Plastic surgery to nose costs Islamist lawmaker his job
A LAWMAKER from Egypt's most conservative Islamist party resigned from parliament after he was caught lying to cover up a nose job, claiming the injuries to his heavily bandaged face were from a car-jacking and beating.
Anwar al-Balkimy represented the Al-Nour party, whose members, known as Salafis, follow a strict interpretation of Islam that forbids cosmetic surgery as meddling in God's work.
The party said this week that he had resigned and Al-Nour was forced to issue an embarrassing and apologetic statement.
"In light of the regretful incident involving Al-Nour party lawmaker Anwar al-Balkimy, the head of the party, Emad Abdel-Ghafour, went to the hospital with a team of party members to question the lawmaker," it said. The party added that it found his claims of an attack were not true.
Al-Nour's Nader Bakar was quoted on the group's official Facebook page as saying al-Balkimy was expelled from the party.
"Based on what the hospital officials said, we decided to expel him. So he submitted his resignation," Bakar said, adding that al-Balkimy had apologised.
"We are trying to bring forth a new set of social values based on Islamic principles," he added.
Local media have been awash over the past few days with photos of al-Balkimy's face swathed in such heavy bandages that only his eyes, mouth and black-bearded chin could be seen.
According to Egyptian media reports, al-Balkimy checked into a Cairo hospital on February 28 for plastic surgery on his nose and the next day checked into a second hospital, where doctors said he tried to claim he had been beaten and mugged.
He also told police he was attacked during an attempt to steal his car while he was driving outside Cairo. He also claimed his attackers had robbed him of more than R120,000.
His false claims led to an outcry against the government for failing to address a crime wave that has plagued Egypt since last year's uprising ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.
While al-Balkimy was in the second hospital, a stream of visitors came to see him, among them the head of parliament, who hails from the rival Muslim Brotherhood. The episode was a major embarrassment for Al-Nour, fresh off its strong showing in parliamentary elections, which turned out to be the biggest surprise of the first free and fair democratic vote in Egypt in decades.
The state prosecutor is waiting for al-Balkimy's diplomatic immunity to be lifted before interrogating him. If the lawmaker is found guilty of filing a false police report, he could face prison on charges of "creating anxiety among the public" and "worrying public officials".
Not a hijacking, but vanity!
Plastic surgery to nose costs Islamist lawmaker his job
A LAWMAKER from Egypt's most conservative Islamist party resigned from parliament after he was caught lying to cover up a nose job, claiming the injuries to his heavily bandaged face were from a car-jacking and beating.
Anwar al-Balkimy represented the Al-Nour party, whose members, known as Salafis, follow a strict interpretation of Islam that forbids cosmetic surgery as meddling in God's work.
The party said this week that he had resigned and Al-Nour was forced to issue an embarrassing and apologetic statement.
"In light of the regretful incident involving Al-Nour party lawmaker Anwar al-Balkimy, the head of the party, Emad Abdel-Ghafour, went to the hospital with a team of party members to question the lawmaker," it said. The party added that it found his claims of an attack were not true.
Al-Nour's Nader Bakar was quoted on the group's official Facebook page as saying al-Balkimy was expelled from the party.
"Based on what the hospital officials said, we decided to expel him. So he submitted his resignation," Bakar said, adding that al-Balkimy had apologised.
"We are trying to bring forth a new set of social values based on Islamic principles," he added.
Local media have been awash over the past few days with photos of al-Balkimy's face swathed in such heavy bandages that only his eyes, mouth and black-bearded chin could be seen.
According to Egyptian media reports, al-Balkimy checked into a Cairo hospital on February 28 for plastic surgery on his nose and the next day checked into a second hospital, where doctors said he tried to claim he had been beaten and mugged.
He also told police he was attacked during an attempt to steal his car while he was driving outside Cairo. He also claimed his attackers had robbed him of more than R120,000.
His false claims led to an outcry against the government for failing to address a crime wave that has plagued Egypt since last year's uprising ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.
While al-Balkimy was in the second hospital, a stream of visitors came to see him, among them the head of parliament, who hails from the rival Muslim Brotherhood. The episode was a major embarrassment for Al-Nour, fresh off its strong showing in parliamentary elections, which turned out to be the biggest surprise of the first free and fair democratic vote in Egypt in decades.
The state prosecutor is waiting for al-Balkimy's diplomatic immunity to be lifted before interrogating him. If the lawmaker is found guilty of filing a false police report, he could face prison on charges of "creating anxiety among the public" and "worrying public officials".
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