The senate has recently passed a bill with which has attached severe punishments to eating and drinking in public during Ramazan. The bill is has come under fire for its archaic interpretation of Islamic tradition.
Under the spirit of “protecting the holiness”, the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs on Wednesday unanimously approved the Ehtram-e-Ramazan (Amendment) Bill, 2017 under which the fine for the hotel owners – violating the Ehtram-e-Ramazan Ordinance, 1981 – has been increased from Rs500 to Rs25,000.
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Ramzan calls upon us to show tolerance and acceptability. Yet, the forceful commitment on part of the upper house of the parliament to “implement “ the Ehtram e Ramazan bill if anything is contrary to the spirit of Ramazan.
The bill entails punishment for people who are found eating and drinking openly during the venerated month. The penalty is set at a fine of Rs500 and 3 months of incarceration. The architect of the bill, Senator Tanveer Khan called for strict action against those found guilty of violations. Furthermore, TV Channels and Cinema which flout the clauses will be fined a hefty amount in excess of half a million. Committee members gave options to maintain the purity of the month, which ranged from partial to full closure of cinema houses across the country.
The dogmatic approach adopted by the Senate towards Islam and its efforts to quell public debate on this issue has attracted the ire of the public and several prominent figures. Criticism of this bill is gaining traction on social media.
Bakhtawar Bhutto also came out strongly against the bill. She tweeted that people could die of heatstroke or dehydration because of this bill also stating that “This is not Islam”.
https://t.co/eiY7UamIfp people r going 2 die from heat stroke &dehydration with this ridiculous law. Not every1 is able. This is not Islam.
— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) May 11, 2017
She later tweeted a clarification saying that people have the strength to resist the temptation of eating and drinking during fasting hours. She also said that not everyone will be fasting for example school children, the sick, and the elderly.
Elaboration on my tweet re arresting people 4 drinking water during ramzan. We are more than capable 2 resist temptation & keep our fasts
— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) May 12, 2017
But not every1 in will be fasting -children in school/elderly/people with medical problems. Should we arrest them 4 drinking water
— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) May 12, 2017
The issue gained traction on twitter as many others also expressed their indignation over the hard-line stance of the Senate.
Three months in jail for Pakistanis caught smoking or eating during Ramazan. But isn’t Pakistan itself a prison? https://t.co/SQxWstxSWO
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) May 12, 2017
Let the lynching games begin. Ehtram-e-Ramzan Bill: Ppl who eat openly during #Ramzan will face 3-month imprisonment https://t.co/dArkvYzGfu
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) May 13, 2017
“Ehtram-e-Ramazan” bill is against the spirit of Islam that is peace and self control. https://t.co/1temhO1B3Q
— Shumaila H. Shahani (@ShahaniSays) May 12, 2017
If your imaan is so weak that you can’t cope with the sight of someone eating, then it’s you that has the problem!
https://t.co/0r6kKkeNIq— Soraya Aziz (@SorayaAziz) May 11, 2017
Ramzan calls upon us to show tolerance and acceptability. Yet, the forceful commitment on part of the upper house of the parliament to “implement “ the Ehtram e Ramazan bill if anything is contrary to the spirit of Ramazan. The state has to understand that the respect for the holy month is well and truly in the hearts of the majority; it will not be lessened or increased by imposing punitive measures. The current issue Pakistan is facing is extremism and intolerance and neither of these actions by the government is lessening it – rather they are providing a fodder for those very extremists.