SHIKARPUR:
There has been much hue and cry over the newly converted status of the Hagia Sophia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defends the official decree by claiming it to be an internal matter for Turkey. On the other hand, the people opposing this decision are citing the historical significance of the monument which was built as a church by the Byzantine Empire. According to experts, the move has put the secular nature of the Turkish nation in danger. However, practically, the decision is justified on two major grounds. The first is that the modern state system is based on the principle of sovereignty that no country can interfere in the internal affairs of another state. The second justification relates to the duties of state organs. The executive organ is responsible for the enforcement of not only bills passed by the legislature but also of rulings given by the judiciary.
Therefore, opponents should recognise the sovereign right of Turkey over its territory. The decision by a democratically elected PM ought to also be taken as an implicit acceptance by his nation.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2020.
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