Pakistani politician apologises for backing sacked CNN journalist

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    <div class=”mol-img-group floatRHS” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a top Pakistani politician who meets with UK government officials, lent support to sacked CNN reporter </div> <noscript> Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a top Pakistani politician who meets with UK government officials, lent support to sacked CNN reporter </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a top Pakistani politician who meets with UK government officials, lent support to sacked CNN reporter</p></div><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>One of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s closest advisors has apologised after endorsing a TV journalist who said the world ‘needs a new Hitler’ amid clashes between Israel and Hamas.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Mirza Shahzad Akbar, Mr Khan’s right-hand man, had jumped to the defence of CNN reporter Adeel Raja after he was sacked over the tweet which he posted Sunday.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Mr Akbar, who meets with British government officials including Home Secretary Priti Patel, described the sacking as an attack on ‘impartial journalism’ in a tweet.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>That drew a fierce backlash from senior media figures in Pakistan, forcing Mr Akbar to issue an apology.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Mr Akbar had written: ‘Losing @CNN job for @adeelraja is less of a financial loss for him than for CNN losing credibility for impartiality in journalism.’ </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>The former editor of national newspaper Dawn Abbas Nasir responded, saying: ‘Are you also a fan of the genocidal Hitler?

    Please confirm.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Imran Khan’s former wife Reham Khan tweeted: ‘Unbelievable that Imran Khan’s closest aide and minister literally glorifying Hitler and anti-Semitism.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’This is unacceptable and this will harm Pakistan. Glorification of Hitler and genocide of Jewish people is not impartial journalism, its incitement of terrorism.'</p><div class=”artSplitter mol-img-group” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img” style=”height: auto;”> <div class=”image-wrap”> Mr Akbar tweeted out in support for journalist Adeel Raja after he was fired for saying the world 'need a new Hitler' amid violence between Israel and Hamas </div> <noscript> Mr Akbar tweeted out in support for journalist Adeel Raja after he was fired for saying the world 'need a new Hitler' amid violence between Israel and Hamas </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Mr Akbar tweeted out in support for journalist Adeel Raja after he was fired for saying the world ‘need a new Hitler’ amid violence between Israel and Hamas</p></div><div class=”artSplitter mol-img-group” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> Reham Khan, Imran's ex-wife, said it is 'unbelievable' that Mr Akbar - a top adviser to the Pakistani PM - is 'glorifying Hitler and anti-Semitism' </div> <noscript> Reham Khan, Imran's ex-wife, said it is 'unbelievable' that Mr Akbar - a top adviser to the Pakistani PM - is 'glorifying Hitler and anti-Semitism' </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Reham Khan, Imran’s ex-wife, said it is ‘unbelievable’ that Mr Akbar – a top adviser to the Pakistani PM – is ‘glorifying Hitler and anti-Semitism'</p></div><div><div data-track-module=”am-related_carousel^related_carousel” data-track-selector=”.rotator-panels a:not([class*=external])” data-dm-rotator-rotate=”false” data-track-pos=”static” data-preferred-shared-network-enabled=”” data-dm-rotator-auto-init=”” id=”p-24″ class=”related-carousel with-fb-or-tw news half” data-dm-rotator-active-class=”active” data-dm-rotator-page-count=”1.0″ data-dm-social-article-auto-init=”” data-dm-rotator-page-size=”1″> <div class=”rotator bdrcc”> <div class=”rotator-title”> <h2>RELATED ARTICLES</h2> <ul class=”rotator-pages link-xocc”> <li class=”rotator-prev”>Previous

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    </div> </div><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Hamza Azhar Salem,editor of The Pakistan Daily tweeted: ‘Extremely shocked to see a govt official @ShazadAkbar condoning Hitler and the holocaust. Such blatant anti semitism does not help the Palestinian cause. </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’The glorification of Hitler by @adeelraja and Shahzad Akbar does not represent the views of the Pakistani nation.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Waseem Abbasi, of Urdu News, which has millions of slot online followers, told Mr Akbar that praising Hitler did not help the Palestinian cause and instead harmed it.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Leading Pakistani Human Rights activist Meena Gabeena accused Mr Akbar of endorsing Jewish hatred and conspiracy theories.</p><div class=”mol-img-group floatRHS” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> Adeel Raja, who had contributed to CNN since 2013, was sacked following the tweet, which he sent on Sunday </div> <noscript> Adeel Raja, who had contributed to CNN since 2013, was sacked following the tweet, which he sent on Sunday </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Adeel Raja, who had contributed to CNN since 2013, was sacked following the tweet, which he sent on Sunday</p></div><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Mr Akbar then deleted his pro-Hitler tweet and issued a clarification: ‘To clarify my earlier tweet, there is no doubt in my mind about Hitler being a maniac having committed genocide of Jews.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’However what #Israel is doing in #GazaUnderAttak is not less than a Genocide of #Palestinian World needs to condemn Israeli actions in Palestine on similar level.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Sources said Mr Akbar and Raja were close friends and the under-fire journalist was a supporter of Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Raja hit back after his CNN sacking today Tweeting: ‘Glad a single tweet contributed to the #Palestine cause and brought it to limelight with me losing my job and the West’s claim of Freedom of expression and human rights!’ </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>In a statement, CNN officials said Adeel Raja’s ‘reporting contributed to some newsgathering efforts from Islamabad. </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’However, in light of these abhorrent statements, he will not be working with CNN again in any capacity.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Raja, who appears to have worked as a freelance contributor for CNN since 2013, tweeted the anti-Semitic remark at around 12:45 p.m.

    Sunday, and deleted it at around 3:15 p.m. </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Raja had been working with CNN in Islamabad, Pakistan since August 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile.</p><div class=”artSplitter mol-img-group” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> On Sunday, he came under fire for tweeting 'The world today needs a Hitler,' seemingly in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine </div> <noscript> On Sunday, he came under fire for tweeting 'The world today needs a Hitler,' seemingly in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>On Sunday, he came under fire for tweeting ‘The world today needs a Hitler,’ seemingly in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine</p></div><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>He is also an executive producer at Pakistani ARY News which airs in the UK under the company name New Vision Television Limited (NVTV). </p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Many Twitter users had called for CNN to fire him and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to ban him from the social media site after his latest tweet.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Until this weekend’s filing of the outrageous Hitler call, Twitter had taken no action against the openly anti-Jewish reporter.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Donald Trump Jr.

    waded into the row on Twitter when he posted: ‘Hey @CNN this seems to be one of yours, but I imagine that surprises no one anymore.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>In 2014, while watching the FIFA World Cup, Raja tweeted: ‘The only reason I am supporting Germany in the finals — Hitler was a German and he did good with those Jews.’ The next day, he tweeted: ‘Hail Hitler.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>The Pakistani Prime Minister was said to have come under ‘huge pressure’ to force Akbar to withdraw his support for Raja.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>A source said: ‘After Imran’s remarks about women and rape which caused a lot of anger, this is the last thing he needed.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’It is so embarrassing for him, particularly as he has spent much of his life in the West and has Jewish friends friends in the UK.

    <u>He needs to tell his ministers to shut up and stop speaking nonsense.'</p></div></u>
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