PM Imran Khan asks Western Governments to penalize abuse against Prophet PBUH

[PakLFC]

The economies of Saudi, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Bahrain are pretty good. I am not very sure though they will like to ban the Western world.

Not until there is real Muslim unity. Currently, every Muslim country only thinks for itself. This is why I have always blasted the concept of Ummah.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Yes. Holocaust and Prophet PBUH are historical facts. No one in their right minds should mock them. There is no reason for it. Both are sensitive issues. The irony though is both religions claim to be the best and consider the other religions or non believers as trash. And yet they claim to be victims at every turn. This irony is what the foreign press is mocking. They don't need to but they will as this shows that all it takes to bring a billion muslims to their knees is a cartoon.

99.99% of Muslims did nothing about those cartoons. Muslims are not a monolithic.

The insecurities are in full display to the point that a Prime minister of a country with 200+ million population is arguing like a child.

Were western prime ministers children when they complained about Iran's Holocaust cartoon contest?

Is that all it takes to rile the muslims up? Because if that's the case, the liberal world will continue to mock it. That's another irony. It's the liberals that are playing this game joining the right wing.

Does a simple cartoon about the Holocaust rile up westerners? Does denying the Holocaust rile up westerners? If thats the case then people will continue to deny it.

With that said i oppose Holocaust denial or mocking anyone's religion.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

This proves my point, this is from your link.

You simply cited the countries where its not illegal. In that article there are countries where it is illegal.

In Belgium, Holocaust denial was made illegal in 1995.

In the Czech Republic, Holocaust denial and denial of communist-perpetrated atrocities is illegal.

In France, the Gayssot Act, voted for on July 13, 1990, makes it illegal to question the existence of crimes that fall in the category of crimes against humanity as defined in the London Charter of 1945, on the basis of which Nazi leaders were convicted by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1945–46.

The National Assembly of Hungary declared the denial or trivialization of the Holocaust a crime punishable by up to three years' imprisonment on February 23, 2010.[46]

The Italian parliament, extending an anti-racism law from 1975, approved Law 16 June 2016 n. 115, criminalizing the spreading of Holocaust denial and making conviction for the crime subject to imprisonment for two to six years.[54][55]

In Poland, Holocaust denial and the denial of communist crimes is punishable by law.

In Romania, Emergency Ordinance No. 31 of March 13, 2002 prohibits Holocaust denial. It was ratified on May 6, 2006. The law also prohibits racist, fascist, xenophobic symbols, uniforms and gestures: proliferation of which is punishable with imprisonment from between six months to five years.

In May 2014, Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed a law making the denial of Nazi crimes and "wittingly spreading false information about the activity of the USSR during the years of World War Two" or portraying Nazis as heroes a criminal offence.[67]

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

If tolerance goes both ways why does Pakistan the country Imran leads have different tolerances?.

Every country has their own issues which are taboo. In Europe its Holocaust, in US is race, and in Muslim countries its religion.

Their is nothing wrong with the west having cartoons that mock Islam or Muslims. However they should not complain when Muslims mock things that they are sensitive too.

They should not give lectures on free speech, when they dont believe in it themselves. When you keep on tweeting Je Suis Charlie in support of free speech, yet you say nothing when a comedian was arrested for speech you dont like. No one in the west was tweeting je suis Dieudonné

 

[CricketCartoons]

Their is nothing wrong with the west having cartoons that mock Islam or Muslims. However they should not complain when Muslims mock things that they are sensitive too.

Your point on western hypocrisy stands, but has any western country requested any muslim country not to mock things the west holds dear?

 

[gazza619]

I just so wish that these elements of our society were equally sensitive to other major sins of this world!

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Your point on western hypocrisy stands, but has any western country requested any muslim country not to mock things the west holds dear?

Germany on Wednesday condemned a contest in Iran for cartoons depicting the Holocaust, saying it sows hatred and deepens divisions in the Middle East.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-raps-iran-for-holocaust-cartoon-contest/

The United States on Sunday denounced the “abhorrent” Holocaust-themed cartoon contest mocking the Nazi genocide of six million Jews during World War II currently taking place in Iran.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-condemns-irans-abhorrent-holocaust-mocking-cartoon-contest/

 

[CricketCartoons]

https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-raps-iran-for-holocaust-cartoon-contest/



https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-condemns-irans-abhorrent-holocaust-mocking-cartoon-contest/

They denounced it, but still didn't make any request. This was my question: has any western country requested any muslim country not to mock things the west holds dear?

 

[Major]

He is saying its illegal in western countries to say anything about the Holocaust. You can literally go to jail in multiple countries. Facebook does not allow you to deny the Holocaust. Entire western world condemned Iran's Holocaust cartoons.

So if we can restrict free speech for Holocaust, then why not for mocking religion?

Free speech? Holocaust is an event, it something that happened, what is meant by freedom of speech here? How can you deny it?

its like saying a person was raped, but there needs to be freedom of speech thus, we need to listen to the side of the rapist.

You are comparing an event that happened with views on religion or religious figure

 

[Robert]

Those same western countries find it outrageous when people deny the Holocaust, or when a country like Iran has Holocaust cartoons.

Also if you post any Holocaust denial stuff on Facebook, and other social media platforms, its removed.

Same thing with any thing that's deemed racist.

So why cant Muslims ask for there to be no tolerance on mocking religion.

Because the Holocaust is historical fact, not a religion. Denial of it is deliberately spreading hate. There can be no other explanation.

Lampooning religious figures is accepted in Western nations - as a way of attacking hypocrisy by religious people and religious organisations. So why should followers of Islam get a special right not not be upset by mockery, that is not also extended to followers of Christianity and Judaism?

 

[Indiafan]

Every country has their own issues which are taboo. In Europe its Holocaust, in US is race, and in Muslim countries its religion.

Their is nothing wrong with the west having cartoons that mock Islam or Muslims. However they should not complain when Muslims mock things that they are sensitive too.

They should not give lectures on free speech, when they dont believe in it themselves. When you keep on tweeting Je Suis Charlie in support of free speech, yet you say nothing when a comedian was arrested for speech you dont like. No one in the west was tweeting je suis Dieudonné

But you have the common sense to understand why racism and Holocaust are taboo right? Its because to avoid people being killed over it and to avoid history being repeated

P.S> Mocking jews or holocaust is not banned. It is hateful targeting which is banned. Similarly hateful targeting of Muslims is also banned in those countries. You have been corrected MULTIPLE times here on this fact yet you continue, at this point its just lying

 

[Indiafan]

South Park made cartoons of the Prophet and made jokes about it. Yet, it couldnt get the attention it wanted and it died out. Once the attention isn't gather, they dont poke more towards it as it kills the purpose than.

