Petitioner states consumption of alcohol isn't allowed in Christianity, just like in Islam. PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS
LAHORE: A group of Christians have argued that the fact that their community can sell alcohol is "giving them a bad name" in Pakistan. A petition was filed against the decision of the Federal Shariat Court that allows minorities to hold liquor permits in Pakistan as a result.
The petitioner stated that the consumption of alcohol isn't allowed in their religion, just like in Islam, and providing them with liquor permits is spreading misconceptions about Christians. The petition argued that the issuance of the liquor permit to Christians is resulting in the promotion of a "social evil" in society -- one that is against the teachings of the Bible.
Most of the liquor is sold to Muslims, proved by the rise in the sale of liquor on religious holidays, the petition further argued.
The petitioners, Naseem Masih and Aslam Pervez Sahotra filed the petition before the court under article 203 (D) of the Constitution.
The petition stated that the Government of Pakistan had promulgated Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order IV of 1979 which prohibited manufacturing, possession, sale, export and transport of all kind of intoxicants, a violation of which entails punishment. According to Article 4 of the Order, the prohibition terms do not apply to a non-Muslim.
The petitioner stated the licenses should be issued to anyone regardless of any institution. They however added that no holy book permits the consumption of liquor or any other intoxicants.
They said if the act regarding the issuance of the permit to the Christians in person is not declared illegal and unlawful, the petitioners and many other members of the Christianity will suffer an irreparable loss.
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You guys need to realize that all politicians use religion as a facade to mobilize millions of people behind their agendas. And in a country like ours, where emotions run high and literacy rates are non existent, this tactic bears fruit. Please make use of the education that you have received and realize that religion should not be involved in state affairs. As someone already mentioned, "live and let live." And for all of you who are scared that we would fall into some sort of pre historic age dark age because of the open sale of alcohol: Dont forget that alcohol was openly sold up till the last days of Bhutto's rule (Around 1977) and we were still functioning pretty normally. And don't you guys find it messed up that the only thing stopping a 12 year old who wants to drink is getting hold of a dealer? The truth of the matter is that anybody who wants booze can easily get it, it's even sold openly in some places (I'm talking about lahore, we already know about you lucky karachites with your wine shops haha). Why not make its sale legal so that proper restrictions can be applied? Why not end the reign of these smugglers that earn millions? Why not institute proper laws to save lives? Trust me, alcohol is far from even being on the list of our country's reasons for decline.
P.S. Whoever made that link between open sales of alcohol and rape, do you think rape currently does not exist in this country? If you want to help victims of rape then go change the requirement that those poor women need to have 4 witnesses in order to convict their assailant. Or does that make perfect sense to you as well since you heard a mullah say it?
It should be allowed to every one under recommended age regardless of color, creed and religion it is better than killing people in streets, mosques and public places.
@Azhar, i totally agree with you. Really shame on those people who think that alcohol should be sold openly in Pakistan. I cant believe a muslim can support that and portray himself/ herself a modern and liberal citizen.
@CC:As the question was expected, the answer lies in a single thing taht we had gained our independence on Islamic ideology, so basis are never forgotten, as they use to become reason, secondly,If obviously there is a concept of self control and discpline, such people still exist in this world.So people, who are willing to do that particular task, will do it, and thoes who are discplined and moral values still exist inside them, will certainly are not going to do it.
For a disclaimer... I am a Pakistani living in America who drinks almost every day. Having said that in America there is currently an initiative to bring down legal DUI limit from 0.08 to 0.05% and there are already a lot of restaurants/businesses resisting the initiative because of the loss of business even if up to 10,000 lives per year could be saved if the initiative is passed.
I am also aware of some 'studies' which describe the loss of productivity and other problems in America because of alcohol abuse.
Being a drinker myself I would be a hypocrite to put restrictions on alcohol usage. But it is best to keep in mind that Americans are far better educated and informed than Pakistanis are and yet their abuse of alcohol in America causes unbelievable magnitude of social and economic problems.
A lose eye be kept on festivals when youngsters go all out after drinking alcohol. A proper control is necessary particularly on most of Sardars and Waderas. I saw a news item that bottles were collected which the MNA's had left behind in MNA hostels and residences. Shame-SHAME. They believe- agar nasha sharab main hota to nachty botal
@Jason Hollier:
"much needed sales tax" can also be brought in by taxing the rich and businesses. Even though Pakistan is an Islamic State we do not even follow 1% of Islam; if we did then we would not have rampant corruption, murders, injustice towards women, orphans, minorities and the needy. But this does not mean that Pakistan should allow open sales of alcohol. Dont know why some people think that alcohol and an acceptance of nudity are the parameters of modernity.
