Fatwa issued against Pakistan President Zardari for “flirtatious” behaviour toward Sarah

Among his other problems, a fatwa has now been issued against “flirtatious” Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

“The leader of the infamous Lal Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan has issued a `fatwa’ against Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari for publicly making indecent gestures towards the American Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.” (Watch), (The Times of India, Sept. 29, 2008).

During his first Western mission since his election, Zardari seems to have run afoul of the clerics, who have dubbed his act upon meeting vice presidential Sarah Palin as “un-Islamic”.

Zardari, who entered the President House of Islamabad in the afternoon of September 8 under the shadow of the Holy Quran (A woman MP of his party (PPP), Rukhsama Bangash, was holding the holy book of the Muslims over his head when he walked into the most powerful state office), is now being accused of publicly shaming the nation.

“The prayer leader of Lal Masjid—Maulana Abdul Ghafar, clearly said that Zardari’s flirtatious remarks to a non-Muslim lady is not only un-Islamic but also unbecoming of a head of state of a Muslim country.”

In some parts of the world, “A kiss,” like the song says, is not just a kiss, or a hug ever just a hug.

Ghafar added that Zardari’s body language towards Palin and “his deep desire to hug her” was shameful for the entire nation.

Damning Pakistan’s new president further, according to Ghafar were his words: During his chance encounter with Palin in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Zardari called her “gorgeous” and said “Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you”.

And when an aide asked Zardari to keep shaking hands with Palin for the cameras, he said, “If he’s (the aide) insisting, I might hug.”

Zardari’s take on Palin runs counter to America’s left-wing female detractors, some of whom have bitterly attacked her looks.

But Zardari may survive the wrath of clerics if only because the husband of the late Benazir Bhutto is no stranger to controversy.