A ceiling fan bearing the label “Made in Pakistan” has triggered curiosity and controversy in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district after it was reportedly discovered at a madrasa during a routine repair job.
The fan, marked with the brand name “AL-AHMAD” and the words “Pakistan”, came to light when the cleric of Madrasa Qadriya Hakikatul Uloom took it to a repair shop in the Vishunpura police station area.
Photographs of the fan soon surfaced on social media, prompting questions from local residents over how a Pakistani-made electrical appliance had reached the madrasa.
The issue gained traction amid prevailing India-Pakistan tensions, with some local groups demanding an administrative inquiry into the matter.
According to reports, the madrasa administration clarified that the fan had been donated in 2023 by a local resident identified as Shamsuddin, whose son had allegedly sent it from Saudi Arabia several years ago.
Shamsuddin reportedly said the fan remained unused in storage for a long period before he donated it to the madrasa.
“I had kept it for some time and later donated it to the madrasa,” he was quoted as saying.
Madrasa officials maintained that the fan had not been installed earlier and was only recently sent for repairs along with another fan and a motor. During servicing, the mechanic reportedly noticed the “Made in Pakistan” marking, which subsequently became the centre of local discussion.
The repair mechanic also confirmed that one of the fans brought for repair carried Pakistani markings.
As the photographs spread online, some local right-wing leaders expressed concern and demanded that the district administration investigate whether any rules or import regulations had been violated.
Officials are yet to announce the scope of any formal inquiry, though locals have sought clarity on how the appliance entered the madrasa and whether it had been legally imported.