Images

The story behind the Qandeel selfie that got Mufti Qavi suspended

The story behind the Qandeel selfie that got Mufti Qavi suspended

How did the two ever end up in one room? We speak to them to find out.
Updated 25 Jun, 2016

Facebook celebrity Qandeel Baloch and Mufti Abdul Qavi make an unlikely pair, but that's not the only reason why their selfies have stirred up a storm.

The photos made headlines when their 'controversial' nature led to Mufti Qavi's suspension from the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee as well as the National Ulema Mushaikh Council.

Just how controversial were those selfies? A conversation with Qandeel and Mufti Qavi sheds some light on the matter; a tale of claims, counterclaims and denial.

It began with Neo

Qandeel and Mufti Qavi were first acquainted during a live interview on Neo TV's show Ajeeb Sa, hosted by Rana Matlub. While on air, Qavi declared his desire to visit Qandeel on his next trip to Karachi.

According to Qandeel, he made many attempts to make that happen.

"We were both on [Ajeeb Sa], him from Multan, me in Karachi and our host was in Lahore. You may have seen it. He said he would be in Karachi for the moon sighting and that it was possible we would meet. I said 'Ji mufti sahib, most welcome'," Qandeel shared with Images.

"He’s publicity-hungry. He took my number from the media organisation and contacted me, saying 'I promised I would meet you'. He said 'I’m coming on this date' and then sent me his flight PNR number. But on chand raat I was in Lahore for a modelling gig and couldn’t meet him."

Special iftars

"He came to Karachi again, the second time for an iftar transmission. He texted his flight number again. I told him I will come to see you tomorrow or day after but I couldn’t go as I wasn’t well."

"The third time he came, he texted and said from Monday to Friday, I will be in Karachi as I am on Amir Liaquat’s iftar transmission. Then I called him. I apologised for not meeting him earlier. He asked me to come after iftari, but I said no, I will come in the afternoon."

"He texted first, then I called," Qandeel emphasised, adding, "I think this is why there is confusion [about who called whom] and he says I called him. I only called him for this reason."

A 'conditional' visit

Mufti Qavi clarifies that the texts Qandeel is referring to are standard messages he sends all his friends whenever he flies into town.

"She called me two days before Ramazan and said that her followers were asking if I would visit her. I said to her, 'Yes, tell them that I will come, but only on the condition that you will fast for the whole month'," says Mufti Qavi.

"I have a habit that whenever I am traveling to another city, I text all my friends that I’ll be coming to the city at this time through this flight. When I went to Karachi for Geo TV, I messaged all my friends in Karachi along with her. I have neither sent any other text to invite her or to set up a meeting, nor did I call her. She won’t have proof of any other message."

"After this text, she called me the next day, saying that she wanted to meet me. Then, she came to meet me. I had told her that I will be at Geo TV for iftar transmission, so if you come, then come between 1pm and 4pm."

Alone time

When their meeting did take place, Qandeel maintains that she was alone with him for the most part.

"We were alone in the room," says Qandeel. "I went there only with my driver. He had called a couple of people to make a video of him for social media. They were two men — one had a camera. First, they were in the lobby, then they came to the room. Then he got rid of them in five minutes. Lots of people knocked but he would get rid of them at the door."

Mufti Qavi, however, says they were alone for only a few minutes.

"There was a family from Multan, an official from interior Sindh who is our seniors’ mureed [devotee], a team with a camera, six or seven other people and Qandeel. I listened to each of them, she was also there and listening to them. I also listened to her. All people left one by one after which Qandeel said two or three things which I mentioned."

"When I went to do my wuzu [ablutions], Qandeel wore my hat. When I expressed my surprise, she said that she wore my hat for barkat [blessings] because she did not have a dupatta."

"What she did in the minute or two after that, all the pictures that she took are in front of you."

'I party a lot so...'

Qandeel talked about their meeting in more expansive terms.

"I thought there would be some betterment in [meeting him] for me. I party a lot, I thought it would be beneficial to me if I spent some time around someone who is religious," says Qandeel.

"He called me, I didn’t know what he was like. But when I met him, I saw how he was like. He was different in front of others than he was with me. He would put on an act around other people."

"You may have heard of his fatwa, he said that contract nikkahs are jaez [allowed] and he has only one malka but has done nikkah 17 times. He said he had heard I was not very well off, and then said he earns money and has a lot of land in Multan and even gave me a business card with his various titles on it. I still have this business card."

A kiss and a hug

Qandeel claims that the Mufti tried to get intimate with her during their meeting.

