Slandering Pashtuns, Sikhs: Textbook publisher told to issue public apology

PHC tells Azeem Academy Publishers to issue newspaper adverts apologising for disparaging content

PESHAWAR: A book publisher has been asked to publicly apologise for including derogatory material against Pashtuns and Sikhs in some books it publishes for some Punjab-based colleges.

This was directed by a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed Afsar Shah. The bench issued the order after it heard a writ petition filed by a group of 12 lawyers who had urged the court to stop the publisher from publishing the book with the offensive descriptions. Moreover, they had urged the court to direct the Punjab government and educational institutions to not publish or teach derogatory information in colleges.

The petitioners had told the court that on page 47 and page 48 of the Pakistan Study for Degree Classes textbook — published by Azeem Academy Publishers, used slang and abusive words to describe Pashtuns and Sikh, adding that the use of such language was intolerable for Pashtuns living across the country.



“Using such language against the Pashtuns is illegal, unconstitutional and against moral ethics,” the lawyers contended, adding that Pashtuns and Sikh were portrayed as ‘traitors’ and ‘jahil’ (ignorant) in degree-level books being taught at the Punjab group of colleges.

The petitioner argued that the constitution guarantees right of citizens and provides that all the citizens must be treated equally and without any discrimination.

“It may create ethnic differences in the country which may push the entire nation towards an endless war and hatred if such practices were not stopped at once,” the lawyers said.

Pashtuns are living in this country in peace, respect and harmony and the act of using such a ‘derogatory language’ against them pose danger to the respect and the peaceful state of Pashtuns, they further contended.

The petitioner urged the PHC to direct the publisher to remove offensive language from the textbooks, correct the language and in future ensure that Pashtuns are treated with respect and without discrimination in coursebooks.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2018.