PRINCE HARRY , the third in line to the British throne, has sparked a row by referring to an Asian member of his platoon as "PAKI", with the royal being accused of "racism" and "offensive" behaviour by top politicians and Muslim leaders in the UK."PAKI" is a derogatory term for Pakistanis. According to The News of the World newspaper, PRINCE HARRY, who is an Army Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, made the remark in 2006 at an airport departure lounge as soldiers waited
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to travel to Cyprus for training exercises.
"PRINCE HARRY was making a film of his army mates using a camcorder. He was talking over it -- moving the shots to different individuals. But when he passed over an Asian-looking soldier, he stopped and zoomed in. Then he said 'And here is our PAKI friend' -- before moving on to someone else," the report said quoting a senior royal source.
Mohammed Shafiq, director of Muslim youth organisation the Ramadan Foundation, said PRINCE HARRY is "guilty of racism which upsets and offends many British Asians".
The use of this sort of racism has no justification and I am saddened by those that are advocating using this term is not RACIST," Shafiq said.
He said PRINCE HARRY should be thoroughly "ashamed of himself. PRINCE HARRY, as a public figure, must ensure that he promotes equality and tolerance and this rant, whether today or three years ago, is sickening and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself, he was quoted as saying by the Times online today.
The royal has also been condemned by senior British politicians, who said that his remarks about an Army colleague were "offensive".
Conservative Party leader David Cameron said PRINCE HARRY's reference to an Asian member of his platoon as our little PAKI friend" was "obviously completely unacceptable." PTI
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Politicians and religious groups on Sunday condemned PRINCE HARRY of Britain for calling a Pakistani Army colleague a "PAKI" in video footage published by a newspaper on its Web site.
The 24-year-old prince was forced to apologize, saying there was no RACIST malice intended by the comments made in a 2006 video which was procured by The News of the World.
The leader of the opposition Conservative Party, David Cameron, said the comments were a "completely unacceptable thing to say and it is right that he has apologized."
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, echoed Cameron's remarks, but said a line should be drawn under the incident.
"He shouldn't have used those words, it will have caused considerable offence and has obviously caused him a considerable amount of embarrassment," Clegg told Sky television.
The word "PAKI" is derogatory slang for an immigrant or descendant of an immigrant from Pakistan.
The prime minister's office declined to comment, but Innovation Secretary John Denham told Sky television that such language was no longer acceptable.
"This sort of language can be seen as offensive, is offensive, is gradually going out of use in our society, and he's apologized for it," he said.
The recording was made a year after PRINCE HARRY was criticized for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party, a gaffe that sparked an international outcry.
In some of the footage, PRINCE HARRY - grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and third in line to the British throne - is behind the camera and can he heard making a mock commentary.
"Anyone else here. Ah, our little PAKI friend, Ahmed," PRINCE HARRY says as he zooms onto the face of an Asian officer cadet while waiting at an airport to fly to Cyprus.
PRINCE HARRY was also shown telling another officer cadet wearing a camouflage veil during night training in Cyprus, "You look like a raghead" - an offensive term for an Arab.
Muhammad Shafiq, director of the Ramadhan Foundation, said the prince's remarks were RACIST.
"I am deeply shocked and saddened at PRINCE HARRY's racism which upsets and offends many British Asians," he said. "The use of this sort of racism has no justification and I am saddened by those that are advocating using this term is not RACIST."
But a spokesman for PRINCE HARRY said the prince understood how offensive his language toward his comrade was.
"However, on this occasion three years ago, PRINCE HARRY used the term without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon," the spokesman said.
The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella group for British Muslim organizations, said PRINCE HARRY's language was unacceptable and had harmed the image of the army, which has been trying to recruit more widely from minorities.
But a council spokesman, Inayat Bunglawala, said that PRINCE HARRY had done the right thing by apologizing.
"In the big scheme of things, there are more important issues that we should be discussing, not least the carnage in Gaza," he said.
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