ISLAMABAD: After a clarification from French Ambassador to Pakistan on Sunday that the ‘ID numbers’ are not exclusively for Muslim school-going children, the minister for human rights deleted a tweet “President Emmanuel Macron is treating Muslims like Nazis treated Jews in the World War II.”
The comments posted on Twitter by Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Saturday came as a part of clash between Pakistan and France after President Emmanuel Macron issued a ‘charter of republican values,’ detailing a series of steps aimed at purging France of what he declared as radical Islam, one of the measures made it necessary for school-going children to wear an identification number that would be used to ensure they are attending school.
Mazari justified her decision to delete the tweet by uploading a letter addressed to her by France Ambassador to Pakistan, and said: ‘the French envoy to Pakistan sent me the following message and as the article I had cited has been corrected by the relevant publication, I have also deleted my tweet on the same”.
The message sent to Mazari by the French Ambassador Marc Baréty said “the article by ‘the Muslim Vibe’ you commented has been rectified.”
He continued that ‘an earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that ID number would be exclusively for Muslim children in France. This has been amended to reflect that fact that the draconian measures within the bill will be place for all children in Macron’s bid to fight against what he has declared as ‘Islamist Separatism.’
“We sincerely apologize for our earlier error in reporting the facts of this story. Therefore, my authorities would appreciate your rectifying your tweeter statement as suggested,” said the French envoy.
Earlier in the day, France’s foreign ministry demanded Pakistan authorities withdraw comments made by the latter's human rights minister that President Emmanuel Macron was treating Muslims like Nazis had treated Jews in the World War 2. Without mentioning the name of Dr Mazari, the French foreign ministry also issued a statement rebuking a member of Pakistan’s cabinet for using social media to spread “deeply shocking and insulting remarks” about Macron that contained “blatant lies.” The ministry demanded that the Pakistani government “rectify” the incendiary comments.
The French Embassy in Pakistan was more direct, responding to Mazari's tweet by saying: "Fake news and false accusation."
The comments posted on Twitter by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Saturday came as part of a clash between Pakistan and France over the publication of images of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by a French magazine. The images have sparked anger and protests in the Muslim world, especially in Pakistan.
“Macron is doing to Muslims what the Nazis did to the Jews — Muslim children will get ID numbers (other children won’t) just as Jews were forced to wear the yellow star on their clothing for identification,” Mazari said in a tweet linking to an online article.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020