ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued restraining order asking for not marking Valentine Day at official level and public places, besides propagation of the festival at television channels.
The court also ordered the capital’s administration to stop people from celebrating the festival at public places.
The interim order was issued by IHC judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on a petition filed by a citizen Abdul Waheed. The court in its order asked Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to stop media from broadcasting porgrame on Valentine Day.
The petitioner took the plea in his petition that as Pakistan was created in the name of Islam so no festival which is against the principles of Islam can be observed in the country. The petitioner submitted that Valentine Day was against Islamic principles and teaching, pleading the court to disallow marking the festival in the country.
He further submitted that the festival hurt the sentiments of Muslims at large scale so the court has power to stop such festival.
The petitioner further said that programme had been planned to mark the festival at public places and markers had been decorated. The court while issuing interim restraining order directed the respondents t o submit replied within 10 days.
