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ISLAMABAD: Some Pakistanis celebrated Valentine's Day on Thursday with balloons and flowers, but others denounced the holiday as an insult to Islam.
In Karachi, home to 18 million people, billboards decorated with a black heart urged citizens to “SAY NO TO VALENTINE'S DAY”.
“This tradition reflects insensitivity, indignity and ignorance of Islam,” the signs read. They were put up by a group affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, a party that holds six of 342 legislative seats.
Secular parties dominate Pakistani politics and are likely to win the vast majority of votes in elections due this year, but religious parties often wield political influence through street demonstrations.
“Valentine's is against Islamic culture. In our view, relationships are sacred. We have arranged marriages in this culture and people don't get married for love,” said Syed Askari, a spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami. “This is imposing Western values and cultures on an Islamic society.
“Look at the West - people love their dogs but throw their parents out when they get old. We don't want to be like that.”
In the northwestern city of Peshawar, a handful of people burnt Valentine's Day cards in front of television cameras on Monday. Women wearing black robes held signs denouncing the tradition.
The state broadcasting regulator, PEMRA, urged broadcasters to “respect viewers' sentiments”.
“PEMRA has been receiving complaints from a large segment of society that Valentine's Day celebrations are not in conformity with our religious and cultural ethos and has, therefore, condemned its unequivocal propagation through media,” the statement said.
But in the capital of Islamabad, hawkers selling heart-shaped balloons staked out street corners and florists were doing a brisk trade.
“Valentine's Day is good for business,” said a grinning Mohammed Ajmar as he handed a customer a huge heart made of red roses and glitter.
“I'm happy with Valentine's Day. The city if full of flowers and it looks nice,” said 21-year-old student Faateh Khan, who was buying roses for his mother. “Those people are just a minority of extremists acting up for the media,” he said of those making complaints.
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Comments (24) Closed
Feb 15, 2013 12:43pm
Yes Sir, Valentines Day is for displaying love for your people. It can be for a girl friend, mother, sister or daughter. The reason it has got significance is because lovers have advertised it most. Hope that helps. Thanks.
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Feb 15, 2013 02:13pm
why don't the westerners celebrate eid or ramadan like we copy their valentines day. they similarly don't wear shalwar kameez or wear turbans for that matter while we wear jeans and t shirts. its a sad commentary on the double standards thanks to imperielism imposed from above and what we need is culture - a home grown local culture rich in indigenous traditions - rather than the west test. we don't need this michael jackson/lady gaga/ madonna cultural conquering. it reeks of nihilism and violence and sexual promiscuity. would any normal sane person like to share some of the language or stuff that comes from the western media with his mother for example. i think not. even the west has its doubts about such postmodern no-rules state of mind. family values and conservatism are back in style in the west and picking up speed. as for our own culture it simply has too many youth which is the real reason for the popularity of valentine's day. the youngsters simply need an excuse to misbehave and create hanky panky with their equally responsible girlfriends one day out of 365. it would be better if they paid more attention to their studies, prayers and future career preparation. there will be time enough for such shenanigans when they are adults. they can then watch all the bp movies they want with their significant others and even celebrate valentine's day as much as they like.
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Feb 14, 2013 05:12pm
I just don't understand why these people feel the need to micro-manage other people's lives. If you don't want to buy a gift on valentine's day, don't do it. Nobody is forcing you. But, if someone else wants to take their spouse out for a nice dinner, or buy their loved one a nice gift, why are you offended? What business is it of yours?
As for arranged marriage, I have met many people from Arabian countries who claim that the Indian / Pakistani tradition of such marriages is un-Islamic. I wonder what these self styled Pakistani guardians of Islam have to say about that.
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Feb 15, 2013 02:18am
".....people don
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Feb 15, 2013 03:54pm
LOL....I didn't know that there was a hadees to justify not celebrating Valentine's Day. There seems to be a hadees and fatwa available for every act under the sun in Pakistan. I wonder if there is a hadees against terrorism, intolerance and bigoted mullahs..
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Feb 15, 2013 09:02pm
Have you seen the vid in LA in which the African American were beaten by Proud White Police Men
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Feb 15, 2013 08:58pm
Sir Khan there is a verse in Quran that states....Jews and Christians are your enemies and one who act according to them or make his way according to them is the One from them..Can any one deny Quran....If we are so much loving nation than why not we celebrate the Father Day on Eid e Meelad or Mother day on the Birth day of Umahat ul Momineenz. Have you seen that Crow who wanted tried a Cat Walk as Swan did...What happened to Him..
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Feb 15, 2013 05:33pm
No love, only hate.
Which is why we are so successful is mass-producing terrorists and humanity-haters.
