Pakistan suspends manager of iconic Masjid Wazir in Lahore

By Special Special Correspondent

Lahore: The Punjab Auqaf department on Sunday suspended the manager of historic 17th century Masjid Wazir Khan after Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took note of a music video shot on the mosque premises and sought a reply from the minister concerned and the department’s secretary.

“The mosque is the holiest place and no one can be allowed to trample upon its sanctity. Whosoever is found responsible will not be spared,” quoted Dawn news.
Pledging that he would not let the sanctity of the mosque be violated under any circumstances, Chief Minister Buzdar ordered that a comprehensive investigation be undertaken and those responsible for the incident identified.

Following a barrage of criticisms, Pakistani actress Saba Qamar, who features in the video, tweeted on Sunday: “Only one sequence was shot in the mosque which was a prologue to the music video featuring a Nikah scene.”It was neither shot with any sort of playback music nor has it been edited to the music track.”

Qamar and Saeed are working on the video of a new song, “Qubool hai”. The actress is making her directorial debut with the song.

According to a news report, the shooting took place in the main chambers of the mosque. An Auqaf official said that due to the history of the mosque, people do go there for Nikah ceremonies. “That is why permission was granted for a Nikah shoot,” he said.

Sources said the name of the mosque’s manager, who was suspended over the incident, was Ishtiaq Ahmed.

The mosque was commissioned during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The construction of the mosque which began in 1634 was completed seven years later.