The newly-inducted Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif allegedly received a strange welcome in Saudi Arabia’s Madina with the chants of “Chor-Chor” hurled at his delegation as they entered Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina.
A viral video, which has been circulating on social media platforms showed hundreds of pilgrims raising "chor chor" [thieves] slogans upon seeing the delegation making their way to Masjid-e-Nabawi.
Here's a purported video shared by social media users, Zee media has not independently verified the video!
Historical humiliation of imported PM Shehbaz Sharif.
"Chor! Chor!" slogans raised on arrival of Shehbaz Sharif by Pakistanis performing Umra in Madina.#MarchAgainstImportedGovt#امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/sdnMtAld9T— Insafian (@RealYasir__Khan) April 28, 2022
The protestors were reportedly arrested later for violating the sanctity of Madina, which holds significance in Islam.
As per the viral videos, the Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and member of the National Assembly Shahzain Bugti were also part of the delegation.
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb indirectly blamed ousted Imran Khan for the protest, as per a Pakistani newspaper.
"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.
Shehbaz Sharif, who recently became prime minister, faces serious corruption charges like his brother and ex-PM Nawaz Sharif.
In December 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) froze 23 properties belonging to Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza, accusing them of money laundering. He was arrested by the NAB in the same case in September 2020 and incarcerated pending trial.
About the Saudi trip, Sharif is set to seek an additional package of USD 3.2 billion from Saudi Arabia during the visit.
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.