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Feb 15, 2013 04:42am
VALENTINE IS A FAR AWAY TOPIC, MUSLIMS ARE STILL DEBATING IN THE 21ST CENTURY WHETHER CELEBRATING BIRTHDAY IS HARAM OR HALAL :) HAHAHAHAH
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Feb 15, 2013 04:23am
What is that we have not imported from the West. It is just simple celebration -not ahliday- expressing love for your parents, children, wife, and other who are very close to you and I think the religion has nothing to do with it. Islam is very tolrent religion. Lighten up jamait e Islami.
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Feb 15, 2013 04:17am
Just wondering how come a message of love can go against Islam or as usual its our inferiority complex .
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Feb 15, 2013 01:06am
Economy is shattered, killing all over the country, in laws burning alive their daughters in law, husbands abusing their wives, most men out cheating on their wives..God help us if we decided to show some love. The whole world is laughing at us, making fun of us we are humiliated over and over again. Please YOU so called religious fanatics, get some education or leave our country.. Oh yea I would be amazed if you don't show up to get an immigration if any of the western countries announce free immigration to all (ha-ha)
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Feb 15, 2013 02:36am
Happy vday
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Feb 15, 2013 01:19am
There is nothing anything like Valentine's Day; In fact it is St. Valentine's Day. Its celebration is associated with a Christian Saint by the name of Valentine who was imprisoned and later martyred for performing the weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and performing the religious ceremonies for Christians under persecution by the Roman Empire. This day is celebrated in many denominational churches all over the world. During his imprisonment Saint Valentine healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius and before his execution, he wrote a letter to the girl as farewell from your Valentine. This event later became an occasion in which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers and chocolates and sending greeting cards. This event, though it is rooted in early Christian era but, is nothing to do with religion any more. There is no religious ceremony involved any more in general public. Moreover, many traditional ceremonies have no religious significance and have extinct to social norms, so one of them could be the Saint Valentine's Day too.
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Feb 14, 2013 05:21pm
I don't see how it is against Islam. However, we should not blindly copy from the west either and then go too far with it. Unfortunately, the people of Pakistan believes that this will make us a very progressive nation. Why don't we copy good things from the west, like rule of law, treating everyone equally, modesty etc?
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Feb 14, 2013 11:59pm
How can valentine day celebration be insult to Islam? Askari's statement regarding valentine's day, west, and marriage are comments from a highly ignorant man. But then what can you expect from a follower of Jamaat-e- Islami? If you do not get married for love then you get married what for? Arranged marriages are one of the many components of a sick culture and is cruel to both men and women. Valentine's day is simply to affirm the love between a man and woman. There is nothing in Islam which prohibits being in love. Askari's bias and deeply rooted ignorance about west is very obvious from his comment. No, in the west they do not throw their parents out when they are old. This is an ongoing propaganda from the Islamic fundamentalists against the west. There are so many good things in the west and the western culture which do not exist in the Islamic societies.
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Feb 14, 2013 08:15pm
Mullahs are right. Say "NO" to Valentine's Day, but celebrate Valentine on every other day! After all LOVE should be celebrated always.
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Feb 15, 2013 12:19am
If valentine day is against ISLAM then there are many more UNISLAMIC things happening daily in PAKISTAN...kindly put some posters to condemn these to...yes of course only if you feel they are unIslamic.....
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Feb 14, 2013 11:45pm
Anything that is not socially immoral, amkes people happy and helps business is ok. Valentine day is a similar example.
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Feb 14, 2013 05:44pm
Pakistan must learn to show respect for good things from other civilizations. From total indifference to its
minorirties it should learn from USA where an African American is the ruler today and gives the state of the country speech and sets the tone for it. Where a Mexican American gives the reply to the state of the union speech, a tradition that the party in opposition holds. In last state of the union message, 2009, it was an Indian american who represebnted the Republican Party in giving the response.
All these people from foreign land are making USA the most successful diverse country.
Pakistan must adopt this asap and stop breeding hatred in muslim citizens of other countries. On the name of religion teaching them hatred and encourage them to become traitors to their motherland is not a religion.
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Feb 14, 2013 11:02pm
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Feb 14, 2013 11:21pm
There are around 4 percent or more than 5 million Non Muslims in Pakistan and Kindly allow Non Muslims atleast and dont force them to follow Muslims as Muslims in Europe and America have the freedom to celebrate Eid and just like those celebrations Non Muslims have their rights too in Pakistan. Moreover Valentince have no Religious Significance and i dont know why people are protesting against it as it carry no Religious history.
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Feb 14, 2013 10:46pm
Asalamo Alykum, Well Muslims can have love marriages too, Syedna Khadijah RA and many others did, but one should not flaunt it and not hang around in illegal relationships. You like somebody. Get married. Simple. And then there is no need to air your feelings all over broadcast channels. Tell him/her in person and not just on 14th Feb, you can do do everyday. Wsalam.
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Feb 16, 2013 01:58am
Some people like Valentine's Day, some don't. So be it. Let those who like it, embrace it, and those who do not, reject it. It is the choice of the individual.
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