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TikToker apologizes for insulting Pakistani Christian maid

Nimra Ali accused of hurting religious sentiments with derogatory social media video
TikToker apologizes for insulting Pakistani Christian maid

Nimra Ali apologized for her comments about her Christian maid. (Photo: Facebook)

Published: November 19, 2020 08:30 AM GMT
Updated: November 19, 2020 08:32 AM GMT

Responding to an outcry from social media users, a Muslim TikToker in Pakistan has apologized for using a derogatory term for her Christian maid.

More than 400 social media users posted angry comments about the video by Lahore-based social media sensation Nimra Ali.

“It’s tough to take a bath in when winter arrives. I will tell you what to do. Can you share some tips with some tips?” she said, referring to her maid.

“She doesn’t take a bath. She is the churi of our house. Are you a churi? … no, no, no. She is the Christian girl of our house. I just call her with love.”

Pakistani Christians are often referred as chura (low caste), an abusive term reserved for sanitation workers.

News Net Pakistan, a Christian network based on Facebook, condemned the video.

“The Islamic society considers it her prerogative to call minority Christians chura. If a minority says something, it’s disruption. Our insult is nothing new. We have been suffering this on a daily basis. Imagine the training of these people. Their new generation is also filled with this venom,” it stated.

“Shame on you,” stated another netizen.

In September, Ali referred to Hindus as “goats” and ridiculed the death of Hindus during the partition of India. Following a social media backlash, she tendered an apology.

Ali issued her latest apology on Nov. 18.

“I deleted that video despite 19k views. I am sorry from my heart. It was by mistake. I called my sister with love. It wasn’t a bad intention to hurt sentiments. These comments couldn’t let me sleep last night. Some of my friends are Christians. I will be careful next time," she said.

Pastor Irfan James, a local missionary, replied to Ali’s video with an angry emoticon. “We condemn the one-sided implementation of the blasphemy law. She is used to insulting the beliefs of religious minorities,” he told UCA News. 

In August, Christian man Sohail Masih was arrested in Nowshera Virkan, Punjab province, on blasphemy charges for criticizing the sacrificial meat of Eid al-Adha in a Facebook discussion.

Last December, TV show host Mubashir Luqman drew the ire of the Christian community over uploading a video called “25th December, Christmas Day, Myth or Reality” on his YouTube channel.

Last November, another female TikTok user uploaded a music video of her walking barefoot on a rug depicting the Last Supper. Both later apologized.

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