The company behind the clothing featuring Arabic words printed on it took to Instagram Story to address Pakistani audiences directly, stressing their complete disassociation from the regrettable incident involving the innocent woman.
In a recent incident in Lahore, Pakistan, a woman found herself at the center of a controversy when she was mobbed and accused of blasphemy for wearing a kurta adorned with Arabic prints. The incident, which unfolded at a local restaurant, drew attention not only to the sensitivities surrounding religious symbols but also sparked a global response. The woman, who was eventually rescued by the police, faced scrutiny and backlash from those who perceived the Arabic prints on her kurta as Quranic verses.
Amidst the controversy, the Kuwait-based designer company, Semplicita, whose Arabic word clothing was at the center of the incident, took to social media to address the situation. In an Instagram story, the company posted a plea directed at Pakistani people, emphasizing that they had no connection to the unfortunate incident involving the innocent woman.
"Dear Pakistani people, We have nothing to do with the recent incident that happened to the innocent girl. We are based in Kuwait and we do not ship worldwide. Please stop following and messaging since it is really disturbing. We use Arabic words and letters in different fonts everywhere since it's our language," the company stated.
The designer who designed arabic words clothes getting threatened by Pakistanis worldwide puts a post on social media to stop threatening them. Read the full post & how radicalized Pak Awam has become. pic.twitter.com/NDdjMwCjUn
— Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce)This message reflects the challenges faced by businesses operating in a globalized world, where cultural nuances and interpretations can lead to unintended consequences. Semplicita clarified that they are a Kuwait-based entity and do not engage in worldwide shipping, emphasizing their disassociation from the incident in Lahore.
The incident itself, captured in a video shared by the police, showed the woman covering her face as she faced a hostile crowd. The police, including a commendable woman officer, intervened to rescue her from the situation. In the video, Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi is seen urging the crowd to refrain from violence and explaining the misunderstanding surrounding the Arabic prints on the kurta.
"ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law… pic.twitter.com/awHaIGVb9l
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP)Naqvi highlighted that the woman had worn the kurta with Arabic words during a shopping outing with her husband, inadvertently sparking confusion and concern among onlookers. The woman, later taken to the police station, apologized for any unintentional offense caused and clarified that she had chosen the kurta for its design without intending to disrespect religious sentiments.