News Desk |
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has released an official statement dismissing the speculations of Pakistani student Usama Ahmed Khan at Shenyang Jianzhu University to be beaten to death in China. Instead, the statement claims that Usama has committed suicide but did not mention the circumstances of his suicide.
https://twitter.com/i_aliarif/status/1064190532006674433
The Foreign Office has called the video of a man alleged to be Usama, beaten to death as ‘fake”. As per the FO, the man in the video is not a Pakistani student Usama Ahmed Khan.
The video has been running on social media that showed a man lying prostrate on a street being beaten multiple times by a trio. The video was claimed to be of a deceased student Usama, and it was claimed that he was beaten to death by the brother and father of a Chinese girl he was dating. The video created a frenzy on social media as the matter soon took the shape of an ‘honor killing’.
“The video being circulated on social media is not that of Usama Ahmad Khan,” the FO said. “Usama Ahmad Khan committed suicide at Shenyang city in Liaoning province in China.” People on social media were flabbergasted to see the brutal assault on a man in the video speculated to be Usama Ahmed Khan.
FAKE NEWS!!! The story about Usama Ahmad Khan has been disowned by the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan. It called upon the media to exercise caution in such matters, avoid sensationalism & stop spreading fake news. @CathayPak @ForeignOfficePk @OfficialDGISPR https://t.co/KKUzxsE5Q2
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) November 19, 2018
Federal Human Rights Minister Dr.Shireen Mazari took up the matter and after the investigation endorsed the statement of the Foreign Office of Pakistan on her Twitter account.
I spoke to our Amb in Beijing earlier this morning and he said the video of the Pak student circulating was "not authentic" and a press release had been issued. Tragic. Copy of press statement below: pic.twitter.com/sUseDD3xmR
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 19, 2018
The FO’s statement informed that the Ambassador of Pakistan to China deputed an officer of the Embassy to visit Shenyang and investigate the matter. The statement also mentioned the complete support offered by Chinese authorities throughout the process of investigation.
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“In Shenyang, he met students and faculty of the university, as well as, police authorities. Throughout this process, he remained in close contact with the family of the deceased and got full support of Chinese authorities,” reads the statement.
The FO requested “all to exercise caution in such matters, avoid sensationalism and stop spreading of fake news”, adding: “There is a need to respect sensitivity and privacy, especially of the bereaved family.”
The FO says the arrangements are underway to transport the body of the deceased to Pakistan soon.