Coronavirus pandemic God's wrath for obscenity, nudity: Pak cleric

A prominent Pakistani cleric has stoked controversy after his bizarre remarks relating to the coronavirus pandemic which he claimed was due to God's wrath in view of increasing obscenity and nudity.

Rights activists and members of civil society have condemned the remarks made by religious leader Maulana Tariq Jamil on national television during Prime Minister Imran Khan's telethon on April 23 to raise funds for the people affected by the COVID-19.

Maulana Jamil, who has a huge following in Pakistan, said, "Obscenity and nudity are the reasons behind God's wrath in the form of coronavirus."
Nida Aly, director of the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid cell, said while women under lockdown needed security from the community, the government trotted out Tariq Jamil on a broadly televised programme who not just objectified women but declared them and their individualist actions to bring the wrath of God and punishment in the form of COVID-19."