A leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who put up posters carrying derogatory remarks against the Hindu community, has sought an apology over the anti-Hindu remarks while blaming the printer for the mistake.
The banners featuring Lahore-based PTI leader Mian Muhammad Akram Usman’s photograph with his message: Hindu baat se nai laat se manta hai [Hindu cannot be talked into accepting, they have to be kicked into that].”
The banners, which were apparently put up in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, caused a social media backlash.
The PTI leader said the posters had been taken off “immediately” after it came to his notice. I’m not the one who [gets] stuck on mistakes
Taking to the micro-blogging website, the PTI leader blamed the printer for mistakenly writing “Hindu” instead of the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the posters.
“It’s mistakenly written by printer “Hindu” instead of “Modi” I apologies all peacefully living “Hindus” living both sides of the border,” Usman wrote on Twitter.
It’s mistakenly written by printer “Hindu” instead of “Modi” I apologies all peacefully living “Hindus” living both sides of the border. pic.twitter.com/rYR6fta356
— Mian Akram Usman (@akramusman_PTI) February 5, 2020
Earlier, reacting on the tweet, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said the PTI leader was reprimanded for his “shameful and ignorant” act, saying that the posters were removed immediately.
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“He was reprimanded and posters were taken off immediately – a shameful and ignorant approach by the individual,” she said.
He was reprimanded and posters were taken off immediately – a shameful and ignorant approach by the individual. https://t.co/4HrFvZOMZj
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) February 6, 2020
A human rights activist Kapil Dev not only criticized the language used in the posters but reminded the PTI leader that he should not have used the photo of “beloved” founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his “hate-filled” posters against the Hindu community.
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“Sometimes in our jingoism, we forget the fact that 4 million + Hindus live in #Pakistan too. Similarly, 200+ million #Muslims live in India too. Mr Usman, you should not at least used photo of my beloved Quaid Muhammad Ali Jinnah in you hate-filled poster against #Hindus.”
Sometimes in our jingoism we forget the fact that 4 million + Hindus live in #Pakistan too. Similarly, 200+ million #Muslims live in India too.
Mr Usman, you should not at least used photo of my beloved Quaid Mohammad Ali Jinnah in you hate-filled poster against #Hindus. pic.twitter.com/ruHIzWjXzb
— Kapil Dev کپل دیو (@KDSindhi) February 5, 2020
Later, while responding to a Twitter user, the PTI leader said the posters had been taken off “immediately” after it came to his notice. “I’m not the one who [gets] stuck on mistakes,” he insisted.
— Mian Akram Usman (@akramusman_PTI) February 6, 2020