@Jason Hollier: your logic can be applied to other crimes too of the society, i.e dont punish or take intiatives for murder,stealing and rape.. and yes alcohol does involve other people, most of road accident in USA and many muders are due to alchol intoxication
@Jason Hollier: Thank you for being logical. Regrettably, logic is not a Muslim virtue. We lost that in 1258 when the Mongols destroyed Baghdad. In Europe and the US, Pakistanis own and run Liquor Shops. Then they get holier than thou in thrusting religion down our throats.
@Ali Abbasi: That wine analogous to arabic word 'sharab'
Please donot do it; life will go dry.P
@Jason Hollier
Progressive suggestion. Therefore, will never work.
even some mullah do enjoy a drink or too, one was even caught intoxicated a couple of months back
Shame shame on Express Tribune and seculars...You say that you are the well wisher of nation? yesterday you all were shouting about the rape...rape ...what is the major causes of crime in 'civilzed' westren world.. its alcohal...a pakistani nation who is already illiterate nation...you want to make them drunk...open pubs...Just recently read a book "alochal and crime"...author writes "Alcohol is massively associated with crime. Evidence from the British Medical Association found that alcohol use is associated with 60-70 per cent of murders, 70 per cent of stabbings, 50 per cent of fights or assaults in the home. For non-violent offences the association is very strong as well: 88 per cent of those arrested for criminal damage, 83 per cent for breach of the peace, 41 per cent for theft and 26 per cent for burglary, had drunk in the four hours prior to their arrest. At the same time there has been intense concern about public drunkenness in town and city centres, especially on the part of young people, and the cost and damage this causes. "..
Realistically many muslims drink and many non muslims don't drink, it is always up to the individual to make their own choice on how to live their own lives, not uneducated mullas. The Mughal kings who many of us trace our heritages too, did in fact drink as well as many other muslim nobles in other parts of the world. In many muslim countries alcohol is sold such as Turkey and Egypt yet that does't mean everyone drinks. Religion is still widely practiced in both of these countries though a few may drink. Regardless, if people want something they can easily get there hands on it. All my friends in Lahore and Islamabad have bootleggers who bring alcohol to their door. My friends in villages also drink local moonshine which has been know to make people fall ill and even blind them. So simply making something illegal doesn't stop consumption, it just fosters a black market and even worse consequences that go along with it. Taxes on alcohol can certainly bring much revenue to the countries fragmented public sector, just like it does throughout the rest of the world. Now I'm certainly not advocating for others to drink, what I'm simply saying is that everyone should have a choice on how they live their lives.
@Sarah Sajid:
Seriously? What I don't get is that is your belief in your principals so weak that if I put a bottle of whiskey in front of you you'll be compelled to start drinking ? If that's the case then the problem does not lie with alcohol, nor can it be solved by banning it. Alcohol was once perfectly legal in our country, we had the freedom to choose if we wanted to drink it or not. We need to grow up and start regulating it's sales so that is doesn't fall into the hands of adolescents like it does today. We need to implement traffic laws against it so that the hundreds of people involved in Unreported DUIs across the country can be stopped and their lives, a long with the lives of the people they endangered, can be saved. We need to open our eyes because alcohol consumption is widespread in Pakistan, it's about time we regulate it. Needless to say, the state can start taxing the product and earn millions in revenue each year.
Liquor permits should not be given to anyone in Pakistan. Pakistan is an Islamic state, and all those who live here need to abide by the laws of an Islamic state, regardless of his/her religion. And these liquor permits are being used vastly to sell alcohol to Muslims in so-called "high-society" parties. It really is a shame.
i knew personally many non-muslims who don't drink regardless of their belief.But sadly mullah infected Pakistan still thinks alcohol is only for non-muslims. while they drink even more on religious holidays......
Yeah and these minorities are going to confine their entertainment to only them?they are not goin to proliferate that in our society?why we forget the basis on which we had attained this state?The whole thing can be summarized into our ideology
Oh please. Not this. Must be someone else behind this. As for me, I don't care less, although I don't consume liquor.
There are self-righteous busybodies in every religion who get off on dictating to others how they should live their lives.
but...isn't one of the miracles of Christ turning water into wine?
A Very GOOD Initiative
I can offer a very simple solution that will solve all problems. Allow the free sale of alcohol. This will bring in much needed sales tax revenue. Lives of poor people who die frequently from the consumption of industrial alcohol will be saved. Those morally opposed to the consumption of alcohol should abstain from drinking it. I can assure them that those that drink will not force alcohol down their throats. There's a principle here which shouldn't be lost on anyone: Live and let live.