LAHORE-
Religious leaders of Pakistan have strongly condemned Geo TV for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims by playing manqabat ‘ Ali ke Saath hai Zahra ki Shaadi’ during the wedding reenactment of film Actress Veena Malik in its morning show, a private news channel reported on Thursday.
In the morning show, hosted by Dr. Shaista Wahidi on Wednesday, a live music band played the sufi number during the wedding reenactment of Veena Malik while the attendants at the event danced to it.
In a talk show hosted by Mubasher Lucman, religious leaders including Sunni Ittehad Council leader Shahibzada Hamid Raza, Allama Abbas Kumaili, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, Shia Ulma Council leader Allama Mazhar Abbas Rizvi, Vice President of Tahaffuz e Azadari Council Ali Raza Bukhari and others have strongly condemned Geo TV for disrespecting Islamic personalities and hurting the sentiments of their followers.
Sunni Ittehad Council leader Shahibzada Hamid Raza said that the actions going on during the manqabat constituted of disrespect to the manqabat as well as the Islamic personalities. He also lamented the ignorance of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) over allowing broadcast of such content.
The religious leaders have demanded an apology from the TV network, threatening of a boycott as well as legal action against the channel.
Ali Raza Bukhari, VP of Tahaffuz e Azadari Council, while talking to the news channel, said that Geo TV has attempted blasphemy by disrespecting the family of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and demanded a legal action.
‘ Ali ke Saath hai Zahra ki Shaadi’ is a renowned manqabat sung by Qawaal Amjad Sabri. It is about the wedding of Hazrat Fatima Zehra (AS), daughter of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH), with Hazrat Ali (AS), Muhammad’s (PBUH) cousin and one of the closest companions.