EVERY night, many of us sit before our television sets and watch talk shows where politicians and representatives of different political parties participate and discuss domestic and international politics.

Many politicians and their party spokespersons before answering the question recite verses from the Holy Quran to show how pious they and their leaders are. Soon after that, the contest in speaking lies about their leaders and their parties begins and lasts for the next one hour.

After mentioning the name of Allah and his messenger Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) they lie to the nation and the world.

At times they even use language which cannot be aired and the TV channel censors their sentences. Some even resort to physical fight, using abusive language.

Pemra should take notice of this. These politicians and their spokespersons can recite as many verses from Quran as they want during the five times prayers (if) they offer but not before the start of a TV talk show where they come only to defend their leaders and parties by speaking lies.

We, as Muslims, cannot afford to identify ourselves as people who start speaking lies by reading the verse from Quran first.

M. Rafique Zakaria

Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2019