Ex-CIA Officer John Kiriakou’s Unfiltered Response to Pakistan’s Apology Demand Goes Viral
Ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou rejects PTI’s demand for apology over his India-Pakistan war remarks.
A fresh controversy has erupted after former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou revealed that Pakistan’s ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, tried to coerce him into apologising for his assessment of the military conflict between India and Pakistan. Kiriakou, known for his blunt style, responded with a crude but emphatic rebuff, stating that he would use their letter demanding an apology as toilet paper.
Kiriakou had earlier warned in an interview with ANI that in a conventional war between India and Pakistan, Pakistan would lose due to India’s significant population and military advantage. “Nothing good will come of war, because the Pakistanis will lose,” he said, emphasizing that he was referring strictly to conventional conflict, not nuclear war. His candid remarks triggered widespread online abuse and even death threats from Pakistanis.
Following the backlash, Kiriakou revealed he received an official letter from PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, demanding an immediate apology to Imran Khan, the party members, and the people of Pakistan. The letter condemned his remarks “in the strongest possible terms.” Despite his lawyer advising him to avoid engagement, Kiriakou chose to reply defiantly: “In regards to your demand for an apology, I wipe my a** with your demands for an apology,” effectively ending the exchange.
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Kiriakou, who spent 15 years with the CIA playing key roles including leading counterterrorism operations in Pakistan post-9/11, turned whistleblower in 2007 after exposing the CIA’s torture programme. Known for his forthrightness, he recounted the episode in a recent YouTube podcast, noting he never heard back from PTI following his response. He also highlighted the harsh reality of tensions in the India-Pakistan relationship, stating the countries “hate each other because they are exactly alike.”
This incident has caused embarrassment for Pakistan’s PTI and intensified public discussion about Pakistan’s sensitivity to foreign criticism. Kiriakou’s unapologetic reply has gone viral internationally, shining a spotlight on the persistent political tensions between India and Pakistan, and the caution sometimes required when commenting on such fraught issues.
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