Usman Dar apologies over racist remarks
Usman Dar, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Youth landed in trouble after making derogatory remarks about Pathans. His latest remarks have set the social media in frenzy and on Wednesday morning, ‘Shame on Usman Dar’ started trending on Twitter.
It happened while making an appearance at the Express-News talk show when Dar during the discussion compared participants of the Azadi March to Pathan street vendors. “They’ll get the same [returns] as those Pathans who roam the streets and sell Rs500 blanket for Rs50 and then leave,” he said.
PML-N leader Hina Pervez Butt, who was also a guest on the show, called him out immediately and said his use of the word Pathan in this context was condemnable. We’re all Pakistani,” she said.
By taking it to social media, Usman Dar issued an apology over his remarks. Though he took his words back during the show when the anchor asked him to do so!
The minister wrote that he respects all Pakistanis and hurting any Pakistani was unacceptable for him. “I have already taken the words I said during this programme back but if any of my Pakhtun brothers are still hurt by my words, I apologise”, he further added.
تمام پاکستانی میرے لیے انتہائی قابلِ احترام ہیں۔ کسی بھی شخص یا قوم کی کسی بھی طریقہ سے دل آزاری کرنا میرے لیے ناقابلِ قبول ہے۔ میں اسی پروگرام میں اپنے یہ الفاظ واپس لے چکا ہوں۔ اگر میرے کسی بھی جملے سے میرے پختون بھائیوں کی دل آزاری ہوئی تو میں اس پر معذرت خواہ ہوں۔ https://t.co/4TCVc1oTKE pic.twitter.com/W6skQrJ8QH
— Usman Dar (@UdarOfficial) November 5, 2019
MNA Mohsin Dawar also called out Dar for making fun of people who are just trying to make an honest living.
Pashtun displacement into Punjab is a cost of Pak's strategic depth policy. These Pashtuns won't have left their homeland, if it wasnt used for strategic games & was allowed to grow to full potential. #ShameOnUsmanDar for making fun of those who are just making an honest living.
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) November 5, 2019
On Wednesday, #ShameonUsmanDar started trending on Twitter. People were upset with the PTI leader’s remarks, especially since his political party PTI is currently in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Whatever the context of his statement would be, but his irresponsible words were heart wrenching for every pashtun of this land.
Ethically he should apologise unconditionally.#ShameOnUsmanDar— Ehsan Mahsud (@EkMahsud) November 5, 2019
Racism is deeply rooted in Pakistani society. Usman Dar’s racist comments against Pashtuns is not surprising at all. His leader Imran Khan himself used to say that “Allah has created 2 types of nation; humans and Pathan”. Jokes in Punjabs are mostly about Pathan. #ShameOnUsmanDar
— Saleem Javed | سلیم جاوید (@mSaleemJaved) November 6, 2019
He first apologizes and then repeats the same thing on TV later in the evening.
They played the Pashtun card for Niazi who neither speaks Pashto nor supports any cultural value, like sticking to his WORD.#ShameOnUsmanDar— Asher Azeem (@ashirazeemgill) November 6, 2019
Yes shame on you! @UdarOfficial We have huge respect for everyone who earns his/her livelihood through fair means. Do not disrespect the protestors. We feel pity for them. Disrespect Maulana who did not show up for them. #ShameOnUsmanDar
— Shahrukh Gulnaz Khosa (@KhosaShahrukh) November 6, 2019