Lost in translation: Google ruins Pak PM Imran Khan’s congratulatory message to US President-elect Joe Biden

Google ruined Imran Khan's congratulatory message to the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the United States of America (Image: Deccan Herald)

As Joe Biden is declared the President-elect of the United States of America, with Kamala Harris as the Vice President-elect on his side, congratulatory messages started pouring in from across the globe. Amongst others, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, too, tweeted his congratulations. Except, he chose to do so in Urdu.

Google translation, however, left him embarrassed as the his congratulatory message ended up referring to the new leaders of US as ‘corrupt leaders who cover up the stolen national wealth and eradicate illegal tax havens’. Ah, well.

Google Translation of Imran Khan’s congratulatory message to Joe Biden and Kamala harris

As per the Google Translation software, he said, “Congratulations to the newly elected President on holding the World Summit on Democracy. I look forward to working with corrupt leaders to cover up stolen national wealth and eradicate illegal tax evasion sites. We will continue to work with the United States for peace in Afghanistan / the region.”

What he really wanted to say was that he hoped to end illegal tax havens and stealing of nation’s wealth by world leaders.

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1325150531422220288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw What a strange congratulatory message to give.

Imran Khan’s happiness may be short-lived

Imran Khan’s hopes for Joe Biden may be short-lived as the US President-elect is not quite too happy with Turkey President Erdogan.

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1184560895768137729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

In 2019, Biden said, “Turkey is the real problem,” and if he were the President, he will have a real ‘locked down’ conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to tell him he has to pay for what he has done across the borders of Syria and Iraq.

That Pakistan has made no effort to hide its love for Turkey is no secret. Biden had used this statement for his presidential campaign. The world will now wait and what how Biden makes Erdogan pay the price.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia