Pakistan bans Valentine's Day for being unIslamic

[DanishJamil]

Our courts are starting to behave like Maya Khan

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The BBC reported it and their story got a couple thousand responses in about two hours.

The BBC is an international site, you could get a couple of thousand responses with just desis alone. It's like claiming that Bollywood movies are popular in the west when in reality it's just the Indian ex-pats filling the aisles.

I can guarantee you 99% of English people wouldn't know about the ban, and why would they care? They have more important things to worry about than some idiotic ban in a third world country.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This news was there in the The late late show with James Corden. Lots of people watch that for sure.

I haven't seen it on any of the main news sites, but I can imagine it would be a source for amusement as a side issue on a show like that. It wouldn't rightly be treated as a joke.

 

[Pakpak]

Thank God I live in the free west.

Your views from extreme-right-religious are now veered off to leftist. How come? I am pleasantly surprised but very curious to know your reasoning.

 

[The_KING]

Your views from extreme-right-religious are now veered off to leftist. How come? I am pleasantly surprised but very curious to know your reasoning.

Just going through one of those phases I guess. I'm a Muslim still but a bit liberal these days. Maybe in a few days I'll be super religious again and then back to being a liberal again.

 

[troodon]

There should be an Arranged Marriage Day.

At least married men will give flowers to their wives once a year.

 

[shaz619]

What are they getting out of such pointless antics? put your efforts towards things which are a bit more productive

 

[Smbhayi]

How love is not a good message ???

Really mate? Then what message does Id gives that Muslims cut the goat? And what message is diwali giving when everyone pollutes the air.

If they are giving message of love and spreading light. Then Valentines day is also a day of love.... I dont think it must be banned...

Love (?), may be wrong but I guess Valentine's Day mostly celebrated by teen lovers (who's not married) and their love is mostly for their sexual satisfaction. I'm against this, I'm pretty orthodox on these cases. In my POV VD Celebration actually against your Dad, Mom & your parents coz you're celebrating the day with your boyfriend/girlfriend which may your dad/mom don't like.

 

[Ankit007]

Love (?), may be wrong but I guess Valentine's Day mostly celebrated by teen lovers (who's not married) and their love is mostly for their sexual satisfaction. I'm against this, I'm pretty orthodox on these cases. In my POV VD Celebration actually against your Dad, Mom & your parents coz you're celebrating the day with your boyfriend/girlfriend which may your dad/mom don't like.

What you are saying is right but can't they have sex without this day. Purpose of the day is not spreading sex but love. This day is not giving reason to have sex but it is giving a reason to spend some time with your lovables. I think even married people can remember their times and smile on some good moments they had on this day.

Banning this day won't solve the society issues which you are saying. But not banning this day can give some people time together and something to cheer together. We spend many days with parents, why not one with your gf or bf

 

[JaDed]

A lot of people in comment kind agree with the ban,the host seems kinda off ,guess he referred to Justin as a President.

 

[dhump]

Love (?), may be wrong but I guess Valentine's Day mostly celebrated by teen lovers (who's not married) and their love is mostly for their sexual satisfaction. I'm against this, I'm pretty orthodox on these cases. In my POV VD Celebration actually against your Dad, Mom & your parents coz you're celebrating the day with your boyfriend/girlfriend which may your dad/mom don't like.

Teens having sexual satisfaction with each other without marriage only happens on valentine day ?? If this exists in the society than society it will happen on valentines days as well (I am not going in detail of if it is right or wrong).

 

[shaz619]

They might have banned it but I'd like to think most Pakistanis are fine with it and get their wife gifts and take her out for a nice meal

 

[shah_1]

It's a marketing gimmick by companies to sell products

Mother day, friend day etc

 

[MenInG]

One does wonder what hate lives in people's hearts all year! Do they only wait for this "Hallmark" day to show love?

Same for father's and mother's day

For muslims, each and every breath should be devoted to respecting their loved ones and praying for their parents

 

[Ankit007]

One does wonder what hate lives in people's hearts all year! Do they only wait for this "Hallmark" day to show love?

Same for father's and mother's day

For muslims, each and every breath should be devoted to respecting their loved ones and praying for their parents

Days are just for recognizing something good and enjoying it in our busy lives. If days aren't of much recognition then why show love for nation on independence day. that must be banned too .. I don't know what message is govt giving by banning this. Yes it doesn't change much in our lives but why give such message? And it's not just about Muslims, but for every human being. Everyone should work and live for their loved one's well being and not harming others..

 

[MenInG]

Days are just for recognizing something good and enjoying it in our busy lives. If days aren't of much recognition then why show love for nation on independence day. that must be banned too .. I don't know what message is govt giving by banning this. Yes it doesn't change much in our lives but why give such message? And it's not just about Muslims, but for every human being. Everyone should work and live for their loved one's well being and not harming others..

