Former Pakistani cricketers Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and their nation’s journalist Zaina Abbas faced the ire of twitter Islamists after they cut a cake to celebrate Akram’s birthday. This act irked the trolls as it was executed within the fasting hours of the ongoing month of Ramzan.
As per a Pakistan Today report, the issue began when the journalist shared the pictures of the cake cutting ceremony via her twitter account, while acknowledging Pakistan’s misery during their ongoing series with England:
While Pakistan’s misery continued onfield the press box celebrated @wasimakramlive birthday! Lots of ? A very happy birthday to a living legend..#ENGvPak pic.twitter.com/V7Vr3rDFnN
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) June 3, 2018
The misery though soon extended to the subjects of the tweet, as they were targeted by fundamentalists for disrespecting Ramzan:
Do you even know which Month are you going through Girl ? Only things I can think of you at the moment #Shame #Pathetic #Disgraceful. @EbbaQ https://t.co/piBacuwEtu
— Mohammad Tanveer (@cr7federet) June 4, 2018
Shame #RespectForRamadan https://t.co/f4Cmp0FyWa
— Nazim Khan Shinwari (@NazimKhaan19) June 4, 2018
Shame for celebrations in Ramadan…if u cant keep fast,then u r nt spose to post such pics…hurting https://t.co/MyoE0YNoYE
— Fogg Blind (@BlindFogg) June 4, 2018
No one fasting wats going on… https://t.co/Nuqakp1Xca
— Imran Butt (@ibutt912) June 3, 2018
One even made sexist remarks against the journalist:
The attack though seems to have got to Younis, who on Monday apologised for not respecting Ramzan and to those who had kept a fast:
Apologise to everyone for cutting cake on Waseem Bhai’s birthday yesterday..We should have respected Ramadan and the people who were fasting ??. It was a poor act on our behalf #SORRY
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) June 4, 2018
Incidentally just a few days ago another such attack was carried out on actor Aamir Khan for playing with his daughter and posting pictures of food during Ramzan. This included making distasteful comments under the posts, including calling them obscene.