Pakistani pilgrims arrested for chanting ‘chor’ in opposition to PM Shehbaz Sharif at Medina mosque

Saudi authorities on Friday arrested some Pakistani pilgrims for hounding and chanting abusive slogans in opposition to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation on the Masjid-i-Nabwi within the holy metropolis of Madina, the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad confirmed on Friday.

According to the media director of the Saudi embassy, the protesters have been taken into custody for “violating the regulations” and “disrespecting” the sanctity of the revered mosque by chanting “chor chor” (thieves) as quickly as they noticed the prime minister, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported.

The newly appointed prime minister is on a three-day go to to Saudi Arabia — his first international journey since assuming workplace — together with a delegation together with Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari amongst others.

The delegation, which headed to the Prophet’s mosque to supply prayers after arriving in Madina on Thursday, confronted protest and chanting on the holy mosque, highlighting the movies circulating on social media.

Prime Minister Sharif and his son Hamza are going through allegations of cash laundering. They have denied any wrongdoing and alleged that the circumstances in opposition to them had been politically motivated.

Another video confirmed the pilgrims heckling and chanting abusive slogans in opposition to federal ministers Marriyum Aurangzeb and Shahzain Bugti, who had been escorted by Saudi guards. A pilgrim is also seen pulling Bugti’s hair from behind.

Responding to the harassment confronted by pilgrims, Marriyum Aurangzeb in a video message stated the act was perpetrated by a “select group”, whereas most Pakistanis respect the sanctity of the holy mosque.

“I don’t want to name the person responsible for this incident because I don’t want to use this holy land for political purposes,” she added.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated his ministry would request the Saudi Arabia authorities to take “appropriate action” in opposition to the Pakistani pilgrims.

“My ministry will make a humble request to the Saudi government to take appropriate action on this matter. We are going to convey the pain the nation felt at these incidents in Masjid-i-Nabwi,” he stated.

Sanaullah stated the Saudi authorities can be requested to establish these concerned within the incident in order that they might be deported to Pakistan as they had been “not worthy of living on the sacred land”.

Condemning the incident, Pakistan Ulema Council chairman Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi stated Muslims had been meant to bow their heads and decrease their voices in Masjid-i-Nabwi as a substitute of elevating soiled slogans and hurling allegations on the holy day of Ramzan.

Blaming ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for the incident, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, sister of newly appointed Foreign Minister Bilawal, stated the Opposition celebration was inciting “intolerance and divisiveness”.

Religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel additionally tweeted that the protest on the holy mosque wasn’t “acceptable in Islam”.

Meanwhile, PTI General Secretary Asad Umar asserted that respecting the sanctity of holy locations was a should for everybody.