Twitter schools Firdous Ashiq Awan for insensitive earthquake comments
Firdous Ashiq Awan had said the earthquake in Northern Pakistan was a sign of 'tabdeeli'
September 25, 2019
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has come under fire after she said the earthquake in Northern Pakistan was a sign of tabdeeli [change].
Addressing a digital media workshop, Awan said, “This restiveness is a sign of change that the earth has also taken a turn. Maybe this early change is also not acceptable to it,” she said with a smile on her face.
Awan was heavily criticised for her remarks, which came after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook several parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa provinces.
Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari tweeted an apology on the government’s behalf. “The Information SAPM's remarks on the earthquake were insensitive, absolutely inappropriate and most certainly had nothing to do with govt viewpoint. Human suffering can never be made light of.”
She added, “Since govt means collective responsibility I apologize for the shock and hurt felt by the SAPM's insensitive and inappropriate remarks on the earthquake and her jocular tone on an issue of human suffering.”
Other users were also quick to criticise the SAPM.
Later Awan took to Twitter and in video post said her remarks had been blown out of context.
She said it was irresponsible of social media to negatively portray her remarks, adding she had made the comments on how social media is changing the country and not on the earthquake.
