BTS Jungkook's birthday billboard removed in Pakistan for promoting 'homosexuality'

A billboard for BTS Jungkook's 24th birthday was removed in Pakistan's Gujranwala for allegedly promoting 'homosexuality'. The incident occurred after a Pakistan fan purchased a massive billboard for two days on the occasion of Jeon Jungkook's birthday on September 1. The BTS ARMY received the Chamber of Commerce’s permission to put a billboard which featured the 'Golden Maknae' wearing a black and white suit with a caption “Happy 24th Birthday.” However, to the Pakistan fan's surprise, Younus Mughal, the owner of the billboard, was forced to take it down in just one day after he recovered a complaint from the local Pakistani MLA. 

Pakistan MLA accuses BTS of spreading 'homosexuality'

The billboard owner Younus Mughal told Koreaboo that Furqan Aziz Butt, a Punjab Assembly candidate told them to take the birthday banner down immediately. He said, "We took it off later that same day in the evening. When we saw the ad while removing it, we didn’t really get what it was about, just that it showed someone’s face. Furqan Aziz Butt from the Jamaat-e-Islami had told us to take the ad off immediately." 

According to a report in Vice, Furqan Aziz Butt “received a lot of complaints from people” about the ad on his Facebook. The Pakistani MLA said that BTS has a 'negative influence' on the young people of Gujranwala and promotes 'homosexuality.' He stated. "There are young people in this city. This group (BTS) has a negative influence on them and encourages them to behave in wrong activities. They promote homosexuality."

Pakistan ARMYs lash out at MLA

Meanwhile, the Pakistan ARMYs have not taken the move laying down. Several fans took to Twitter to launch a protest against the Pakistani MLA. Zainab Zaman, a member of the BTS ARMY from Islamabad, told Vice that Pakistani ARMYs were hurt by the decision and the MLA's claims that the group promotes sexuality are unfounded. "A politician just comes up out of nowhere and says that BTS is promoting homosexuality and spreading vulgarity. BTS has never used vulgar verses in their songs. They are just about loving yourself and being happy," she said.