Pakistan’s communal mindset exposed at Oscars 2017 -- Top Diplomat does U-turn over ‘non-Muslim’ Oscar winner

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The actor was honoured with Oscar for his portrayal of a drug dealer in coming-of-age drama "Moonlight", becoming the first Muslim actor ever to win the prestigious award. 

Screen grab (left) of the tweet on Mahershala Ali that Maleeha Lodi,
Pakistan’s envoy to the UN, deleted. (Twitter)

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: The Financial Express
By FE Online | February 27, 2017

In what can be called a blatant expose of Pakistan’s communal mindset, it’s diplomat to United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi was allegedly forced to delete a tweet congratulating Oscar winning Muslim actor Mahershala Ali, an Ahmadi, considered to be non-Muslims in Pakistan.

The actor was honoured with Oscar for his portrayal of a drug dealer in coming-of-age drama “Moonlight”, becoming the first Muslim actor ever to win the prestigious award.

Lodhi, who tweeted to applaud Ali’s success, was criticised for promoting an “Ahmadi”. In an apparent response to criticism, the diplomat went with deleting the Tweet.  As per PTI, Ali’s birth name is Mahershalalhashbaz and he converted to Islam in 1999. In 2001, he joined the Ahmadiyya Community.

Pakistan’s parliament had declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims in 1974.

There have been instances the community was targeted by Islamic extremists, who view them as heretics. Article 260-3 of Pakistan’s Constitution declares Ahmadis “non-Muslims”. PTI reports that Ahmadi’s are banned  from preaching and even from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. In a crackdown on Ahmadis, several of their mosques were shut, while publications of their material is prohibited. The minority Ahmadiyya Community members have also been taken to court on blasphemy charges.


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