Déjà vu at Wazir Khan Mosque: another photoshoot scandal hits headlines

LAHORE: Just when the dust had settled on the infamous Saba Qamar-Bilal Saeed 2020 video scandal, another storm has erupted at Wazir Khan Mosque, one of Lahore’s most revered heritage sites!

A fresh FIR has been registered by the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) against a model and a photographer for conducting a photoshoot without permission inside the mosque’s sacred premises.

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Adding fuel to the fire, the individuals involved were reportedly dressed in “inappropriate attire”, sparking outrage over “violation of the mosque’s sanctity”, according to the FIR.

A mosque employee has also been suspended for negligence, allegedly for “turning a blind eye as the unauthorised shoot took place under his watch”.

The WCLA has taken a hard stance, calling the incident a direct disrespect to a religious site and a historical monument.

FLASHBACK TO 2020: SABA QAMAR CONTROVERSY

The incident echoes the 2020 outrage, when actor Saba Qamar and singer Bilal Saeed came under fire for filming part of their song “Qubool” at the same mosque. The video clip, which featured the duo twirling inside the prayer hall, drew fierce backlash from religious circles and netizens alike.

A case was filed after public uproar, with critics calling it a “desecration of a holy site.” While Saeed later apologised, the matter escalated legally, only to see the pair acquitted in 2022 after the court found “no intention to defile” the place of worship and confirmed they had prior permissions.

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Now, in 2025, another controversy stirs but this time, there is no mention of prior permission, and outrage is mounting once again. Will this reach a similar end like Saba Qamar’s controversy, time will tell!