Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto sharply criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing him to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During a press conference in New York, Bilawal’s statement stirred controversy, especially his analogy calling Modi the “Temu version of Netanyahu.” This comparison was seen by many as perpetuating outdated stereotypes about Chinese innovation and unfairly targeting the global e-commerce platform Temu.
Read more: Bilawal Credits US Mediation in Easing Pakistan-India Tensions
Bilawal condemned Modi for his actions in Kashmir, stating, “Modi has evolved from the Butcher of Gujarat to the Butcher of Kashmir—and now appears determined to become the Butcher of the Indus Valley Civilization.” His comparison of Modi to Temu—a Chinese app known for affordable products—sparked widespread debate on social media.
In response, former PTI leader Asad Umar defended Temu, describing it as a rapidly growing platform in the US with a user base approaching 10% of Amazon’s, and predicted it could soon surpass the e-commerce giant. Umar emphasized that Temu is more than just a source for cheap knock-offs.
Critics of Bilawal’s remarks argue that his comments reinforced a Western narrative that dismisses Chinese products as mere copies. Temu has yet to respond to the controversy, but the discussion has sparked divided opinions online, with some Pakistani tech influencers defending the app while others pointed out flaws in the Chinese platform.
