Pakistan’s mission in Jeddah had to pay 19,500 riyals (Rs472,660) in religious fine to the Saudi Arabian authorities in 2007 because then-prime minister and his elaborate entourage had violated a basic and widely-known Shariah condition while performing Umrah, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to Islamic Shariah, it is mandatory for every male intending pilgrim to wear Ahram (traditional white, unstitched robe consisting of two sheets) before entering the geographical limits of Meeqat, Kaabah, while performing Umrah.
However, if a pilgrim performs Umrah, and does Tawaf-e-Kaabah (circumambulation of the Kaabah) without wearing Ahram after crossing into Meeqat, will be liable to slaughter a goat or pay its price to the poor as fine (damm).
Official documents reveal that former premier Shaukat Aziz and his entire 50-member delegation violated this Shariah tenet while circumambulating the Kaabah during their Umrah in 2007.
While performing Umrah, it’s mandatory for the pilgrims to circumabulate the Kaabah seven times anti-clockwise.
Ironically, neither Premier Aziz nor any member of his delegation knew about the Ahram condition and were hence fined for violating the Shariah tenet.
The auditor general of Pakistan (AGP), in his report for 2008-09, raised objection to the payment of 19,500 riyals from the public exchequer for the religious mistake of Premier Aziz and his delegation.
The report says that Pakistan’s Consulate General in Jeddah, in violation of rules, also spent around 34,354 riyals on the purchase of Ahrams, costly dates (Ajwa) and Aab-e-Zam Zam for the premier and his delegation as a gift.
The AGP recommended to the ministry of foreign affairs to recover the amount from those officials who spent the public money without any authorisation.
Sources, however, say that the foreign ministry is still squabbling over the mode of recovering the money from the officials. Some officials believe that the amount should be recovered from Aziz and his delegation members.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (18)
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@Tariq Ahmad:
You and I LET them run this country. Remember that everyone. We all cry on the internet about corruption, and thats pretty much all we ever do.
Who is more corrupt? A minister who goes on a religious trip paid for by the poor people and gets penalized for lack of etiquette or the hosts who make money by imposing the Arab imperialism on the devout people from other parts under the guise of religion?!
5 Years of claiming he stole billions and this is all they find against him ? A technicality ? And only 19,500 Riyals ?
Bring this guy back Already!
This whole notion of going for religious pilgrimage on state expense to begin with is probably the greatest crime against the nation. If you love God, please pay from your own pocket to fly thousands of miles to tell him that. Ostentatious displays of religion such as these remind one of the munafiqeen.
Umrah and Hajj are used and political bribe and payback for a longtime. This process would continue unless there is a religious edict and Sharia Court order that for a well to do person Umrah, Hajj and all pilgrimages are un-Islamic. Unless the whole society changes its attitude these practices would continue at the expense of public. In fact such traditions be restricted to one time only. What a shame that all the atrocities of Gen Mush's era are swept under the rug.
Shortcut Aziz, as he was affectionately known, had been the MD of SAMBA Bank in SA for 3 years and must have performed Umrah many times during his tenure. For him not to know is like Rehman Malik's inability to recite Prayer verses in the Cabinet meeting. Both of them were duffers who got too far ahead in their careers than they were meant to!!!
Do u mean to say that neither the ex PM nor anyone in his entourage knew about the religious procedures even though they were on a pilgirmage? Great muslims indeed. But your ex PM knew how to stow away all the state gifts received for a throw away price .Great PM indeed.
What's the point of this? A deed done back on 07, reported in 08,09..whom are you kidding with this news? And, seriously? Just 472,660? Dear reporter, your current Prime-Dacoit Gillani's tour of England costs a 1000 times more than this, only the rent of the suite he was more in 10s of millions rupees. We, citizens of Pakistan are very rich, and of course these small deeds can be ignored.
Its a matter of great shame for the then Head of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to be so ignorant on such an important religious subject and this act simply reflects their mindset and knowledge about the matters pertaining to Islam, It is equally interesting to observe as to how were they ignored by others while performing Saee between Safa and Marwah.
Government of Pakistan should ensure that such officials while spending public money should be trained well in Madarsaas for such occasions and behave very humbly without displaying merely their VIP status and showing their might in the house of Allah the Mightiest of All.
It does not surprise me that Pakistani consulate paid for them what is more surprising is that they went for umra without knowing the basic rules of performing it.
Is Shaukat a muslim? How can you not know about the Ahram?????
What I will give to have him back instead of this current lot.
Finally, these long dysfunctional civilian institutions are starting to do their job properly. It took them more than 60 years to get to this point but we're getting there, slowly.
And these idiots ran the country
neither Premier Aziz nor any member of his delegation knew about the Ahram condition . . . did they went for Umrah or a pleasure trip . . .???
Shaukat Aziz is mostly in Dubai these days . Please contact him. I'm sure the multi millionaire would like to immediately pay to avoid further embarrassment.
The only good thing done by Shaukat Aziz. This isn't a big deal in our culture. Our culture should not bow down to Saudi's. South Asian culture is generally regarded as superior to Arab culture, at least in so far as dynamism and liberty are concerned. Good show. Regards, Rehan
Let me guess, another banker?