Pakistan court bans Valentine’s Day celebrations
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani high court today banned Valentine’s Day celebrations across the country and its promotion on social media after accepting a petition which argued that it was un-Islamic.
The order was issued by the Islamabad High Court on the petition submitted by a citizen Abdul Waheed, whose political affiliation was not immediately known.
The petitioner had urged the court that Valentine Day was not part of the Muslim tradition and its promotions on the mainstream and social media should be banned.
The court accepted the petition and ordered the administration to take action to stop the celebration of Valentine’s Day in the country. Amazon Valentine’s Day Special Gifts for Him
It said the order should be implemented with “with immediate effect.”
It nominated Ministry of Information, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and chief commissioner Islamabad to ensure that ban was carried out in letter and spirit.
Apart from the government, the print and electronic media have also been warned to stop all Valentine’s Day promotions immediately.
PEMRA will ensure that media follows the court orders.
Valentine Day has been controversial in Pakistan and every year zealots of religious parties try to terrorize youngsters celebrating the day.
But it is for the first time that a high court banned its celebrations.
Only a small minority in the conservative country openly observe the day and that too in the big cities.
On the other hand, there are those who come up with anti-Valentine’s campaigns, such as ‘Haya Day‘ on university campuses and various ‘Say no to Valentine’s Day’ campaigns throughout the country.
The previous year, President Mohammad Mamnoon Hussain had also advised the country not to party Valentine’s Day and said that it has no linking with the country’s philosophy and should be circumvented.
The previous year, President Mohammad Mamnoon Hussain had commended Pakistanis to forego rejoicing Valentine’s Day, saying that it was not a fragment of Muslim custom, but of the West.
He had said, “Valentine’s Day has no assembly with our philosophy and it should be evaded,” and added that the disadvantages of spaghetti western ethos had “harmfully pretentious one of our adjoining republics.”