This is not true. They got death threats for the episodes and every network has banned those episodes. They didnt stop because it died out, they stopped because they were scared for their life and episodes were banned by force

Meanwhile, they made funs of Jews every episode, right from episode one. Imagine being terrorized for a cartoon and imagine being the one religion which does that when every other religion has no issues. IMO it just shows insecurity and lack of belief, God and Prophets dont need to be defended, they are almighty.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This is not true. They got death threats for the episodes and every network has banned those episodes. They didnt stop because it died out, they stopped because they were scared for their life and episodes were banned by force

Meanwhile, they made funs of Jews every episode, right from episode one. Imagine being terrorized for a cartoon and imagine being the one religion which does that when every other religion has no issues. IMO it just shows insecurity and lack of belief, God and Prophets dont need to be defended, they are almighty.

This is your opinion and that's fine, but that doesn't mean others opinions aren't as valid as yours. That is how you have different religions and they all hold differing viewpoints.

 

[Local.Dada]

This is not true. They got death threats for the episodes and every network has banned those episodes. They didnt stop because it died out, they stopped because they were scared for their life and episodes were banned by force

Meanwhile, they made funs of Jews every episode, right from episode one. Imagine being terrorized for a cartoon and imagine being the one religion which does that when every other religion has no issues. IMO it just shows insecurity and lack of belief, God and Prophets dont need to be defended, they are almighty.

I think it was the decision of the network than the makers of South Park

 

[Major]

This is not true. They got death threats for the episodes and every network has banned those episodes. They didnt stop because it died out, they stopped because they were scared for their life and episodes were banned by force

Meanwhile, they made funs of Jews every episode, right from episode one. Imagine being terrorized for a cartoon and imagine being the one religion which does that when every other religion has no issues. IMO it just shows insecurity and lack of belief, God and Prophets dont need to be defended, they are almighty.

I am referring to episode 143, you are refering to the 201 episode

SOrry to say, but every religious group does have issue. Jewish and Christian groups write angry letters to the network channels whenever such an episode is made.

 

[Local.Dada]

I am referring to episode 143, you are refering to the 201 episode

SOrry to say, but every religious group does have issue. Jewish and Christian groups write angry letters to the network channels whenever such an episode is made.

Sure, there have been movies/shows that hurt religious/cultural sentiments. There have been instances were Hindu iconography has been made fun of and there was outrage.

However compare the outrage say a Love Guru (Mike Myers movie) that stereotypes Hinduism or parodies of Passion of the Christ get vs say even a light hearted dig at Islam.

That basically is the bigger picture.

In fact the South Park episode was showing all religious figures as super heroes albeit in a fun way, the outrage made them push the boundaries with the 2nd episode which I felt was still light hearted and almost negligible given South Park’s standards, but it had to be taken down because the makers and network executives were getting death threats.

If it was Christian or other religious extremists, usually you will see statements like we will fight suppression of creative and artistic freedom and all that crap but I guess when Islamic extremists are involved you need to take threats seriously. I think I don’t need to give you examples as it is self explanatory.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

But you have the common sense to understand why racism and Holocaust are taboo right? Its because to avoid people being killed over it and to avoid history being repeated

Do you have the common sense to understand why some countries ban mocking religion? Its to avoid people being killed over it.

In the subcontinent millions died as a result of religion. Criticizing it is taboo, at least in Pakistan.

P.S> Mocking jews or holocaust is not banned. It is hateful targeting which is banned. Similarly hateful targeting of Muslims is also banned in those countries. You have been corrected MULTIPLE times here on this fact yet you continue, at this point its just lying

Holocaust Denial is illegal in some countries like Germany. Not one person here has "corrected" me MULTIPLE times on it. You know why, because it is illegal.

Germany's jailed "Nazi grandma" Ursula Haverbeck, 89, on Friday lost a challenge before the country's highest court, which reaffirmed that constitutional free speech guarantees do not cover Holocaust denial.
Haverbeck started her latest prison term in May for insisting that Nazi Germany's mass murder of millions of Jews and others was “only a belief” and that Auschwitz was “not historically proven” to have been a death camp.

German law makes it illegal to deny the genocide committed by Adolf Hitler's regime, which in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in occupied Poland alone claimed some 1.1 million lives, mostly of European Jews.

https://www.thelocal.de/20180803/fr...er-holocaust-denial-germanys-top-court-rules/

Germany and other countries have every right to ban Holocaust denial. Same way Iran has a right to deny it. And Pakistan has every right to make blasphemy illegal.

The problem is when some countries lecture us on free speech, then they will be pointed out for their hypocrisy.

 

[Thomaskutty]

The problem is when some countries lecture us on free speech, then they will be pointed out for their hypocrisy.

Instead of lamenting how this blasphemy nonsense has put countless individuals in your country in jail for a decade, like that professor, you double down on it. Now wonder Pakistan in such a mess.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Because the Holocaust is historical fact, not a religion. Denial of it is deliberately spreading hate. There can be no other explanation.

Lampooning religious figures is accepted in Western nations - as a way of attacking hypocrisy by religious people and religious organisations. So why should followers of Islam get a special right not not be upset by mockery, that is not also extended to followers of Christianity and Judaism?

People in western countries can mock Islam all they want. No problem. And Holocaust denial is considered spreading hate in the west so by all means ban it there.


However non white countries can also have their own opinions on what is spreading hatred, and what is acceptable. In Pakistan mocking religion is considering spreading hate. Thats why their is a blasphemy law to make it illegal. Same way the Iranians dont consider the Holocaust denial cartoons to be a big deal, and its legal there.

The problem is when western countries lecture non western countries on Blasphemy or cartoons, and expect them to follow their values.

This is essentially white privilege. What whites find offensive must be made illegal, not only in their countries but in non western countries as well. And what whites find ok to mock must be legal not only in their country, but in non western ones as well under the guise of free speech.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Instead of lamenting how this blasphemy nonsense has put countless individuals in your country in jail for a decade, like that professor, you double down on it. Now wonder Pakistan in such a mess.

Pakistan mess has nothing to do with the blasphemy laws.

From a quick google search i got these numbers.

Between 1986 and 2007, Pakistani authorities charged 647 people with blasphemy offences.

