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Wednesday, September 25, 2019
#Pakistan - Twitter schools PTI’s Firdous Ashiq for insensitive comments
Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday issued uncalled for and highly insensitive remarks about the earthquake in Pakistan. She left many confused with her insensitive quip about the earthquake that left, over 20 people dead and injured more than 300. However, twitter slammed Dr. Awan for her insensitive remarks and demanded her resignation.The minister made these comments at a ceremony. She was smiling and trying to entertain the audience while she made fun of the earthquake.
Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday issued uncalled for and highly insensitive remarks about the earthquake in Pakistan. She left many confused with her insensitive quip about the earthquake that left, over 20 people dead and injured more than 300. However, twitter slammed Dr. Awan for her insensitive remarks and demanded her resignation.The minister made these comments at a ceremony. She was smiling and trying to entertain the audience while she made fun of the earthquake.
As the country felt the tremors, the PM’s assistant compared them to the ‘Tabdeeli’ of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. “Land has expressed by moving and shaking that change has come,” she said.In a tweet, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari called it “shameful and unforgivable”.
She further apologized since the responsibility in a parliamentary form of government is collective. “Since Govt means collective responsibility I apologize for the shock and hurt felt by the SAPM’s insensitive and inappropriate remarks on the earthquake and her jocular tone on an issue of human suffering,” she wrote on Twitter.
The Information SAPM’s remarks on the earthquake were insensitive, absolutely inappropriate and most certainly had nothing to do with govt viewpoint. Human suffering can never be made light of.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 24, 2019
The Backlash
However, after a backlash on Twitter, the special assistant said she made the comment to lighten the mood as a wave of panic had run across the hall due to the intensity of the tremors.
میری گفتگوکوسیاق وسباق سے ہٹ کر پیش کرناافسوسناک ہے۔سوشل میڈیا کےمعاشرے پراثرات کےتناظر میں بات ہو رہی تھی۔اچانک زلزلہ آیا،شرکائے محفل پریشان ہوگئے۔حاضرین محفل کاحوصلہ بڑھانے کےلیے سوشل میڈیاکے تناظرمیں ہی جملےکہے جسے غلط رنگ دے کر عوام کوگمراہ کرنے کی افسوسناک کوشش کی جا رہی ہے pic.twitter.com/IJ8d0wwT0i
— Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousPTI) September 24, 2019
Prominent columnist Benazir Shah also expressed her grief and said: 19 people dead, 300 injured. And this is what Firdous Ashiq Awan has to say.
19 people dead, 300 injured. And this is what Firdous Ashiq Awan has to say. https://t.co/FIxC8EjbO4
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) September 24, 2019
Ali Salman Alvi, journalist, and blogger, also slammed Dr. Awan. “Firdous Ashiq Awan casually jokes about the #earthquake, without realizing that it could bring a devastating tragedy. This is beyond deplorable. The special adviser continues to act like a loose cannon. Shameful and insensitive,” he said.
Firdous Ashiq Awan casually jokes about the #earthquake, without realizing that it could bring a devastating tragedy. This is beyond deplorable. The special adviser continues to act as a loose cannon. Shameful and insensitive.
— Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) September 24, 2019
Chohan was dismissed
Notably, this is not for the first time that a minister issued insensitive comments. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also sacked former minister for Information and Culture Fayyazul Hassab Chohan a day after he made derogatory remarks against the Hindu community in a gathering.
Pakistani journalists, civil society and public intellectuals took to Twitter and demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan, chief of the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, to sack him for his behaviour unbecoming of a minister. Citizens on Twitter maintained that Pakistan is for all and nobody has the right to hurt the feelings of any community.
In a tweet by the ruling party on its official handle also announced the decision to remove Chohan. “PTI Punjab government has removed Fayyaz Chohan from the post of Punjab Information Minister following derogatory remarks about the Hindu community. Bashing someone’s faith should not b a part of any narrative. Tolerance is the first & foremost pillar on which #Pakistan was built,” it tweeted.
#Pakistan - Imran Khan’s unending illusions
“We look to the US to put out flames in the world”
At the Houston rally jointly addressed by US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latter had accused Pakistan of terrorist attacks, holding it responsible even for 9/11 despite the fact that none of the 19 hijackers belonged to Pakistan. Mr Modi had threatened that the time had come for a decisive battle against terrorism “and all those who promote terrorism.” President Trump had silently listened to Mr Modi’s defence of the revocation of Article 370 maintaining that it strengthened those promoting terrorism. President Trump had responded that the USA and India were committed to “combatting radical Islamic terrorism”.
