Leader from Pakistan PM's party apologises for posters offensive to Hindus

A leader from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, who put up banners with a slogan offensive to the minority Hindus in the country, has apologised after he came under fire from netizens as well as the party.

Mian Akram Usman, a Lahore-based leader of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, put up posters in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day, which was observed across the country on February 5, with the slogan "Hindu baat se nahi, laat se maanta hai" (Hindus cannot be reasoned with using words but by force).

The banners also featured the images of Usman, the PTI Lahore general secretary, along with Prime Minister Khan and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

After coming under criticism on social media, Usman took to Twitter to apologise to "all peacefully living 'Hindus' [on] both sides of the border".

Usman told DawnNewsTV that he had asked his printer to prepare posters in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day which should have slogans critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The printer "misunderstood" his directions and replaced the word "Modi" with "Hindu" on the banners, the PTI leader claimed.

Responding to a Twitter user, Usman said the posters had been removed "immediately" after they came to his notice.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari in a tweet on Thursday said Usman had been "reprimanded and posters were taken off immediately".

She termed it "a shameful and ignorant approach by the individual".

In March last year, another member of the ruling party, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan was removed as the Punjab information and culture minister amid intense criticism over his derogatory remarks against the Hindu community.