Nations came in to existence on a day etc

Valentines and other days are invented by card sellers.

Also, nation ones are rather less personal than valentines/mama/papa day

No need to ban anything but its more for people to realize how silly the idea is

 

[Abdul]

I completely agree with the general notion that days like this are completely irrelevant and don't mean anything

However if someone wanted to celebrate this than what was the point of stopping them?

I don't buy this in the name of religion stuff. There are a lot of other un islamic activities which aren't banned so shouldn't Pakistan be bringing in Sharia law?

 

[Hail-Akram]

Crackdown on Love; Hate makes deeper inroads ...

he Pakistani state has a unique ability to find itself in farcical situations.

On Monday, February 13, the Islamabad High Court banned Valentine’s Day celebrations across the country on the eve of the festival of love.

The rationale was a familiar one – that the celebration is against Pakistan’s culture and religion and promotes indecency.

It is also a part of Western culture, imply members of the judiciary and parliament even as they are dressed in so-called Western clothes, holding power and ruling the country through institutions setup by the Westerners.

Even as police officials spent the next couple of days snatching heart-shaped balloons and trying to wipe all traces of Valentine’s Day from the country, catastrophe struck Pakistan.

On the day of the ruling, a bomb ripped through a crowd gathered outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore, killing at least 13, including top police officials, and wounding several others.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, thousands of people prepared to converge at Islamabad to commemorate the first death anniversary of Mumtaz Qadri, who was executed on February 29 for the 2011 murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer.

Millions were collected in donations from all over the country to construct a shrine here for the assassin, by devotees who believe that by killing Taseer for opposing the country’s strict blasphemy laws, Qadri had done a service to his religion.

Facing this structure is a newly planned housing scheme that markets itself on its proximity to the shrine. As his death anniversary nears, banners are coming up across the country celebrating Qadri.

Last week also saw at least three more terror attacks, most recently on a Sufi shrine in Sehwan on Thursday, which killed around 80 people.

But while hate is seeping into the land, it is the celebration of Valentine’s Day the state has deemed a threat to its culture.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1316119/as...ve-hate-makes-deeper-inroads-into-the-country

A very insightful article - especially for those holding positions of authority.

 

[Adil_94]

like Pakistan doesnt have much more pressing issue. What harm is a couple celebrating Valentines Day going to do. Just a token gesture to appease the religious right. If people want to celebrate valentines day thats their own choice if you dont want to then dont. This isnt just a draconian authoritarian measure and unless Pakistani state is going to invest in a secret police to crackdown on Valentines Day celebrations how will they enforce it.

 

[IAJ]

Pakistan will never progress and will always remain a joke in the west.

Some western countries are trying their best to stop muslims entry into their lands and also do not allow certain people to dress as they want.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

like Pakistan doesnt have much more pressing issue. What harm is a couple celebrating Valentines Day going to do. Just a token gesture to appease the religious right. If people want to celebrate valentines day thats their own choice if you dont want to then dont. This isnt just a draconian authoritarian measure and unless Pakistani state is going to invest in a secret police to crackdown on Valentines Day celebrations how will they enforce it.

I can see a similar crackdown in the u.s should everyone decide to keep a fast on the first Ramadan this year

Creeping Trojan horses are a worry for everyone

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=10028]chacha kashmiri[/MENTION] i dont see that happening . The U.S isnt China which bans Uyghurs from fasting and can get away with doing such a thing . The U.S govt wont be forcing people to eat thats just paranoia of the highest order and pretty much breaks the First Amendment. If someone thinks fasting or celebrating valentines day with a loved one is a trojan horse then they need to go and learn what a real Trojan Horse is.

 

[The_KING]

Instead of banning harmless things like the Valentine's Day, maybe the Pakistan government should focus on eradicating terrorism from the country.

 

[Bilal7]

The government is pretty two-faced but ah well, at least they are doing a little bit to curb the secularization of Pakistan and must be applauded.

You want to buy your wife roses and chocolates? Go ahead and do it throughout the year. Just don't be a sheep and do it on one, special day because reasons. Of course, this dating business is a no, no in an Islamic Republic.

 

[Adil_94]

funny to see those benefiting from living in some of the most secular and liberal countries in the world bagging on secularism when without it they would have been struggling in their beloved Islamic Republic.

 

[uberkoen]

The government is pretty two-faced but ah well, at least they are doing a little bit to curb the secularization of Pakistan and must be applauded.

You want to buy your wife roses and chocolates? Go ahead and do it throughout the year. Just don't be a sheep and do it on one, special day because reasons. Of course, this dating business is a no, no in an Islamic Republic.

I'm sorry but who are you to tell me what day I can buy my wife flowers and when I can't?

Banning Valentines Day has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.

