Pakistani court bans Valentine’s Day events, promotions

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A high court in the capital Islamabad on Monday imposed a countrywide ban on Valentine’s Day-related events and media campaigns across the country, declaring the festival was not part of Muslim tradition.

Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui ordered government authorities to ensure “that nothing about the celebrations of Valentine Day and its promotion is spread on electronic and print media”.

Moreover, the court order said: “No event shall be held at official level and at any public place.”

The court passed the judgment following a petition filed by a citizen arguing the day had nothing to do with Islamic tradition.

Meanwhile, the State Assembly of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province passed a resolution demanding a complete ban on Valentine’s Day, declaring: “There is no place in our culture and in our civilization for such an unnecessary and rude day, which aims to spread vulgarity and indecency among the youth.”

Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 across the world. It has been popular among the youth of Pakistan, especially in big urban centers such as Karachi and Lahore for years. Several shopping malls and restaurants launch special deals and promotions to mark the day.

The day, however, has always irked right-wing parties and religious groups, who bitterly oppose it and have been demanding a blanket ban on any such celebrations.

Last year, President Mamnoon Hussein made headlines when he publicly opposed Valentine’s Day, urging Pakistanis to refrain from marking it in anyway.

“Valentine’s Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided," Hussain had told a gathering of students in Islamabad.