ISLAMABAD (National Times)- Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council and former special assistant to the prime minister on interfaith harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi on Sunday excoriated the incident of hooliganism that took place at the Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madinah and said that “we all are ashamed” since the sanctity of the holy place was violated.

Speaking during a press conference in Islamabad, Ashrafi said that the Masjid-e-Nabawi, which is one of the two holiest places of worship for Muslims, had not seen such an incident in the last 100 years.

“The gravity of the situation cannot be described in words,” he said.

Ashrafi said that he was an eyewitness to the situation as he was present over there at the time.

“We’re even supposed to recite the durood in a low voice when present in Masjid-e-Nabawi, but unfortunately, gangs were deployed in different parts of the mosque as well as under the shadow of the Green Dome,” he said.

He said that when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation entered the mosque shortly before iftar, the hooligans loudly chanted slogans.

“They even continued chanting slogans during the Maghrib azan,” he said.

The head of the Pakistan Ulema Council went on to say that the treatment meted out to Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb was also reprehensible.

“The incident is a matter of shame for every Pakistani as the country’s image has been tarnished across the globe,” he said.

Ashrafi said that the incident was “encouraged by former ministers and PTI activists”, as it was all done in the name of Pakistan.

“I thought that Imran Khan, whom I considered Aashiq Rasool (PBUH), will condemn the incident, but I am offended by their statements”, he said.

He said that those involved had been arrested by the Saudi government, adding that the prime minister had requested the Saudi authorities not to arrest any innocent person.

He, however, stressed that those involved should be punished under the Saudi law.