It is suggested that nearly 2,000 to 5,000 deaths been reported annually due to rabies, in Pakistan.

Yet blasphemy laws in your mind is a huge problem.

 

[saeedhk]

Pakistan mess has nothing to do with the blasphemy laws.

From a quick google search i got these numbers.





Yet blasphemy laws in your mind is a huge problem.

Blasphemy law is a big problem. It is used as a weapon to settle personal scores especially against minorities. Dozens have been killed in mob attacks or by gunmen. Just last week, two Christian nurses were attacked because they removed a sticker that had a religious inscription.

Last December, a Christian man was released after 10 years in prison after being falsely accused of blasphemy by a Muslim shopkeeper who wanted to usurp the Christian man’s shop. Not to mention, a bank manager was killed recently too over blasphemy.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Blasphemy law is a big problem. It is used as a weapon to settle personal scores especially against minorities. Dozens have been killed in mob attacks or by gunmen. Just last week, two Christian nurses were attacked because they removed a sticker that had a religious inscription.

Last December, a Christian man was released after 10 years in prison after being falsely accused of blasphemy by a Muslim shopkeeper who wanted to usurp the Christian man’s shop. Not to mention, a bank manager was killed recently too over blasphemy.

If its a big problem, then there will be at least 100 bigger problems that Pakistan has right now. Like Rabies.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets over expelling the French ambassador. Do you know how many will take to the street to if you try to get rid of the blasphemy laws?

 

[Robert]

People in western countries can mock Islam all they want. No problem. And Holocaust denial is considered spreading hate in the west so by all means ban it there.


However non white countries can also have their own opinions on what is spreading hatred, and what is acceptable. In Pakistan mocking religion is considering spreading hate. Thats why their is a blasphemy law to make it illegal. Same way the Iranians dont consider the Holocaust denial cartoons to be a big deal, and its legal there.

The problem is when western countries lecture non western countries on Blasphemy or cartoons, and expect them to follow their values.

This is essentially white privilege. What whites find offensive must be made illegal, not only in their countries but in non western countries as well. And what whites find ok to mock must be legal not only in their country, but in non western ones as well under the guise of free speech.

Has anybody actually done that?

I looked at a few ME jobs - the agencies told me the local rules and how I would have to behave if selected.

 

[saeedhk]

If its a big problem, then there will be at least 100 bigger problems that Pakistan has right now. Like Rabies.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets over expelling the French ambassador. Do you know how many will take to the street to if you try to get rid of the blasphemy laws?

Having other problems does not take away the magnitude of the blasphemy issue and its adverse effects on minorities.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Having other problems does not take away the magnitude of the blasphemy issue and its adverse effects on minorities.

True, however with the TLP fiasco going on right now, its not a good time.

Eventually we can take a look at it and make necessary revisions to ensure that people cant abuse the law.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Disgusting apologist for persecution.

Absolutely vile.

No need for dramabazi. Right now not one MNA will vote to repeal the blasphemy laws. Its not possible to repeal it. If PTI brings up a bill to get rid of it, and every party will do politics on it.

And we have enough problems with TLP as it is over the French ambassador. Do you want millions on the street rioting? Get rid of the blasphemy law and it will happen.

 

[saeedhk]

If its a big problem, then there will be at least 100 bigger problems that Pakistan has right now. Like Rabies.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets over expelling the French ambassador. Do you know how many will take to the street to if you try to get rid of the blasphemy laws?

If you say Pakistan has bigger problems to handle, why France cannot be given the same liberty? Why France can’t say that such cartoons are trivial matters and they are unbothered?We need to fix our home first;we need to treat our minorities fairly.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

If you say Pakistan has bigger problems to handle, why France cannot be given the same liberty? Why France can’t say that such cartoons are trivial matters and they are unbothered?

Of course they can. No one in France cares about the TLP protests.

We need to fix our home first;we need to treat our minorities fairly.

Absolutely.

However we lost over 50,000 people from 2007 to 2017, and only in the last few years Pakistan has became peaceful.

We have to handle the TLP situation very carefully, to avoid them rebelling against the state. We cant appease them by sending the ambassador back, and at the same time force needs to be a last resort, otherwise we risk civil war.

How can right now be a good time to amend the Blasphemy laws? Majority of the country will oppose it, including most politicians. Their numbers of TLP will only increase. They might have a chance to win a decent number of seats in parliament.

I am all for amending the Blasphemy laws. However i feel we need to wait.

 

[miandadrules]

No need for dramabazi. Right now not one MNA will vote to repeal the blasphemy laws. Its not possible to repeal it. If PTI brings up a bill to get rid of it, and every party will do politics on it.

And we have enough problems with TLP as it is over the French ambassador. Do you want millions on the street rioting? Get rid of the blasphemy law and it will happen.

Further apologist for abuse.

Disgusting.

Also, entirely oblivious that this whole scenario has been created because of such tacit support and yet you have the audacity to lecture others.

 

[Bigboii]

Further apologist for abuse.

Disgusting.

Also, entirely oblivious that this whole scenario has been created because of such tacit support and yet you have the audacity to lecture others.

Ok if I am the PM of Pakistan I'll remove these laws but I want you to come and fight these guys if things take a nasty turn and also provide for the poor folks who'll be devested if things turn nasty

If you're willing to do that than I as an supposed PMOP will agree to remove these laws and stop being an apologist

 

[PetroDollars]

How can these laws be removed, we already lost one of the only decent politians who tried to do so. Now everyone in parliament knows by taking a stand against blasphemy is a death wish.

 

[guna]

How can these laws be removed, we already lost one of the only decent politians who tried to do so. Now everyone in parliament knows by taking a stand against blasphemy is a death wish.

It has to end somewhere. Issue needs to be addressed at the grass root level by shutting down Madrassahs where over religiousity is taught. Make Science mandatory and teach Islam as a history subject and not something to be absolutely revered. If someone wants to follow Islam strictly, it should be done at personal level. Government and public places should be as secular as possible.

The above is easier said than done. But there has to be a start somewhere. Simply agreeing to the demands of extremists for the fear of civil war will only embolden them and get more and more powerful.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

How can these laws be removed, we already lost one of the only decent politians who tried to do so. Now everyone in parliament knows by taking a stand against blasphemy is a death wish.

They will be removed when the people of Pakistan demand a change. Perhaps when they feel that the laws are no longer serving any purpose or are being misused. The country is increasingly connected to the outside world via internet and social media, if they like what they see outside their own bubble, it might filter through eventually.