At the Houston rally jointly addressed by US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latter had accused Pakistan of terrorist attacks, holding it responsible even for 9/11 despite the fact that none of the 19 hijackers belonged to Pakistan. Mr Modi had threatened that the time had come for a decisive battle against terrorism “and all those who promote terrorism.” President Trump had silently listened to Mr Modi’s defence of the revocation of Article 370 maintaining that it strengthened those promoting terrorism. President Trump had responded that the USA and India were committed to “combatting radical Islamic terrorism”.
On Monday, during a joint press conference between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Trump, the lattershot down questions regarding Indian atrocities in Kashmir, showing his partiality for India. Mr Khan needs to realise that President Trump cannot be considered an honest broker, and it would be folly to accept his new offer for mediation. What is more, Kashmir is not a piece of cake. The Kashmir issue has to be decided through a referendum organised by the UN by the Kashmiris themselves.
Mr Khan lacks a sense of history when he says that the USA, being the most powerful country, has a responsibility to resolve disputes. Since after WWII, the US has created more disputes than it has resolved, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the overthrow of Iran’s Mossadegh government through CIA and that of the elected Sandinista government of Nicaragua though mercenary Contras. It aided and abetted South American military regimes who killed thousands of dissenters during the “Dirty War”. The USA continues to patronise Israel that has let loose state terrorism on Palestinians. Pakistan is still suffering from the after effects of the US proxy war against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. The USA is now unjustly targeting Iran.
According to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, President Trump had ‘mandated’ Mr Khan to act as a mediator in the Iran crisis. This can only create misunderstandings between Pakistan and Iran which, unlike the Gulf Arabs, condemns Indian excesses against the Kashmiris. Pakistan does not have the clout to ask any the Gulf Arabs or the USA to accede to Iran’s demands if it finds these to be genuine.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2019/09/24/imran-khans-unending-illusions/
Pakistan Urged To Release 'Prisoner Of Conscience' Charged With Blasphemy
Amnesty International has urged Pakistani authorities to “immediately and unconditionally” release a university lecturer who has been charged with blasphemy over Facebook uploads.
Junaid Hafeez’s case is “a travesty,” Rabia Mehmood, researcher at the London-based group, said in a statement on September 25.
Junaid Hafeez’s case is “a travesty,” Rabia Mehmood, researcher at the London-based group, said in a statement on September 25.
Calling Hafeez "a prisoner of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression," Mehmood called for all charges against him to be dropped.
Hafeez, a 33-year-old lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University in the city of Multan, has been in solitary confinement since June 2014, according to Amnesty International.
His case is now with the eighth judge since his trial began, and his counsel was gunned down in May 2014 after receiving threats for defending Hafeez.
Authorities “must guarantee his safety and that of his family and legal representatives. Their failure to do so in the past has already borne the worst consequences,” said Mehmood.
His lengthy trial “has gravely affected his mental and physical health, endangered him and his family, and exemplifies the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws,” she added.
Amnesty International urged Pakistan to repeal these laws, describing them as “overly broad, vague and coercive.”
“They have been used to target religious minorities, pursue personal vendettas, and carry out vigilante violence,” the statement said, citing the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian who was sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010, was acquitted in 2018, and was only able to depart Pakistan for Canada in May this year after being kept in protective custody out of security concerns.
Hafeez, a 33-year-old lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University in the city of Multan, has been in solitary confinement since June 2014, according to Amnesty International.
His case is now with the eighth judge since his trial began, and his counsel was gunned down in May 2014 after receiving threats for defending Hafeez.
Authorities “must guarantee his safety and that of his family and legal representatives. Their failure to do so in the past has already borne the worst consequences,” said Mehmood.
His lengthy trial “has gravely affected his mental and physical health, endangered him and his family, and exemplifies the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws,” she added.
Amnesty International urged Pakistan to repeal these laws, describing them as “overly broad, vague and coercive.”
“They have been used to target religious minorities, pursue personal vendettas, and carry out vigilante violence,” the statement said, citing the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian who was sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010, was acquitted in 2018, and was only able to depart Pakistan for Canada in May this year after being kept in protective custody out of security concerns.
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