"[He tried to] kiss me and hug me. You know in showbiz, girls are sometimes bold so we are okay with it. I was laughing and telling him not to do it. He stopped then and said 'I know you can’t phasaofy [trap] a girl in the first meeting. As our relationship develops, we will become more open with each other'."

"He couldn’t control his emotions. He was very emotional and made many attempts to hug and kiss me. The sofa I was sitting on, he sat on it and tried to make out with me. Then he would stop when I asked him to stop. Then he’d try again. Then he started talking about romance. He told me he knows how to seduce a woman and said 'You have to do this, start from the ear and then...' Main ne bola wah Mufti sahib ko tau romance karna bhi ata hai [Wow, Mufti sahib knows how to romance]."

'Complete rubbish'

Mufti Qavi says all of this is false.

"I have nothing to do with the ‘fahashi’ she’s talking about. She left satisfied with her respect and dignity in place. She said she would visit Multan on the second day of Eid and meet my mother."

"A while after she left, I got phone calls from people saying they saw photos and videos on TV channels and that Qandeel had been saying something. At first I thought that whatever she’s saying, she will probably be saying the right thing. But then when I was told she said I was lying, then I said ‘Oh no, she has a loose character’. I don’t know if she’s doing this alone or under the influence of someone else."

According to Mufti Qavi, Qandeel is now asking for his forgiveness.

"I got her message asking for forgiveness for her mistakes. I’ve forgiven her and I’ve told her that if she has any issues in the future, she should talk to me instead of engaging in blame games."

Mufti Qavi is even open to meet her on Eid.

"People are always coming and going for taaweez or other reasons. If she comes, we are very open, anyone can come to see us."

Talk about bygones. And what of the job that the selfies have cost him?

"I think that every position or honour you achieve is from Allah. First, I was given a position, I represented the Markazi Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA). I remained a member for seven years. Now the Markazi Ruet-i-Hilal Committee is being disbanded. The meeting now is the last meeting."

"After this, a new committee will be made. I won't protest the decision made by the MORA but I will say I think they made the decision in haste. Apart from this, I have no complaints. Whatever decision they have taken, I have no problem with it."

Qandeel's take on his suspension?

"It’s temporary right? So he’ll come back, he has lots of sources, he will definitely be back. He’s a “dou number” person, it’s true. I’ve seen his personality myself."

