Not only Hyundai, more than a dozen Pakistan-based global firms used anti-India ‘Kashmir Day’ social media posts
These companies from the US, UK, Germany, China, Japan, and Korea, and their dealers played into the hands of Pakistan's propaganda warfare on the Kashmir issue. All but Chinese companies removed these posts to escape action from India.
NEW DELHI: Following the Indian government’s diplomatic offensive launched on Tuesday, about a dozen global firms in automobile, pharmaceutical, and fast-food chain business in Pakistan abruptly removed the objectionable social media posts supporting Kashmir separatists celebrating Kashmir Solidarity Day.
However, the Chinese companies and their distributors and dealers remained audacious and refused to budge to the Indian diplomatic pressure, and continued to maintain their anti-India posts on their official social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A score of Pakistan-based companies and their channel partners from the US, UK, Germany, China, Korea, and Japan had made controversial social media posts about remembering the “sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers” on February 5, which Pakistan celebrates as Kashmir Solidarity Day.
These companies included KFC, Pizza Hut, and Domino Pizza from the USA, Schwabe from Germany, Hyundai, KIA, and Daewoo from Korea, and Hondo, Suzuki, Osaka Batteries, and Isuzu from Japan, and Procon from the UK.
Chinese companies like FAW Trucks Pakistan and ABC-Alhaj Bus Company which sells Chinese Zhong Tong Buses in Pakistan did not remove their controversial post and continued to carry these posters supporting Kashmir Day even after entire India stood up against this pro-Pakistan stance.
“Together we express our solidarity with the people of Kashmir and always we stand behind the rights of every single Kashmiri.#fawtruckspakistan #KashmirDay,” read its Facebook post. FAW Trucks, a subsidiary of FAW Jiefang – a truck manufacturing company headquartered in Changchun, Jilin, China.
However, a widespread social media backlash irrupted on Sunday after Indian people noticed a social media post by Pakistan-based Hyundai Motor Pakistan, an independently-owned distributor made a Kashmir-related Twitter post using the Hyundai brand.
Following this, the Indian government swung into action, asked its South Korea-based ambassador to seek clarification from Hyundai Motor Company in Seoul, and the union ministry of external affairs also summoned the Korean ambassador to discuss the matter in New Delhi.
Fearing boycott call by the Indian mass consumer base and diplomatic action by the Indian government, the Pakistan-based companies, and their channel partners from the US, UK, Germany, Korea, and Japan started bringing down their controversial social media posts from their officials account on Monday and Tuesday.