The same people celebrating this on here would be complaining if some other country banned Eid or Ramadan.

Live and let live. How difficult is that? There's no harm in celebrating valentines day.

 

[Syed1]

Gives give it a rest Valentine's Day was freaking two weeks ago.


Leave it to PP'ers to drone about a moot point.

 

[uberkoen]

Gives give it a rest Valentine's Day was freaking two weeks ago.


Leave it to PP'ers to drone about a moot point.

Avoided this topic because of how stupid the entire thing is but couldn't resist commenting on hypocritical posts.

 

[The_KING]

The government is pretty two-faced but ah well, at least they are doing a little bit to curb the secularization of Pakistan and must be applauded.

You want to buy your wife roses and chocolates? Go ahead and do it throughout the year. Just don't be a sheep and do it on one, special day because reasons. Of course, this dating business is a no, no in an Islamic Republic.

Firstly secularism is the future. No country in this day and age should be governed by religion. And like Adil94 said, it's funny to see you go on about curbing secularism when you live in Canada, one of the most liberal and secular countries in the world. How about you return to your beloved Islamic republic of Pakistan if you don't like secularism?

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=138670]The_KING[/MENTION] no doubt [MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] is a big fan of Trudeau who is known for his pro diversity stance and his support for religious minorities like Canadian Muslims and other minorities such as LGBT but the religious hypocrities whine about discrimination when living in the West and how they deserve equality and to be treated just like anyone else regardless if they have a beard or wear a Hijab but then they are happy when minorities such as seculars liberals atheists LGBT in their own beloved Islamic countries are discriminated against or persecuted because then it becomes oh this is an Islamic country our country our rules but they dont like it when right wingers in the West say that to minorities and start playing the victim card. Without a strong liberal wing in society you cant keep back religious nuts and racists which is one of the reasons Pakistan is in the state its in and treats people like Mumtaz Qadri as heroes.

 

[The_KING]

[MENTION=138670]The_KING[/MENTION] no doubt [MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] is a big fan of Trudeau who is known for his pro diversity stance and his support for religious minorities like Canadian Muslims and other minorities such as LGBT but the religious hypocrities whine about discrimination when living in the West and how they deserve equality and to be treated just like anyone else regardless if they have a beard or wear a Hijab but then they are happy when minorities such as seculars liberals atheists LGBT in their own beloved Islamic countries are discriminated against or persecuted because then it becomes oh this is an Islamic country our country our rules but they dont like it when right wingers in the West say that to minorities and start playing the victim card. Without a strong liberal wing in society you cant keep back religious nuts and racists which is one of the reasons Pakistan is in the state its in and treats people like Mumtaz Qadri as heroes.

That is my issue with the Muslim community. I'm been accused of being anti Islamic before but I'm not anti Islamic. What I'm critical of is the massive hypocrisy that is so prevalent within the Muslim community. You hit the nail on the head when you said that Muslims expect equal treatment in the west but they don't give equal treatments to non muslims, homosexuals etc in Muslim countries. This hypocrisy is something that I'm very critical of.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=138670]The_KING[/MENTION] it makes sense when you see the superiority complex that is rooted in many of our fellow countrymen because Islam is the truth it and its followers have to be accomodated by others. But Muslim countries dont have to accomodate groups such as lgbt atheists Muslim countries because Islam doesnt recognise these groups as deserving any rights. A lot of people in the Muslim community dont believe in universal human rights they only invoke that language when in the minority to make sure they are treated well. Case in point people who whine about the way Muslims are treated in India or America yet support discrimination of Ahmadis in Pakistan or secularists. Now when some westerners are giving them some of their own medicine they dont like it. Or when people show them their hypocrisy they have nothing to say but shout Islamophobia.

 

[Bilal7]

I'm sorry but who are you to tell me what day I can buy my wife flowers and when I can't?

Banning Valentines Day has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.

The same people celebrating this on here would be complaining if some other country banned Eid or Ramadan.

Live and let live. How difficult is that? There's no harm in celebrating valentines day.

I'm not telling you anything, the government is. If you don't like it, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Firstly secularism is the future. No country in this day and age should be governed by religion. And like Adil94 said, it's funny to see you go on about curbing secularism when you live in Canada, one of the most liberal and secular countries in the world. How about you return to your beloved Islamic republic of Pakistan if you don't like secularism?

Yet, all around the world you are seeing this ideal of secularism fail miserably. Alhamdulillah, Canada is still going strong and long may it continue.

Why should I move to Pakistan? Just because I agree with this ban doesn't mean that I don't think that Pakistan is a failed state and needs some honorable, honest, hard-working and yes, religious leaders to get back on track.

Democracy/secularism is the best form of governance that non-Muslim countries can adopt but as history tells us, it will not work in the Islamic world.

