Valentine's Day: a ban for Muslims, divisions among Christians
Media regulators ban Valentine Day promotion on all channels. Pauline Books and Media are not selling Valentine Day-related greeting cards, which have been replaced by digital cards. The "Catholic Church will not celebrate the day because this year it falls Ash Wednesday."
Lahore (AsiaNews) – The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned TV channels from promoting Valentine's Day-related activities, which falls tomorrow.
For most practising Muslims, the event known all over the world as the festival of romantic love is contrary to Islamic doctrine. Speaking to AsiaNews, Church leaders expressed conflicting opinions on the matter.
According to Rev Irfan Jamil, Anglican bishop of Lahore, the anniversary has no connection to Christianity. "The ban doesn’t matter. Love should not be celebrated one day a year only.”
Fr Nasir Williams, director of the Social Communications Commission of the diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, has other ideas. “The ban is the ultimate [form of] of ignorance. Freedom of thought is already limited in our country.”
“What is next?” he wonders, “Confiscating mobile phones or banning TV dramas based on love stories? Nobody is forcing people to buy these gifts. The attempts to control people or blackout one part of media will make no difference,” he said.
Valentine's Day is named after a Christian martyr of the 3rd century. The celebration has proven divisive among Muslims. Every year, groups of Islamic radicals organise protests and hand out leaflets urging people not to celebrate the day.
This is the second year of a ban imposed on social media as well as online and print media. Last year, the Islamabad High Court ruled that “No event shall be held at official level and at any public place.”
PEMRA General Manager Operations Muhammad Tahir PEMRA said that all broadcast media and distribution services must “desist from promoting Valentine’s Day through their respective channels and networks.”
Yet, despite the ban, it is still very common to find stands in malls and shops selling heart-shaped stuffed toys and teddy bears, balloons and other red-coloured gadgets (pictured, the Emporium Mall in Lahore).
This year, the Pauline Books and Media communications centre in Lahore is not selling Valentine’s Day greeting cards. “The tradition of exchanging cards is dead,” said Sister Irshad Maqsood. “Usually we order stock, but now people have turned to digital media."
For Fr William, the ban is useless. "The Catholic Church will not celebrate the day because this year it falls Ash Wednesday”, the first day of Lent.
What is more, “We do not encourage illicit relations,” he explained. “People need to be educated and learn the spirituality of love."
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