asked people to focus on the content of the message and the issues Pakistan is facing rather than his attire.
Tweep @sashayub wrote: “I am OK with Imran Khan turning up to address the international leaders and community in his PJs/tracksuit top. What I’m NOT okay with is disproportionate military spending and shamelessly asking the rest of the world to subsidise #Pakistani healthcare. Fix your own house first.”
However, there were also those who supported Khan’s choice.
Twitter user @champagne_lassi thought that the premier was “breaking stereotypes”: “Imran khan addressing international institutions in tracksuit is the best thing on internet today. My PM loves breaking stereotypes."
Tweep @UsmanAhmad_iam thought that netizens should not engage in “petty” discussions: “There are lots of things to be critical about Imran Khan for - wearing a tracksuit during a lockdown isn’t one of them. Just makes people seem petty and blinded by partisanship.”
In the April 12 televised message, Khan had urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSG) and the international financial institutions to respond positively to the dilemma confronting the developing counties in the face of COVID-19 outbreak. Noting that the pandemic posed unprecedented health and economic challenges, Khan said that the global recession was a certainty, which could be worse than the “Great Depression”, adding that “a global pandemic cannot be contained without strong, coordinated and well-crafted global response”.