Comments

Awais Jun 25, 2016 10:28am
One Picture Worth Ten Thousand Words.. and these "ten thousands words" are speaking something else Muft sahb !
Recommend
Mullah Jun 25, 2016 10:46am
Very nice. All this during Ramzan ?
Recommend
Zoom Jun 25, 2016 11:11am
Mufti Abdul Qavi should have kept distance from Qandeel, after all she is namehram, and in future Mufti Sahib please avoid to participate in co-programmes.
Recommend
Mahmood Jun 25, 2016 11:29am
Who cares? The only reason the public even learns of such characters is the coverage provided by the media. Otherwise these characters are irrelevant, inconsequential and uninteresting. There are million more interesting and important things to talk about.
Recommend
Samad Chaudhry London Jun 25, 2016 11:42am
What a great story of Mullahji's pious deed After all he is a man!!!!
Recommend
Kala Ingrez - کالا انگریز - काला अंग्रेज - কালো ইংরাজি Jun 25, 2016 11:54am
What is wrong with the poor guy to fall in love with her? Many have done before him.
Recommend
AHK Jun 25, 2016 11:58am
I think she is a better person in a sense that she don't pretends , she is who she is, and Mufti Qavi is double standard fake religious Scholar?
Recommend
AHK Jun 25, 2016 12:01pm
I think she is better person at least she is not pretense,
Recommend
Skeptic Jun 25, 2016 12:22pm
"When I went to do my wuzu [ablutions], Qandeel wore my hat" Yeah right. The hotel room didn't have a bathroom where you could put your hat during wuzu? And you insisted on being alone with this "loose character' in a hotel room? If you were a dignified family man, you would not have even invited this character to be alone with you in a hotel room. And if she had any dignity, she would have bolted out of the room, when you allegedly tried to 'hug and kiss' her. Both seem equally guilty and not as innocent as they claim to be!
Recommend
M. Malik Jun 25, 2016 12:53pm
So, Maulvi Sahib, did you try to hug and kiss her before or after doing the wuzu??
Recommend
Mahmood Jun 25, 2016 12:59pm
"When I went to do my wuzu [ablutions], Qandeel wore my hat." Hmmm,..., so why does the picture show her wearing the hat, and you chatting on a phone? Or, after giving her your hat, and before doing your wuzu, you decided to call some friends to tell them you were alone with her in a hotel room?? Fishy story!
Recommend
I.M. KHAN Jun 25, 2016 01:00pm
Moulvi says, about text messages to QB that whenever he (moulvi) goes to any city he uses to inform all his friends. So it confirms 'QB was already in his friends' list' Wow !!!!
Recommend
auzie Jun 25, 2016 01:21pm
weight of a man's heart!
Recommend
Kash Jun 25, 2016 01:47pm
Wow. All this just to gain an entry to bigg boss
Recommend
SAQ Jun 25, 2016 05:26pm
I can totally believe her version of events,
Recommend
Azzy Jun 25, 2016 05:33pm
For some reason, QB seems more believable than mufti sahab....
Recommend
Akhtar Ali Jun 25, 2016 07:08pm
Boys will be boys.
Recommend
Zain Jun 25, 2016 07:36pm
They both have planned to be in lime light.
Recommend
BRILLIANT LOGIC Jun 25, 2016 09:15pm
Still, the photo has certain artistic aspect to it.
Recommend
Jamil Alam Jun 25, 2016 09:56pm
Given the maulvie profile in general and QB, hard to believe who is truthful
Recommend
Irfan mehind Jun 25, 2016 10:52pm
@Skeptic agreef
Recommend
Pathanoo Jun 25, 2016 11:41pm
They are both basking in the publicity. Please let'em have their fifteen minutes of fame. Who is it hurting? And, if all else fails; think this way .....Boys would be Boys.
Recommend
Imran Ahmed Jun 26, 2016 12:23am
Love this Mufti, he has a sense of humour and is a gentleman.
Recommend
atif khan Jun 26, 2016 12:48am
mufti sb was trapped isnt it mufti sb.
Recommend
Syed Ali Raza Jun 26, 2016 01:31am
All of us are worrier that what other peoples doing.we don't worry what we are doing. these are the things between Mufti and a model Qandeel bolach. is this right or wrong we are not the judge.
Recommend
jiyala Jun 26, 2016 02:11am
"But then when I was told she said I was lying, then I said ‘Oh no, she has a loose character’. " Somehow that made me laugh. As if the mufti believed the actress was a pious religious woman until that moment. Seriously though, his version seems to be full of excuses and falsehood. I think Qandeel is telling the truth.
Recommend
Ahmed Jun 26, 2016 05:02am
In her videos QB says something to the effect of him being very nice and sweet. Wonder where all that went when she got out of the room. Also, she admits in the same video that since her followers were asking her if she'll meet the mufti so she decided to see him.
Recommend
Agha Ata Jun 26, 2016 05:44am
Nothing that she or he or both of them are doing in the picture is a crime.
Recommend
just_someone Jun 26, 2016 06:24am
I don't live in Pak , heard about her in passing and thought she's an attention seeker, you know, a Kardashian. But she's done a great social good. Even though only one of these jokers are exposed, she's shown the public what they are like in reality!
Recommend
Patrio Jun 26, 2016 07:57am
Mufti Sahab! Why did you not arrange meeting in a Mosque? Why in hotel room?
Recommend
Shahbaz Jun 26, 2016 10:21am
He asked me to come after iftari, but I said no, I will come in the afternoon." HAHAHHHAHAHAHAH
Recommend
shami Jun 26, 2016 11:12am
Nice story
Recommend
brar Jun 26, 2016 11:51am
@M. Malik She said during a live show Khara Sach with Mubasar Lucman that Mufti also smoke the same cigrette she was smoking and also drank Coke from the same bottle she was drinking now decide who is a lier ?
Recommend
a&a Jun 26, 2016 12:19pm
Dil tu pagal hai......
Recommend
asif Jun 26, 2016 01:06pm
This picture tells me a lot has changed since I left around 10 years ago. I wonder where are we heading?
Recommend
Alli Jun 26, 2016 03:43pm
After all mufti is a human.. It's about time we moved on from stone age to a civilised society..
Recommend
SAK Jun 26, 2016 04:46pm
@M. Malik lolzzzzxxx
Recommend
Hanif Jun 27, 2016 06:16pm
This seems to be a big deal as both the extreme ends met - Mufti on one end and Qandeel on the other end. Mufti should have known better before coming near Qandeel - Things burn in Qandeel! Too bad so sad this one brings out everyone's perspective and double standards. At the moment cannot decide who to thank Qandeel or Mufti Saheb.
Recommend
Omrna Jun 29, 2016 08:46am
@M. Malik During..Lols
Recommend
Atif Jun 30, 2016 10:38pm
I don't believe mufti qavis version of story
Recommend