 

[miandadrules]

Ok if I am the PM of Pakistan I'll remove these laws but I want you to come and fight these guys if things take a nasty turn and also provide for the poor folks who'll be devested if things turn nasty

If you're willing to do that than I as an supposed PMOP will agree to remove these laws and stop being an apologist

So you admit that you are an apologist.

Let’s get one thing clear. The only and I mean the only reason such behaviour is allowed to flourish is because of the tacit support provided by the wider public to such views.

But we can play this ignorant game. When you become this mythical PM, I’ll face them.

However, why don’t those who help created the situation, individuals such as yourself who act as apologists not willing to accept the responsibility and face them?

A disgusting attempt at maintaining the status quo.

Let’s for one second contemplate whether you would express such views if you or your loved ones were targeted by such policies.

 

[miandadrules]

They will be removed when the people of Pakistan demand a change. Perhaps when they feel that the laws are no longer serving any purpose or are being misused. The country is increasingly connected to the outside world via internet and social media, if they like what they see outside their own bubble, it might filter through eventually.

The public will repeal the laws by hearing constant apologetics for them?

 

[Bigboii]

So you admit that you are an apologist.

Let’s get one thing clear. The only and I mean the only reason such behaviour is allowed to flourish is because of the tacit support provided by the wider public to such views.

But we can play this ignorant game. When you become this mythical PM, I’ll face them.

However, why don’t those who help created the situation, individuals such as yourself who act as apologists not willing to accept the responsibility and face them?

A disgusting attempt at maintaining the status quo.

Let’s for one second contemplate whether you would express such views if you or your loved ones were targeted by such policies.

No disrespect but I lol'ed at this convo
You are sounding like the cammunist student union president and his lectures... calm down man

As far as being an apologist dude I am literally a libertarian in my ideal world not only should there be no blasphemy laws but the drawing of cartoons (no matter how offensive) and all should be legal

So this is not about my personal views but
Is Pakistan the country ready for it?
No it's not that was the point that guy was making, so repealing those rn will create a terrible atmosphere in the country, (I am all for educating society on how FOE,FS are good for society even if we don't agree with it but straight up abolishing those laws rn is bad for the well being of the country)
That was the whole point...

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Further apologist for abuse.

Disgusting.

Also, entirely oblivious that this whole scenario has been created because of such tacit support and yet you have the audacity to lecture others.

You are the oblivious one. Blasphemy laws started under the British era due to a book (Rangila Rasul) being published which mocked prophet Mohammed.

A man called Ilm Deen assassinated the publisher. Do you know Jinnah was his lawyer on appeal? Do you know Iqbal was sympathetic towards him? Do you know hundreds of thousands went to his funeral?

To keep the peace between Muslims and Hindus the British passed a Hate Crime law which stated that

Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of [citizens of India], [by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise], insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both

Over the years, mostly during Zia, these laws which Pakistan inherited at independence, were made more severe.


The blasphemy laws do indeed need reform. Majority of people who are convicted did not say anything blasphemous. People use them to settle grudges, and the law needed to be amended to ensure that does not happen.

Or remove all Zia era amendments to the Blasphemy laws.

However what is not realistic in Pakistan, is a western style system where you can mock and lampoon religion. Every country restricts free speech based on taboos of their country. In Pakistan mocking religion is a taboo and people need to respect that.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

It has to end somewhere. Issue needs to be addressed at the grass root level by shutting down Madrassahs where over religiousity is taught. Make Science mandatory and teach Islam as a history subject and not something to be absolutely revered. If someone wants to follow Islam strictly, it should be done at personal level. Government and public places should be as secular as possible.

The above is easier said than done. But there has to be a start somewhere. Simply agreeing to the demands of extremists for the fear of civil war will only embolden them and get more and more powerful.

What the goverment is trying to do is pass the Single National Curriculum bill, which would make private schools, government schools, and madrassas have the core curriculum.


Also i believe all schools in Pakistan teach Islamiat . Whether its a madrassa or a private school.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The public will repeal the laws by hearing constant apologetics for them?

Is that your opinion? Not really sure why you are quoting me if so.

 

[Technics 1210]

If the Holocaust was the truth then you don't need a law protecting a 'historical fact'.

 

[Thomaskutty]

A man called Ilm Deen assassinated the publisher. Do you know Jinnah was his lawyer on appeal? Do you know Iqbal was sympathetic towards him? Do you know hundreds of thousands went to his funeral?

Why was Jinnah and Iqbal supportive of a murderer? Do you denounce them for this support?

 

[Nadeemp]

If the Holocaust was the truth then you don't need a law protecting a 'historical fact'.

In that case if god is the truth or A prophet is the truth then you don’t need blasphemy laws either.

 

[IndoorCricket]

Only Pakistan people seems to care so much about this issue. I don't see this level of outrage by other Muslim nations.

 

[KB]

So this is not about my personal views but
Is Pakistan the country ready for it?
No it's not that was the point that guy was making, so repealing those rn will create a terrible atmosphere in the country, (I am all for educating society on how FOE,FS are good for society even if we don't agree with it but straight up abolishing those laws rn is bad for the well being of the country)
That was the whole point...

As Muhammad Qasim Zaman in his excellent work on Islam in Pakistan, pointed to, there is deeper issue: when it comes to Islam, the governing elite lacks intellectual firepower and credibility and has not cultivated a constituency in society that could support its case.

It is worth putting this in some historical context. Islamic modernism has a long history in the subcontinent. Islamic modernists have tended to criticise the ulama for smothering the “spirit” of Islam with their overly formalistic and legalistic interpretations. The modernists instead have insisted on Islam’s dynamism, ethical core and compatibility with modern and liberal values. Take the work of Syed Ameer Ali (d.1928) notably entitled: The Spirit of Islam. First published in 1891 it went through several reprints. He spoke of “The wonderful adaptability of Islamic precepts to all ages and nations; their entire concordance with the light of reason.” He bemoaned the “latter-day professors of Islam” that have created a situation where “The Moslems of the present day have ignored the spirit in a hopeless love for the letter,” having become “slaves” to “outward observance.”

The pioneering figure of Islamic modernism in South Asia was of course Sayyid Ahmad Khan (d. 1898). What is interesting about him and that early generation of modernists - in stark contrast to the governing elite of today - is as Qasim Zaman states, that they were of similar social origin and shared a similar cultural background to the ulama.

