Masjid-e-Nabwi’s sanctity violated to achieve ‘political objective’: Ashrafi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Sunday said the sanctity of Masjid-e-Nabvi was violated on purpose in a bid to achieve political mileage.

Addressing a press conference, he said he was eyewitness of the entire scenario as some agitators were deputed in groups at various places in Masjid-e-Nabvi as pre-planned by their masterminds.

He said when the delegation of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Masjid-e-Nabvi to pay homage at the mausoleum of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the politically and religiously sick people chanted full-throat indecent slogans violating the reverence of the most sacred place of Islamic world after the Khana-e-Kaba.

He, with tearful eyes, lamented that the uproar was continued even during the call to Maghrib prayer.

Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council, said this disgraceful incident had printed a bad impression of Pakistan all over the Muslim world and it would increase difficulties for the Pakistani diaspora in Saudi Arabia.

Instead of condemning the immoral activity conducted by their workers in the Masjid-e-Nabvi, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders were defending their ill-mannered and unruly behaviour through illogical reasoning, he regretted.

He said the way PTI workers manhandled Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shazain Bugti and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, was highly condemnable and against the social, moral and religious ethics.

He said the people affiliated with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other coalition partners in Madina Munawara could have responded in a befitting manner but the prestige and sanctity of the holy land was the topmost priority for us.

Clarifying his significant position, Ashrafi said he was not scared of any malicious social media campaign against him as he worked for the peace, progress and prosperity of the country and would keep on till his last breath of life.

He said he had no personal agenda but the sanctity of Roza-e-Rasool would not be compromised at any cost.

He said though the prime minister and his team has already forgiven those who misbehaved with them but the law would take its course.

He said he was grateful to Saudi leadership for according warm welcome to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and opening the doors of Khana-e-Kaba and Roza-e-Rasool in his and colleagues’ honour.

Ashrafi said it was a successful visit. He expressed the hope that Pak-Saudi relations would attain new heights of glory in the present set-up as both the brotherly countries were standing by each other through thick and thin.