Khaqan Shahnawaz shocked by people's 'hypocrisy' after controversial earthquake joke

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit parts of Pakistan on March 21, resulting in loss of nine lives and injuries to 44 people. The quake lasted for over 30 seconds and left many, including celebrities, shaken.

Several artists took to social media to express their shock at the severity of the situation. However, YouTuber and actor Khaqan Shahnawaz used the opportunity to make a tasteless joke, which he shared online. The video mocked the people affected by the earthquake, and it drew a lot of criticism from the public. Consequently, Shahnawaz deleted the clip.

He later issued a statement on Instagram, calling out the "hypocrisy" of his followers. He noted that people laugh at things like rape jokes, 9/11 and antisemitic jokes, but they can't tolerate an earthquake joke. He apologised for hurting people's feelings and added that it was their right to criticise him. Nevertheless, he found the hypocrisy astonishing.

The earthquake occurred on Tuesday evening around 9:50 pm and lasted for more than 30 seconds. It was felt in a vast region, from central Asia to New Delhi in India, which is over 2,000 km away. The tremors were felt by around 285 million people across Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

Officials from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reported that nine individuals, including two women and two children, had lost their lives in the quake.

Shahidullah Khan, a senior government official, told the media that at least 180 individuals suffered minor injuries across the province and were taken to various hospitals.

Massive earthquake kills at least 9 people, injures 160 in Pakistan