Take Sir Sayyid and consider the formative phase and the influences in his early life: the Naqshbandi tradition, Shah Wali Allah and the Mujahidin movement. From the Naqshbandi tradition he learned of the importance of inner striving and purity of heart. From Shah Wali Allah he took the idea of the flexibility of the Shari’a. From the Tariqah-i Muhammadiyah he understood the importance of returning to the original sources - the Qur’an and sunnah - and in highlighting and seeking to reform innovations which ran contrary to Islamic belief. Sayyid Ahmad Khan belonged to a family that was dedicated to leading figures of Islam at the time. This was a man clearly immersed in a particular intellectual climate shaped by religious thought. Consider his writings. He spent a great deal of his life writing on matters pertaining to Islam. He highlighted the moral qualities of the Prophet. He wrote on the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians believing them to be relevant when read in the context of the Qur’anic message of tauhid. He wrote extensively on the reliability of Hadith. He expended considerable energy to argue that the divine message could be reconciled to science and that it was wholly within the ambit of reason.

Yet, in the college he established at Aligarh the study of Islam occupied only a marginal space due to the opposition he faced from the ulama. The next generation of modernists were therefore much more distanced from the religious intellectual milieu than the early modernists. There were of course exceptions, most notably Muhammad Iqbal (d.1938) in the inter-war period. But modernism was now being pushed forward more by politicians with a less secure grounding in religious thought but who were nevertheless committed to Islam as a progressive force. The Pakistan movement was indeed headed by the modernists.

As Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, said in the constituent assembly in March 1949, the idea of Pakistan was “to give the Muslims the opportunity that they have been seeking, throughout these long decades of decadence and subjection, of finding freedom to set up a polity which may prove to be a laboratory for the purpose of demonstrating to the world that Islam is not only a progressive force in the world, but it also provides remedies for many of the ills from which humanity has been suffering.”

During the 1950s and 1960s there were thinkers who could bolster the positions of the modernists. Khalifa Abdul Hakim and his Institute of Islamic Culture produced much output on Islamic literature from a modernist viewpoint. The Institute even employed, as Zaman shows, ulama sympathetic to its modernist position - Hanif Nadwi and Jafar Phulwarvi. In Pakistan, Islamic modernism reached its apogee during the rule of Ayub Khan. He did not seek to erase Islam from public life, but like the modernists before him, he believed that Islam, ‘properly’ interpreted “alone provides a natural ideology that can save the soul of humanity from destruction.” The Central Institute of Islamic Research set up by the government in 1960 reflected modernist principles, with the government explaining that the purpose of the institute was “to define Islam in terms of its fundamentals in a rational and liberal manner and to emphasise…the basic Islamic ideas of universal brotherhood, tolerance and social justice” as well as to “interpret the teachings of Islam in such a way as to bring out its dynamic character in the context of the intellectual and scientific progress of the modern world.”

Yet it was in the Ayub era that we clearly see modernism coming under stress. It was in 1968 that the remarkable modernist intellectual Fazlur Rahman (d.1988) was forced to resign as director of the Institute of Islamic Research. Since then Islamic modernism as an intellectual force has been in retreat.

One of the problems has been that the governing elite have relied on top-down messaging and have done very little to set up institutions that could educate Pakistanis along the lines of Islamic modernist thought. Years of poor governance has also dented the governing elite’s authority. Whilst the modernists used Islamic rhetoric, they have often failed to make a persuasive argument on religious grounds and have been outflanked by ulama and Islamists. On the moral argument, the modernists have ceded ground because of the lack of engagement with the Islamic tradition.


To conclude with Qasim Zaman:

“For its part, modernism’s control of or proximity to the levers of political power has not required a concomitant investment in the bolstering of its intellectual defenses. This need not have been the outcome, of course, and it might yet be different as a result of decisions still to be made. A change in modernist intellectual fortunes would depend, however, upon serious, not wishful, thinking about Islam and on engaging with it as something more than as a tool of political legitimation. It would also depend upon the social, economic, and political conditions in which such thinking takes place.”

 

[Mankaded]

As Muhammad Qasim Zaman in his excellent work on Islam in Pakistan, pointed to, there is deeper issue: when it comes to Islam, the governing elite lacks intellectual firepower and credibility and has not cultivated a constituency in society that could support its case.

It is worth putting this in some historical context. Islamic modernism has a long history in the subcontinent. Islamic modernists have tended to criticise the ulama for smothering the “spirit” of Islam with their overly formalistic and legalistic interpretations. The modernists instead have insisted on Islam’s dynamism, ethical core and compatibility with modern and liberal values. Take the work of Syed Ameer Ali (d.1928) notably entitled: The Spirit of Islam. First published in 1891 it went through several reprints. He spoke of “The wonderful adaptability of Islamic precepts to all ages and nations; their entire concordance with the light of reason.” He bemoaned the “latter-day professors of Islam” that have created a situation where “The Moslems of the present day have ignored the spirit in a hopeless love for the letter,” having become “slaves” to “outward observance.”

The pioneering figure of Islamic modernism in South Asia was of course Sayyid Ahmad Khan (d. 1898). What is interesting about him and that early generation of modernists - in stark contrast to the governing elite of today - is as Qasim Zaman states, that they were of similar social origin and shared a similar cultural background to the ulama.

Take Sir Sayyid and consider the formative phase and the influences in his early life: the Naqshbandi tradition, Shah Wali Allah and the Mujahidin movement. From the Naqshbandi tradition he learned of the importance of inner striving and purity of heart. From Shah Wali Allah he took the idea of the flexibility of the Shari’a. From the Tariqah-i Muhammadiyah he understood the importance of returning to the original sources - the Qur’an and sunnah - and in highlighting and seeking to reform innovations which ran contrary to Islamic belief. Sayyid Ahmad Khan belonged to a family that was dedicated to leading figures of Islam at the time. This was a man clearly immersed in a particular intellectual climate shaped by religious thought. Consider his writings. He spent a great deal of his life writing on matters pertaining to Islam. He highlighted the moral qualities of the Prophet. He wrote on the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians believing them to be relevant when read in the context of the Qur’anic message of tauhid. He wrote extensively on the reliability of Hadith. He expended considerable energy to argue that the divine message could be reconciled to science and that it was wholly within the ambit of reason.

