Pakistani pilgrims held for ‘disrespecting’ Masjid-e-Nabwi

Rana says Saudis to be approached for action against miscreants who heckled ministers

ISLAMABAD:

Saudi authorities have detained the Pakistani pilgrims, who confronted and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation at Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina.

The spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad on Friday confirmed the development, saying that some of the Pakistani protesters were arrested for violating the regulations and disrespecting the holy place.

The premier had arrived in Madina on Thursday on a three-day official visit with his cabinet members and parliamentarians.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday maintained that the disrespectful incident that occurred at Masjid-e-Nabwi in the wee hours of the day was pre-planned in Pakistan at the behest of former premier Imran Khan and ex-interior minister Sheikh Rashid.

He added that the government would request its Saudi Arabian counterpart to take appropriate action against those who used indecent language in the premises of the holy site and misbehaved with ministers.

Addressing a news conference along with Adviser to PM on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira, Rana said the interior ministry had sought advice from the law department about taking legal action against the miscreants involved in the incident.

“The law ministry has also been asked to assist in determining that whether or not the cases could be filed here in Pakistan.”

Angry protesters, apparently supporters of the PTI, gathered around PM Shehbaz and his delegation and shouted slogans of “thieves” and “beggars” – one of the pictures captured on the scene showing the premier sitting in a vehicle visibly perturbed by the incident.

"Chor! Chor!": Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation were bombarded by chants of "thieves" and "beggars" hurled at them by some “frustrated” Pakistanis as they arrived in Madina.

For more, visit: https://t.co/EzdbYGuTya #etribune #news #shehbazsharif #madina pic.twitter.com/TvYQS6MGtZ

— The Express Tribune (@etribune) April 28, 2022

In a series of videos doing the rounds on social media, the miscreants can be seen specifically targeting Narcotics Minister Nawab Shahzain Bugti, calling him a “shameless” and a “lota”. In fact, one of them even grabbed him by his hair.

One of the miscreants could be heard shouting obscenities at Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Speaking at the news conference, Rana said violating the sanctity of Masjid-e-Nabwi was a “shameful act”. “What happened in Madina was disappointing and damaged our country’s image,” he added.

The minister said PTI chief Imran should refrain from spreading anarchy and hatred in the country only to achieve his political objectives.

“Such things are not useful for a parliamentary system.”

Rana further claimed that the incident was pre-planned and it was not difficult to stage a protest with the help of 50 to 100 people.

He added that Bugti was physically assaulted while protesters also harassed and misbehaved with Marriyum.

“My ministry is going to make a humble request to the Saudi government to take appropriate action in this regard so that such behaviour is controlled. We will also inform them that the whole nation passed through a stressful period when they came to know what happened at the holy mosque.”

He said the Saudi authorities would be requested to identify the miscreants through CCTV footage and share details with Pakistan so that appropriate action could be taken against them.

“These culprits should be sent back and they should not be allowed to stay there. Such elements don’t not deserve to be at holy places as it could cause religious disharmony there.”

Speaking on the occasion, Kaira said Imran possessed a “fascist” mindset.

“The whole world is disappointed by Imran Khan resorting to such low to gain his political objectives.”

Other federal ministers also condemned the reprehensible display at Masjid-e-Nabwi by PTI supporters.

“We unequivocally condemn the abusive slogans chanted against cabinet members in a place as holy and sacred as Masjid-e-Nabwi,” said Federal Climate Change Minister Senator Sherry Rehman in a statement.

“It was clearly pre-planned and deliberately orchestrated as a former minister [Sheikh Rashid] confessed on media. What is worse is that not only was it pre-planned, it was actually not condemned, but encouraged by PTI leaders. Such shocking and reprehensible behaviour has never before been witnessed in the darkest hours of Pakistan’s politics,” she added.

Separately, Railways Minister Saad Rafique told the media in Lahore that Imran had become the Abu Jahl of this era.

“He [Imran] has resorted to doing the dirtiest thing possible in the world,” he said while addressing a news conference at the Lahore Press Club accompanied by other PML-N leaders – Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Imran Nazir.

The minister noted that a tragic incident had taken place at Masjid-e-Nabwi -- the videos of which were available.

“Rana Sanaullah rightly called [former interior minister] Sheikh Rashid the devil of Pindi. Today I say that too.”