Now print and show a book in Punjab.
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Wasatullah Khan.
BBC Urdu.
As one law after another is being enacted to protect Pakistan's ideological identity, its ideological identity seems to be more insecure than secure.
For example, the resolution of objectives adopted in 1949 to maintain the ideological foundation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is part of the preamble to the 1973 constitution.
Under this constitution, there is an Islamic Ideological Council to examine whether any legislation contradicts the Qur'an and Sunnah. Ahmadis were declared a non-Muslim minority 46 years ago under the constitution and are legally prohibited from using Islamic rites openly under additional laws.
Under the blasphemy law 295C, blasphemy and blasphemy is punishable by death and blasphemy against other holy persons is punishable by a severe punishment. The oath of parliamentary and constitutional office also includes the oath that I firmly believe in the end of prophecy.
The identity card of any Muslim citizen cannot be made without signing an oath of complete belief in the end of prophethood.
Despite this, the heart and mind keep beating every time that these institutions, laws and punishments are not enough. There is no need to strengthen them.
In the face of this persistent concern, the Assembly of the country's largest province unanimously passed the Punjab Protection of Islam Foundation Act last Thursday (July 23rd). Under this, it has been made mandatory to affix sacred titles with the names of holy persons including Prophets, Companions and Ahlul Bayt. Obviously, no Muslim can object to these recommendations of the bill.
But behind the scenes, something else has happened. That is, the Director General of Public Relations of Punjab has been empowered to prohibit the publication or importation of any book in the province which contains material harmful to national interest, culture, religious values and sectarian harmony. Be
(What is the definition of national interest, culture, religious values, sectarian harmony? It will probably depend on the personal understanding of the DGPR.)
The concerned officer may at any time go to any printing house, publishing house, book store and confiscate the draft or copy of any book which does not meet the prescribed standards before or after its publication. Whatever book will be published. On the same day, four copies will have to be sent to the competent officer.
Any book material related to religion that comes before the DGPR will be bound to be submitted to the DGPR Muttahida Ulema Board and this board will give the final opinion on whether or not to publish it.
Nowhere in the ordinance is there any reference to Article 10A of the Constitution, which states that every citizen has the fundamental right to defend himself against an accusation or an offense, ie a bureaucrat is also a plaintiff under this law. Judge and executioner too.
Two days before the ordinance was passed, news came that the Punjab Textbook Board had announced the confiscation of more than 100 books recommended for educational institutions on the basis of material that contradicted Islamic values, culture and ideology of Pakistan.
I do not know whether the members of the Assembly who raised their hands just to see the title of the Protection of the Foundation of Islam Act read this draft carefully or not. However, looking at the possible motives behind the appearance of this draft, I remembered the 1984 Zia-ul-Haq referendum, which aimed to make Zia-ul-Haq president for another five years.
If you were asked directly if you would support the current president as president for the next five years, many would probably not go to the polls.
So the question that was posed to cover up the real issue was something like this.
Do you support the continuation of the steps taken by the President of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq to protect the ideology of Pakistan and to mold the laws into the framework of Qur'an and Sunnah and do you want to transfer power to the elected representatives of the people? The process continues. If your answer is yes, then it means that you want to keep General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as President for the next five years till 1990.
The sanctity and titles of holy persons were explained in a section of the Punjab Protection of Islamic Foundation Act. But the second section seeks to further limit the scope of reading and writing research by tying all future published or imported books to a chain of ideological scrutiny and making it an applicable offense to express dissent from the state interpretation. ۔
If this act is implemented, then it will not be possible to publish or import any book other than the religious books approved by the Ulema Board. Forget science, history, philosophy, geography, current affairs, literature, etc.
Because in every book, including the poetry of Ghalib and Iqbal, something must come out which is contrary to national security, cultural and religious values and sectarian harmony.
No book on Islamic or Muslim history published outside Pakistan will be allowed to be imported. Because none of these books will meet the standards of the Basis Islam Act regarding titles affixed to holy persons.
Now the situation is that after the passage of this act, what will the authors and publishers of other provinces of Pakistan do?
Will they publish the Punjab edition of each book separately or will they write boldly on the cover like Ibn Ansha's 'Last Book in Urdu', 'Punjab Textbook Board Not Approved'.
I do not understand how other Muslim countries can survive without laws without which we cannot even imagine breathing. Either they are not good Muslims like us or they are facing more important issues.
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