THE notification by Pemra barring all satellite TV channels, FM radio stations, and cable operators from promoting the upcoming Valentine’s Day is the latest example of how reluctant the state is to allow the people an opportunity to enjoy themselves. As basis for the notification, the electronic media regulator reprinted an interim court order by the Islamabad High Court from February last year; the court had issued the instructions while hearing a petition in this regard. That petition was never taken up during the past year and remains pending — hence Pemra’s reprinting of it in its notification that has disappointed those who might have been looking forward to joining the world in presenting their loved ones with a flower or two on Feb 14. This is both discouraging and disturbing, especially when we consider that Pakistan is a country that has had more than its fair share of tragedy and suffering — on account of militancy, intolerance, crime, poverty and a host of other factors. In such a situation, the state should have been doing its best to open up new avenues of entertainment, instead of adopting a moralistic approach egged on by conservative elements for whom happiness in any form is anathema. By letting people indulge in harmless diversions such as Valentine’s Day, the state might even have given citizens a sense of shared bonhomie and street vendors selling flowers and balloons a chance to make some extra money. Instead, officialdom seems bent upon actively stamping out any avenues of light-heartedness to which this beleaguered citizenry might take recourse.

However, it is not only about Valentine’s Day; a much larger and worrying trend is evident in the country. The centuries-old festival of Basant is just one of the many other examples of the regression we see. There was a time when this kite-flying festival earned Lahore millions in revenue and provided joy to young and old alike. It was banned ostensibly for reasons of safety as the kite twine could prove lethal and the risk of careless kite-flyers falling from rooftops was a concern. Instead of actively finding a way to make Basant safe, the state has imposed an outright ban on a festival that the right-wing lobby associates with ‘Hindu’ traditions. Sadly, Pakistan is on its way to becoming an island with its face turned towards regression, isolation, and a complete lack of heed for future consequences. Deep introspection is required — urgently.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2018