Valentine's Day is being celebrated amid a new flurry of heart-shaped balloons, cute teddy bears, roses, flowers, and immaculately designed cards but not everyone is happy about it as several self-proclaimed defenders of traditional moral values and Islam have decided to denounce the lovefest.
Several religious and other organisations have announced to celebrate the day as ‘haya day’ while others as ‘witches’ day’.
Conversely, other segments of society say the occasion promotes love, joy and an opportunity to cement faltering relationships, weakened chiefly by the rise of social media.
One such organisation opposing the day is the Rawalpindi District Peace Committee.
The body has called for the suspension of cellular services on the day to safeguard the what they called the moral values of society.
The District Peace Committee Chairman Allama Izhar Shah Bukhari and members Allama Zahid Kazmi and Pir Atiqur Rehman said the young generation should stay away from Valentine's Day.
“This is a conspiracy of infidels to destroy the moral values of the Muslim Ummah. Instead of giving flowers to any ‘non-mehram’ young men should gift hijab to their sisters and daughters,” they said.
They also said Valentine's Day has nothing to do with Islam and Muslim Ummah should boycott it completely.
Besides triggering another round of heated debates around what is ‘halal’ and what is not, the event has opened a short yet great opportunity for Valentine’s-Day-related-item sellers including needy children, women, small and big vendors and restaurants.
The sale of red roses is touching new heights with women and children selling the items at traffic signals, intersections and roadside stalls across the city.
Various shops and large shopping malls have displayed bouquets of red flowers, fresh roses, artificial flowers, teady bears and other decoration items.
The sellers said a record sale of these items was made across the city on the eve of the event. Interestingly, a large number of women and female students also turned up at gift shops.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers have raised the prices of various items citing inflation.
A small artificial rose is being sold at Rs150, a slightly bigger one at Rs200, a fresh rose flower with green stem and leaves at Rs200 to Rs250 and artificial birds are sold at Rs350 to Rs2,500.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2023.
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