Arrest Warrant Issued for Pakistani Actress Saba Qamar For Shooting Music Video in Mosque

Pakistani actress Saba Qamar and singer Bilal Saeed's music video 'Qubool', which was released last year, drew criticism from religious and political groups for shooting a scene inside a historical mosque in Lahore city.

A local court in Pakistan has issued an arrest warrant for people - including actress Saba Qamar and singer Bilal Saeed - involved in shooting a scene from a music video inside Lahore city's Wazir Khan mosque because they have constantly avoided court hearings in a case filed against them last year for making the film.

The controversy erupted in August 2020 when Saba posted a teaser of her upcoming music video showcasing a Nikah (a religious ceremony for a Muslim couple to be legally married under Islamic law) scene featuring Saba and Bilal.

The actress was accused of "violating the sanctity" of the mosque by filming a music video inside it.

Presenting the "Qubool" teaser

This is also the only sequence that was shot at the historical Wazir Khan Mosque. It’s 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.#SabaQamar pic.twitter.com/iYRswlLWLd

— Saba Qamar (@s_qamarzaman) August 8, 2020

Last year, Lahore police registered a case against the actress and the singer for alleged "desecration" of the Wazir Khan Mosque. The duo was accused of "trampling upon the sanctity" of the mosque by shooting a dance video, as well as "injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class".

Various religious parties, including Jamaat-i-Islami, also demonstrated in Lahore demanding "strict punishment" for the couple for the "sin" they'd committed.

After facing death threats and strong criticism on social media, the 37-year-old actress apologised and clarified on Twitter that the video "was neither shot with any sort of playback music nor has it been edited to the music track".

Despite this if we have unknowingly hurt anyone’s sentiments we apologise to you all with all our heart. Love & Peace! #Qubool releasing on 11th of August!#BilalSaeed #SabaQamar

— Saba Qamar (@s_qamarzaman) August 8, 2020

Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing until 6 October.