A parliamentary panel had disapproved a bill proposed last month which sought a ban on the distribution of liquor by Christians, Hindus, Jews and Ahmedis in Pakistan.
Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Dr Ramesh Kumar said alcohol is strictly forbidden according to the teachings of the Shrimad Baghwat Piran – a Hindu holy book, while also emphasising that decision makers (MNAs) or other higher-ups in the community are prohibited to drink under any circumstances.
“Sale, production, importation and transportation of alcoholic beverages in Pakistan occurred under the banner of minorities which is strongly offensive and insulting,” Dr Ramesh, who is also patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council, said.
Ramesh went on to call for either a complete ban on the business of alcohol in Pakistan or that it should be open for all, irrespective of religion.
Dr Ramesh requested Mahmood Bashir Virk, chairman of the National Assembly standing committee, to reconsider the bill, moved by MNA Asiya Nasir, for the best interest of Pakistani society.
“This bill will earn international shame for Pakistan,” remarked Mahmood Bashir Virk, when he disapproved this bill.
However, Dr Ramesh and MNA Asiya Nasir refused to withdraw the bill with Nasir walking out of the meeting to record her protest.
“I’m saddened and shocked today,” said Nasir after the committee rejected the bill. “I strongly stand by my stance. I will introduce another amended bill before Parliament,” she told The Express Tribune.
Earlier this year, Chairman Council of the Islamic Ideology Muhammad Khan Sherani with fifteen other lawmakers moved the bill into Parliament.
Sixteen lawmakers wanted amendments in Article 37 of the Constitution. Five non-Muslims, including a Christian MNA Asiya Nasir and Hindu MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar, also supported this bill.
Correction: An earlier version of the story mistakenly mentioned that the government had rejected the bill. It was actually rejected by a parliamentary panel.
COMMENTS (8)
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Prohibition of alcohol or any "vice" will not stop people from doing it, human beings have an inherent quality of doing something that has been prohibited. If people are willing to risk their health or jeopardize their moral values and religious believes its their own personal choice. Any kind of moral policing will only result in a deep rooted hatred for the government, the problem becomes even more complicated in countries where its citizens follow different religious faiths, needless to say alcohol is an active part of many religions as is the avoidance of it in some faiths. So instead of Banning the vice or prohibiting its commerce, educate the citizens to value their own health and beliefs and to stay away from such vices.
maybe the hindu lawmaker is on the payroll of alcohol smugglers who want alcohol banned to increase their profits.
Prohibition never works. It should be legalized and regulated.
The more bans, the more transgressions. The more regulation, the more non-fulfillment! Lao-tse 6th century BC!
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Dear lawmaker have we not heard from the "Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933" also known as the Noble Experiment? This ban was a nationwide ban on the sale, manufacture, distribution and consumption of alcohol!
Although alcohol was now banned, the illegal production and distribution of alcohol spread rapidly, and the American government did not had the means to control every border, lake, river and Speakeasy bars of the country. They say, alone in New York the number of these speakeasy pubs rose from 5,000 to 100,000 within 5 years!
The devastating consequences of prohibition was also the increase in the organized crime. Criminals as Johnny Torrio and Al Capone in Chicago built their own complete alcohol industry, since the ban made it possible to charge exorbitant high prices for alcohol.
PLEASE STOP THIS USELESS .......TOKATAKI TOKATAKI TOKATAKI......AND EDUCATE THE EYE AND THE SENSES OF THE PEOPLE!!!
"Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Dr Ramesh Kumar said alcohol is strictly forbidden according to the teachings of the Shrimad Baghwat Piran – a Hindu holy book"
I am sorry, but this is not true! There are no restrictions on alcohol in Hinduism. P.S - I am a Hindu!
The US tried to ban alcohol in the 1920's and it proved to be a legal disaster. Alcohol is not a good substance, but in moderation is not too bad. Obviously controlling alcohol intake is a problem, but perhaps Asiya Nasir should back off.
Get done with the alcohol ban and regulate it.
If fear of God doesn't stop one from drinking (to the point that they're willing to risk their lives with cheap liquor to get their hands on it), no amount of religious laws ever will.
Sane policy is difficult iregarding alcohol.On one hand prohibition is license for Moonshine. On the other hand it is prohibited in Islam. I donot think solution as such exists.Great majority of Muslims in USA donot drink. As such this does not appear to be a great social issue in Muslims of USA . Probably social and religious attitude of oldrer generation did play a part.