Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], April 29 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led delegation, who is in Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit, received a “wonderful welcome” as they entered Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina.
A viral video has been circulating on social media platforms that showed hundreds of pilgrims raising “chor chor” [thieves] slogans upon seeing the delegation making their way to Masjid-e-Nabawi.
After the incident, it was reported that police have arrested them for violating sanctity.
In a video, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and member of the National Assembly Shahzain Bugti were seen along with others.
The Pakistani delegation surrounded by people yelling “chor chor” when they made their way to Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina.
PM Shehbaz Sharif is in Saudi Arabia for a three day tour. #ShehbazSharif #SaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/aRuVmOwWrH
— The Current (@TheCurrentPK) April 28, 2022
According to the Pakistani newspaper, Aurangzeb indirectly blamed ousted Imran Khan for the protest.
“I will not name this person on this holy land because I do not want to use this land for politics. But they have destroyed the [Pakistani] society,” The Express Tribune quoted Aurangzeb as saying.
This comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on his maiden three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. Dozens of officials and political leaders have accompanied the Pakistan Prime Minister on his visit to the Kingdom.
Taking to Twitter and sharing the video, netizens wrote, “Proud Pakistanis, please be heartened by witnessing what a wonderful welcome our PM and his Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) gang of criminals got in Saudi Arabia.”
Another Twitter user, Muhammad Ibrahim Qazi said that Saudi Arabia citizens are calling out ousted PM Imran Khan. “Citizens of Saudi Arabia are calling out Ousted PM Imran Khan to have exported the moral obscenity to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. They are also condemning Pakistanis for violating the Kingdom’s laws,” Qazi said.
Sharif was sworn in as Pakistan’s 23rd Prime Minister on April 11 after his predecessor Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
During the visit, Sharif is set to seek an additional package of USD 3.2 billion from Saudi Arabia. He will pose this request to avert further depletion of Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves.
Saudi Arabia had already given USD 3 billion deposits to the debt-ridden country and an oil facility on deferred payment worth USD 1.2 billion during Imran Khan’s tenure. Estimates say Pakistan requires USD 12 billion to prevent the balance of payment crisis and further depletion of the foreign currency reserves. (ANI)