Yet, in the college he established at Aligarh the study of Islam occupied only a marginal space due to the opposition he faced from the ulama. The next generation of modernists were therefore much more distanced from the religious intellectual milieu than the early modernists. There were of course exceptions, most notably Muhammad Iqbal (d.1938) in the inter-war period. But modernism was now being pushed forward more by politicians with a less secure grounding in religious thought but who were nevertheless committed to Islam as a progressive force. The Pakistan movement was indeed headed by the modernists.

As Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, said in the constituent assembly in March 1949, the idea of Pakistan was “to give the Muslims the opportunity that they have been seeking, throughout these long decades of decadence and subjection, of finding freedom to set up a polity which may prove to be a laboratory for the purpose of demonstrating to the world that Islam is not only a progressive force in the world, but it also provides remedies for many of the ills from which humanity has been suffering.”

During the 1950s and 1960s there were thinkers who could bolster the positions of the modernists. Khalifa Abdul Hakim and his Institute of Islamic Culture produced much output on Islamic literature from a modernist viewpoint. The Institute even employed, as Zaman shows, ulama sympathetic to its modernist position - Hanif Nadwi and Jafar Phulwarvi. In Pakistan, Islamic modernism reached its apogee during the rule of Ayub Khan. He did not seek to erase Islam from public life, but like the modernists before him, he believed that Islam, ‘properly’ interpreted “alone provides a natural ideology that can save the soul of humanity from destruction.” The Central Institute of Islamic Research set up by the government in 1960 reflected modernist principles, with the government explaining that the purpose of the institute was “to define Islam in terms of its fundamentals in a rational and liberal manner and to emphasise…the basic Islamic ideas of universal brotherhood, tolerance and social justice” as well as to “interpret the teachings of Islam in such a way as to bring out its dynamic character in the context of the intellectual and scientific progress of the modern world.”

Yet it was in the Ayub era that we clearly see modernism coming under stress. It was in 1968 that the remarkable modernist intellectual Fazlur Rahman (d.1988) was forced to resign as director of the Institute of Islamic Research. Since then Islamic modernism as an intellectual force has been in retreat.

One of the problems has been that the governing elite have relied on top-down messaging and have done very little to set up institutions that could educate Pakistanis along the lines of Islamic modernist thought. Years of poor governance has also dented the governing elite’s authority. Whilst the modernists used Islamic rhetoric, they have often failed to make a persuasive argument on religious grounds and have been outflanked by ulama and Islamists. On the moral argument, the modernists have ceded ground because of the lack of engagement with the Islamic tradition.


To conclude with Qasim Zaman:

“For its part, modernism’s control of or proximity to the levers of political power has not required a concomitant investment in the bolstering of its intellectual defenses. This need not have been the outcome, of course, and it might yet be different as a result of decisions still to be made. A change in modernist intellectual fortunes would depend, however, upon serious, not wishful, thinking about Islam and on engaging with it as something more than as a tool of political legitimation. It would also depend upon the social, economic, and political conditions in which such thinking takes place.”

You only come out of hibernation to write these posts of the weeks don't you.

I however like that you're not tainted by the usual to and fro on here.

 

[guna]

Imran demanding Gusthaq-e-Rasool law in western world. Not sure if he is serious or just trolling.

If Imran is serious, he might as well join TLP.

 

[UP]

Khan sahab should worry about his own plate and minorities within his boundaries.

 

[saeedhk]

‘TLP and I have the same aims,’ Imran Khan.

 

[Robert]

You are the oblivious one. Blasphemy laws started under the British era due to a book (Rangila Rasul) being published which mocked prophet Mohammed.

A man called Ilm Deen assassinated the publisher. Do you know Jinnah was his lawyer on appeal? Do you know Iqbal was sympathetic towards him? Do you know hundreds of thousands went to his funeral?

To keep the peace between Muslims and Hindus the British passed a Hate Crime law which stated that



Over the years, mostly during Zia, these laws which Pakistan inherited at independence, were made more severe.


The blasphemy laws do indeed need reform. Majority of people who are convicted did not say anything blasphemous. People use them to settle grudges, and the law needed to be amended to ensure that does not happen.

Or remove all Zia era amendments to the Blasphemy laws.

However what is not realistic in Pakistan, is a western style system where you can mock and lampoon religion. Every country restricts free speech based on taboos of their country. In Pakistan mocking religion is a taboo and people need to respect that.

Extremely interesting! Every so often, PP throws up a gem like this.

POTW material!

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri and State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan called on the Opposition to join hands with the government to send a unified message to the world, especially France, on the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The appeal was made by the ministers in their separate statements.

Qadri stated that the government stood firm regarding the resolution of the issue about the French ambassador and has honestly implemented all the promises it made.

"The purpose of setting up a parliamentary committee is to formulate a joint action plan and consensus resolution by incorporating the suggestions of all the parties in it," said Ali Mohammad Khan as he appealed to the Opposition.

Earlier this week, the government called a session of the National Assembly and presented a resolution calling for the protection of the sanctity of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

NA Speaker Asad Qaiser has already called upon the government and the Opposition to sit down together and formulate a unanimous resolution.

The resolution presented to the assembly was introduced as a private member one by PTI MNA Amjad Ali Khan.

It centres around whether or not the French ambassador to Pakistan should be expelled after French President Emmanuel Macron defended the right of Charlie Hebdo magazine to republish blasphemous cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

On the same day, Amjad Ali Khan also requested the formation of a special parliamentary committee to discuss the French envoy's expulsion.

Following the MNA's request, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan presented a separate resolution for the formation of the committee.

The resolution, after a voice vote, was declared by NA Speaker Asad Qaiser as approved by the parliament, amid loud chants of objection by the Opposition.

GEO

 

[Mamoon]

At this point, we should probably feel sorry for Imran Khan and the state of his mental health.

He is fully aware of the fact that he has badly failed to live up to the expectations and deliver as PM. He also knows that he is rapidly losing popular support.

As a result, he has no choice but to resort to desperate tactics that would help divert the attention away from the failures of his government.

This embarrassment is part of the tactics that he is deploying and has deployed over the past few years.

The anti-Modi and anti-West narrative that he has peddled are his ways of remaining in the good books of the public because the failures of his government has all but ensured that Imran and PTI have lost all credibility and momentum.

It is a pitiful but well-deserved situation. The end is near for Imran and PTI. By far the most incompetent and clueless PM and government Pakistan has ever seen.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Losing GSP + status would greatly harm Pakistan’s exports since Europe accounts for at least 40% of our exports.

Since Imran came to power, I have been saying this that he has, every day, tried to appease extremist elements by his rhetoric and failing to condemn violence against Pakistani minorities.

