Freedom of Religious Practice cannot be Selectively Applied – Mola Bux Abro

 

In Pakistan, prominent Human Rights Groups, civil society & liberal activists Correctly condemned HEC’s notification against the observance of Holi at universities. PPP’s Speaker of the National Assembly & Former Prime Minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf took prompt action and correctly dismissed this notification.

 

Unfortunately, this outcry by rights groups, civil society & liberals is not only missing when it comes to the forced attempts to curb & attack the Muhurram & Ashura commemoration of Imam Hussain (as). Some of these groups actively align with & propagate, the narratives of ISIS against Ashura. While other groups misrepresent Ashura to justify curbing the Right to Freedom of religious expression.

 

Any religious group has the right to practice its religion freely & should have access to shared public spaces and resources. Many religious practices are shared across different religions as they have permeated deeply into the cultural Zeitgeist & have acquired importance across different dimensions of the human experience.

 

The observance of the Ashura of Imam Hussain (as) is likely the most important global commemoration that is participated in by different Muslim sects as well as different faiths like Hindus, Sikhs & Christians. In Pakistan, the Ashura of Imam Hussain (as) is the widely participated commemoration.

 

Since the time of General Zia ul Haq, sectarian hate groups with the backing of some elements within the State, have tried to curb Ashura commemoration.  They have attacked Muhurram gatherings & killed thousands of people in the process.

 

It has come to a point where Pakistani citizens cannot even hold a Muhurram Majlis within the four walls of their private residences for fear of attacks & blasphemy charges by hate groups.  Similarly, there is an effort underway to ban and censor all the primary Muslim texts that present any critiques of the historical personalities. These texts are critical accounts about those that collaborated in the massacre of the Holy Prophet’s family and subverted the faith for empire building.

 

Read  https://tribune.com.pk/article/9178/muharram-is-your-holiday-not-mine

 

 

Rights groups are either muted or absent about this basic infringement of rights. Meanwhile civil society, liberals and the Boutique left actively collaborate with ISIS-affiliated hate groups on the issue of Ashura.

Student union has been banned in Pakistan for 40 years. If there was a union today, it would have decided by itself whether we want to fly colors or paint the society with the colors of education. HEC should restore student union#Holi #Students @javerias #HEC #Karachi #pakistan pic.twitter.com/dHcQma3tH6

— Human Rights Council of Pakistan (@HRCPOfficial) June 22, 2023

 

ورسٽيز ۾ هولي تي بندش وارو حڪمنامو واپس
سنڌ جي ينگسٽرز جو پاور، ٽاپ ٽرينڊ سبب سڀ پريشان#c3studio #HEC #Sindh #HoliBan pic.twitter.com/2W2QbUpuoZ

— Sadam kolachi (@sadamkolachi3) June 22, 2023

 

ہولی کی تقریبات کے خلاف ہائر ایجوکیشن کمیشن کا نوٹیفکیشن واپس لے لیا گیا، وزیر تعلیم
Read more: Read more: https://t.co/fryD2SCUmt #DawnNews #Pakistan #HEC #Holi

— DawnNews (@Dawn_News) June 22, 2023

by the medieval polemics of Ibne Taymiyah. The sole purpose of these campaigns, is to bully & harass all those who exercise their Religious freedom to commemorate Imam Hussain’s sacrifice at Karbala.

For example, boutique left groups having failed to misappropriate Ashura commemorations for their failed politics, align with hate groups. Similarly, liberals and civil society peddle the hate & prejudice of Ibne Taymiyah whose polemics provide the basis of ISIS.

Mola Bux is a Pakistan-based advocate for human rights.