Shireen Mazari deletes Nazi tweet after France protest

Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari has retracted her tweet targeting President Emmanuel Macron after French authorities termed it “false accusation” and demanded withdrawal.

Mazari drew the ire of French officials after she claimed in a tweet-based on a news report that President Macron was treating Muslims like Nazis had treated Jews in the World War II.

“The French Envoy to Pak 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,” she clarified on her official Twitter handle on Sunday.

France’s foreign ministry had demanded Pakistan authorities withdraw comments made by Mazari and its embassy in Pakistan had termed the news report “fake” and minister’s claim “false accusation”.

In reaction, Mazari in a follow-up tweet said: “Read link 4 source of story - if fake then get retraction of story published which I gave as link @FranceinPak instead of calling my tweet "fake"! Btw why are nuns allowed to wear their "habit" in public places but Muslim women not their hijab? Discrimination, n'est ce pas?”

The comments posted on Twitter by Mazari came as part of a clash between Pakistan and France over the blasphemous caricatures published by a French magazine. The images have sparked anger and protests in the Muslim world, especially in Pakistan.

“These hateful words are blatant lies, imbued with an ideology of hatred and violence. Such slander is unworthy of this level of responsibility. We reject them with the greatest firmness,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Agnes von der Muhll said, adding that Paris had informed the Pakistan embassy of its strong condemnation of the comments.

“Pakistan must rectify these remarks and return to the path of a dialogue based on respect.”

(With additional input from Reuters)