He has not even once condemned the killings of Ahmedis, Shias, Hindus and Christians and the forced conversions of minority girls. When a mob burned a Hindu temple to the ground in December 2020 and the video of this act went global with extensive coverage by international media, Imran Khan took to twitter to tell Modi to respect humans without uttering any words for the despicable crime against his country’s Hindus. Imran and his government has always stayed mum and looked the other way.

The European Union also states the above. It says Imran failed to protect Pakistan’s minorities but and rather speaks about the Holocaust and other issues.

It would be a disaster but you cant give into blackmail. Most likely EU wont do anything.

 

[saeedhk]

I hope EU strips off Pakistan’s GSP + status and forces Pakistan to treat its minorities better. I know it is wrong but there is no other way!

 

[MenInG]

I hope EU strips off Pakistan’s GSP + status and forces Pakistan to treat its minorities better. I know it is wrong but there is no other way!

You always mean well for Pakistan.

 

[Thomaskutty]

It would be a disaster but you cant give into blackmail. Most likely EU wont do anything.

They will. The only way to stop discrimination against minorities/passive.muslims in Pakistan is for the rest of the world to impose heavy sanctions on the country. The EU must act now before thousands more innocent people end up in prison due to barbaric blasphemy laws that the local population supports.

 

[saeedhk]

You always mean well for Pakistan.

There is no other solution. This madness needs to stop. This is a country where young men are beaten up by a mob for reading the bible and then charged with blasphemy.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

They will. The only way to stop discrimination against minorities/passive.muslims in Pakistan is for the rest of the world to impose heavy sanctions on the country. The EU must act now before thousands more innocent people end up in prison due to barbaric blasphemy laws that the local population supports.

Then so be it. There is no political support to repeal Blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

However there is a desire among the population to amended the laws so that innocents who did not commit Blasphemy are not arrested. But this will certainly not be done by repealing the law, and allow mocking of our religion in our own country. Nor will this be done via Blackmail.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

There is no other solution. This madness needs to stop. This is a country where young men are beaten up by a mob for reading the bible and then charged with blasphemy.

There are 100 countries with a greater Homicide rate than Pakistan. The top 25 are all Christian majority nations. The EU should help their fellow Christians in those countries, then worrying about a law that effects a small number of people every year, the majority of whom are Muslim.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...te#By_country,_region,_or_dependent_territory

 

[Arsal_AK]

Imran has totally lost it in this matter. He makes zero sense and the stuff about his so called knowledge of the west or him making demands from them is truly hilarious.

The upshot of this whole drama is that we are in the news and it's again for the wrong reasons.

 

[saeedhk]

There are 100 countries with a greater Homicide rate than Pakistan. The top 25 are all Christian majority nations. The EU should help their fellow Christians in those countries, then worrying about a law that effects a small number of people every year, the majority of whom are Muslim.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...te#By_country,_region,_or_dependent_territory

Homicide is different from religious persecution. The blasphemy law affects minorities disproportionally and it is used as a weapons by Muslims to settle personal disputes with Christians and Hindus. I am sure you have heard of the mob attack against two Christian nurses in Faisalabad hospital two weeks back. They are in jail over blasphemy and they will remain in jail for years. A Christian man falsely accused of blasphemy by his Muslim neighbour over a shop dispute was released after eleven years in Dec 2021 because 10 judges refused to hear his case fearing violence. I can go on and on. We need to treat our minorities better. EU move is a welcome move.

 

[guna]

Can western governments penalize anyone if anyone claims that Jesus is not God?

If that is acceptable, then Imran Khans demand is also acceptable.

 

[saeedhk]

‘No compromise on blasphemy law,’ PM Imran.

Imran Khan is refusing to acknowledge that the blasphemy law is misused. I do not expect the treatment of minorities to become better under Imran. In fact, I expect it to worsen.

 

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

Can western governments penalize anyone if anyone claims that Jesus is not God?

If that is acceptable, then Imran Khans demand is also acceptable.

Yeah, I feel this whole ordeal would be handled better if we simply ignored these things and moved on with our lives. The standing up and aggressive stand can be taken up whenever the rights of any Muslims are violated but otherwise if we just ignored the stupid comments of these Western people and stopped making these fantasy-land demands then we wouldn't end up making such fools out of ourselves. Just adds to the "backwards" stereotype.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

‘No compromise on blasphemy law,’ PM Imran.

Imran Khan is refusing to acknowledge that the blasphemy law is misused. I do not expect the treatment of minorities to become better under Imran. In fact, I expect it to worsen.

Majority of the minorities live in interior Sindh. PPP has a mandate from there. Why cant they do something about it?

Why is IK responsible for everything bad in Pakistan?

 

[saeedhk]

Majority of the minorities live in interior Sindh. PPP has a mandate from there. Why cant they do something about it?

Why is IK responsible for everything bad in Pakistan?

Blasphemy allegations are a national issue; not only restricted to Sindh. The bucks stops at the PM because he refuses to acknowledge the sufferings of his own minorities.

 

[ishtiaq_ctg]

What if the western governments introduce penalties for people who claim Jesus to be an ordinary man & not a son of God?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

What if the western governments introduce penalties for people who claim Jesus to be an ordinary man & not a son of God?

Then we'd have to watch what we said about Jesus otherwise we would get penalised.

 

[guna]

Yeah, I feel this whole ordeal would be handled better if we simply ignored these things and moved on with our lives. The standing up and aggressive stand can be taken up whenever the rights of any Muslims are violated but otherwise if we just ignored the stupid comments of these Western people and stopped making these fantasy-land demands then we wouldn't end up making such fools out of ourselves. Just adds to the "backwards" stereotype.

Imran is trying to prove himself as a Ghazi of Islam and appeasing religious nuts in Pakistan.

 

[PakLFC]

No Muslim government has sided with Imran Khan' attempts to pressurise the west. Turkey, the Arab's and even Iran have told our self centred PM to shut it giving him a good slap. There is no way other Muslim countries will end business contacts with the west over this silly Ummah thing. Pak's attempts to be the self appointed leader of the Muslim's has again been met with failure neither will it stop the west from publishing blasphemous cartoons. What we need to do is worry about ourselves, Allah will take care of those who mock the Akka(saw).

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday assured members of his cabinet that the upcoming budget 2021-22 will provide relief to the masses.

The premier also reportedly said special emphasis would be made on development projects keeping in view the public needs.

