News
May 08 , 2022
Saudi Authorities Arrest Pakistanis for Sloganeering at Masjid-e-Nabawi
Karachi: After some protesters, allegedly belonging to the PTI, violated the sanctity of the Masjid-e-Nabawi (PBUH) in Madinah on Thursday by loudly chanting slogans against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation , Saudi Arabian authorities arrested some Pakistani nationals involved in the incident.
According to the director of information at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Islamabad, some Pakistani nationals have been arrested for violating the sanctity of the Masjid-e-Nabawi and an investigation has been initiated into the matter.
The official further added that the individuals were arrested after they violated the rules of the mosque.
The incident
PM Shehbaz and his delegation had reached Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shahzain Bugti, Mohsin Dawar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, Chaudhry Salik, and four members of PM Shehbaz Sharif's staff were accompanying the prime minister on his visit.
But as PM Shehbaz and his delegation arrived at the mosque, the protesters started chanting slogans of "chor, chor (thieves)" when they saw the premier and harassed and raised objectionable slogans against Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The protesters also misbehaved with the JWP chief and Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Shahzain Bugti and pulled his hair.
They continued to record the entire episode with their mobile phones.
Commenting on the incident, Bugti said, "I respect Mecca and Medina a lot and no one can speak in a loud voice there. Those who have passed derogatory remarks against Marriyum are still here, therefore, the news related to their arrest is fake".
Reacting to the unfortunate incident, Aurangzeb — without using Imran Khan's name but in an apparent reference to him, said: “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."
"However, it will take time for us to fix the ways in which these people have damaged our society and we can only do that through a positive attitude."
She further added that the PML-N leadership has instructed its workers to control their emotions.
Following the incident, political and religious leaders and people belonging to different sections of the society also expressed their outrage and condemned the chanting of political slogans at the holy site of Masjid-e-Nabwi.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Adviser to Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira, Sanaullah warned PTI members of serious consequences and advised them “to stay within their limits”.
“If you want to fight with us, do democratically,” the interior minister said, adding that boundaries shouldn’t be crossed while fighting democratically.
"Compete with us according to democratic norms if you want to but do not cross the limits," Sanaullah said.