Pakistan PM Sharif Welcomed In Saudi Arabia With Chants Calling Him Thief
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.
The Prime Minister led delegation, received a weird welcome as they entered Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina. A viral video on social media platforms show 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. 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.
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.