[MENTION=138670]The_KING[/MENTION] no doubt [MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] is a big fan of Trudeau who is known for his pro diversity stance and his support for religious minorities like Canadian Muslims and other minorities such as LGBT but the religious hypocrities whine about discrimination when living in the West and how they deserve equality and to be treated just like anyone else regardless if they have a beard or wear a Hijab but then they are happy when minorities such as seculars liberals atheists LGBT in their own beloved Islamic countries are discriminated against or persecuted because then it becomes oh this is an Islamic country our country our rules but they dont like it when right wingers in the West say that to minorities and start playing the victim card. Without a strong liberal wing in society you cant keep back religious nuts and racists which is one of the reasons Pakistan is in the state its in and treats people like Mumtaz Qadri as heroes.

You need to understand that Pakistan, Saudia Arabia, etc don't promise their residents freedom of/from religion, division between the state and church, LGBTQ rights (How offensive of you to leave out queers), etc. It's very clear what these countries stand for and how the government is going to rule so you either live there and agree with the laws or you pack your bags and leave.

Canada, on the other hand is a Democratic country that promises its residents all those things and therefore anyone living here, born or naturalized, is well within their right to demand these rights.

Western countries can go on down this dark path of bigotry, racism and xenophobia but then they need to acknowledge that they're no different to a country like Saudi Arabia or China. You either give your people what you promised or you don't make false promises in the first place.

As for me, I am a Canadian, have nothing no love for Pakistan other than the fact that I support them in cricket. Of course, I don't want anyone in Pakistan oppressed and this particular ban on Valentine's day is not oppressive so I'm okay with it. Pakistan is far from perfect and far from an Islamic country however, I wouldn't move there.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] you say this particular ban isnt oppresive. right wing goons in India and in Pakistan have harrassed and beaten up couples for celebrating Valentines Day backed by directives from the state. If you as a minority deserve to protected in Canada then a minority such as a liberal couple in Pakistan who are celebrating valentines day deserve to be protected too. You also said good that gpod to see secularisation being curbed in Pakistan its secularism that will curb the religious zealotry and barbarism in Pakistan. Pakistan sold out to Saudi Wahhabism and it has brought nothing but radicalism and extremism. Secularism hasnt worked in the MENA because it has often been under the rule of gangster dictators such as Saddam or Gaddafi who were secular when compared to Islamists but not secular in the western sense. A liberal democratic secular state is an unknown quanitity in the Muslim World bar Turkey and to a lesser extent Indonesia and Malaysia oddly enough all 3 are seen as the best Muslim success stories of the post-colonial era. in Turkey even the Islamic Parties like AKP accept secularism and Turkey is seen as one of the success stories of the 20th Century in the Muslim World. The Islamists monarchies and Iran are some of the worst abusers of human rights in the world and the other Islamist militias such as Al Nusra ISIS Al Qaeda their legacy while ruling is for all to see.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

[MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION] you say this particular ban isnt oppresive. right wing goons in India and in Pakistan have harrassed and beaten up couples for celebrating Valentines Day backed by directives from the state. If you as a minority deserve to protected in Canada then a minority such as a liberal couple in Pakistan who are celebrating valentines day deserve to be protected too. You also said good that gpod to see secularisation being curbed in Pakistan its secularism that will curb the religious zealotry and barbarism in Pakistan. Pakistan sold out to Saudi Wahhabism and it has brought nothing but radicalism and extremism. Secularism hasnt worked in the MENA because it has often been under the rule of gangster dictators such as Saddam or Gaddafi who were secular when compared to Islamists but not secular in the western sense. A liberal democratic secular state is an unknown quanitity in the Muslim World bar Turkey and to a lesser extent Indonesia and Malaysia oddly enough all 3 are seen as the best Muslim success stories of the post-colonial era. in Turkey even the Islamic Parties like AKP accept secularism and Turkey is seen as one of the success stories of the 20th Century in the Muslim World. The Islamists monarchies and Iran are some of the worst abusers of human rights in the world and the other Islamist militias such as Al Nusra ISIS Al Qaeda their legacy while ruling is for all to see.

Are you saying India isn't a secular country? I have never heard any Indian poster here accept that other than CricketCartoons, and he is often derided as a Bangladeshi troll.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=48620]Cpt. Rishwat[/MENTION] India is pseudo-secular it tries to maintain societal order by appeasing different religious groups there are different laws for different people. Also Modi and his ilk are doing their best to erode any semblance of secularism in India.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

[MENTION=48620]Cpt. Rishwat[/MENTION] India is pseudo-secular it tries to maintain societal order by appeasing different religious groups there are different laws for different people. Also Modi and his ilk are doing their best to erode any semblance of secularism in India.

I think you are probably right. For Pakistan to advance it really needs to take it's own initiative rather than look to other countries in the region which themselves suffer from most of the same mindset.