This was said during a meeting of the cabinet where other important decisions were also taken. The cabinet approved two ordinances relating to electoral reforms, among them one that allows the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to use electronic voting machines (EVM).

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry held a press conference after the meeting to announce the approval of the two ordinances, adding that these will be beneficial for transparent elections in future.

"The election commission has been given the authority to use EVMs in elections," he said. "It [ECP] has also been granted the right to take steps to ensure overseas Pakistanis get the right to vote."

The minister said the government's electoral reforms consisted of four parts, including use of EVMs, e-voting for overseas Pakistanis, biometric verification and legislation. He said EVMs had been developed and the government has unveiled its legislation agenda for the purpose, while work was underway on biometric and e-voting mechanism.

Chaudhry expressed hope that PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would both welcome the decisions. "They both said the ECP should lead these initiatives," he added.

Turning his guns towards the Opposition, Chaudhry said a "minor" leadership had been imposed on Pakistani masses. "Maryam and Bilawal wake up each day, check the headlines to see what Imran Khan has said and decide that they have to speak out against it no matter what," he added.

No compromise on blasphemy laws, says PM

Reacting to the European Parliament's resolution seeking a review of Pakistan GSP Plus status review, the prime minister held discussions with the cabinet on how to tackle the issue.

As per a report in The News, minister of state Ali Mohammad Khan was of the view that the government should give a strong response to the European Parliament.

To this, the prime minister said there would be no compromise on blasphemy laws and asserted that "we do not make decisions under any pressure, as the Holy Prophet (Peace Bu Upon Him) is above all for every Muslim".

However, at the same time, the prime minister cautioned the cabinet members to be careful while discussing the issue as the government was looking into the matter on its own and independently.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/348777-ca...o-use-electronic-voting-machines-in-elections

 

[OMB]

West can’t dictate decisions, vows minister

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the government would not take any dictation (from the West) to settle internal issues, including action against banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

He was speaking at a press conference held after the federal cabinet meeting.

Besides several other decisions, the meeting, which was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, approved two important ordinances for ensuring transparency in elections and granting right of vote to overseas Pakistanis by introducing modern technology.

The cabinet gave credit to the government for facing “not a single corruption scandal” and not receiving complaints of favouritism and unfairness while appointing heads of 58 government departments.

The meeting also decided to involve lawyers’ bodies and bar councils in electoral reforms even if the opposition did not join the process.

“We will not take action against anyone on the directives of any country,” Fawad Chaudhry said, while replying to a question about European Parliament’s recent resolution seeking withdrawal of GSP Plus status of Pakistan.

Later, talking to Dawn, the minister claimed that the issue of GSP Plus status and EU Parliament’s resolution was not discussed in the cabinet meeting.

“However, the government is firm in its stance that it will not take any dictation on internal issues,” he added.

Mr Chaudhry said action that had been taken against the TLP which led to its ban was the government’s own decision because the party had violated Islamic norms and laws of the country.

The minister said the cabinet approved two ordinances — one would enable the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) during polls and the other would empower it to take steps for giving voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.

The minister said the government’s electoral reforms consisted of four parts — use of EVMs, e-voting for overseas Pakistanis, biometric mechanism and legislation.

He said electronic voting machines had been developed and the government had unveiled its legislation agenda for the purpose, whereas work was under way on biometric and e-voting mechanism.

The cabinet was given a briefing by Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz and Information Technology Minister Syed Aminul Haq on electronic voting machines and e-voting.

Mr Chaudhry said the cabinet was informed that the lowest implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to coronavirus was seen in Sindh, especially Karachi. The situation in the province, particularly in the metropolis, was a matter of concern, and if the SOPs were not followed, the situation could further worsen and badly affect the supply chain upcountry, he added.

Islamabad, the minister said, was at the forefront in the implementation of SOPs while there was stability and decrease in Covid-19 cases in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to better compliance with precautionary measures.

He pointed out that enforcement of health guidelines had significantly improved with the involvement of the army.

He said the cabinet had also approved deployment of the army in Sindh on the request of the provincial government, adding that the situation in the province could have been better if its government had opted for the deployment earlier.

The minister said during the last 24 hours, 161 people had died of coronavirus, with majority of the casualties being reported in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whereas 3,377 got infected, taking the total number of active cases to 86,151.

He said lockdown during Eid holidays was aimed at curbing increase in cases. He hoped that the Sindh government would pay special attention to the implementation of SOPs and with army deployment the situation would hopefully improve there.

Referring to the ECP’s order to recount votes polled in NA-249 Karachi by-election, Fawad Chaudhry said re-polling should be held in the constituency because the winning candidate would be getting hardly five per cent votes.

“It is a matter of concern that anyone elected by getting only 5pc votes would represent constituents in the assembly,” the minister said.

It was a universal truth that rigging had been done in the by-election which was why the PTI had demanded re-polling, he added.

Citing the example of the Election Commission of India, Mr Chaudhry said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should ensure implementation of the Covid-19 SOPs during the by-elections.

About Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz, he said unfortunately an immature political leadership had been imposed on the country, which did not know the importance of legislature.

Likewise, he said, Shehbaz Sharif and Ahsan Iqbal wanted the ECP to reform the electoral process on its own, adding that both the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were reluctant to give voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.

“If they do not support reforms, the government would move ahead to ensure participation of expats in the electoral process, keeping in view their key role in the country’s economy,” he said.

The information minister said how could the Parliament be made irrelevant and the departments concerned like the National Accountability Bureau and ECP allowed to carry out legislation on their own, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan was leading the initiative of electoral reforms through the Parliament.

Mr Chaudhry said initially 24 desks were being set up in foreign embassies for issuance of inheritance certificates. As a result of this initiative, overseas Pakistanis would not be required to come to Pakistan for the purpose, he added.

The minister said Prime Minister Khan would pay an official visit to Saudi Arabia on Ramazan 25, adding that the cabinet had approved establishment of Pak-Saudi Supreme Coordination Council for which a memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan.

This council, he said, would greatly help promote bilateral relations and remove hurdles.

He said launching of the one billion tree drive in Saudi Arabia would give an opportunity to the Pakistani labour.

The minister told mediapersons that the cabinet had approved the issuance of a commemorative coin on the completion of 100 years of NED University Karachi, which was one of the best higher education institutions in the region. A 90-day remission had also been given to prisoners on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, however, concession would not be extended to those involved in serious crimes like terrorism or espionage, he said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1622101/west-cant-dictate-decisions-vows-minister