ISLAMABAD: Against the backdrop of a recent tragedy in which 20 followers were mercilessly murdered by a so-called faith healer, a lawyer filed in the Supreme Court on Friday a petition seeking legislation for regulating spiritual treatment in the country.

The petition was moved by Dr Mohammad Aslam Khaki, a practising lawyer, Islamic jurist and chairman of the Insaaf Welfare Trust whi­ch works for the promotion of justice in society through legal means.

Dr Khaki told Dawn that the events of April 2 inspired him to institute the petition before the Supreme Court.

Abdul Waheed, the custodian of the Ali Mohammad Qalandar shrine in Chak-95 North, some 17km from Sargodha, allegedly murdered his 20 disciples reportedly in a bid to cleanse them of their sins. He used clubs and a sharp-edged weapon for killing these people.

The federal law ministry, chief secretaries of Pun­jab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, the Pakistan Press Council (PPC) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) have been named as respondents in the petition.

The petition has requested the apex court to order the respondents to ban or at least legislate for regulating the practice of psychological or spiritual treatment being done by fake pirs, aamil or magician of Kala Jadoo (black magic).

It requested the court to order the PPC to issue directives to the print media not to print or publish any advertisement issued for such spiritual treatments or any such practice by any pir, aamil or magician.

Likewise, the petition added, Pemra be asked to direct TV channels to desist from telecasting any programme or advertisement promoting such type of treatment, practices and malpractices.

According to Dr Khaki, a number of people have approached him and expressed their concerns over the menace of rampant practice of treatment of innocent, illiterate men and women folk by fake pirs, aamils or magicians in the name of spiritual healing.

These people have no knowledge of the Sharia (Islamic laws), the petitioner argues, adding that on the one hand they are misguiding people and spreading what he calls an anti-Islamic faith, and on the other, they are playing with the health and life of people. They are also looting their poor clients. Many people have lost their lives by blindly following advice of these fake pirs and aamil, Dr Khaki says.

It is the responsibility of the state under Article 9 of the Constitution to protect the lives of its citizens, he says, adding that it is the need of the hour that every method of treatment must be regulated by the state to ensure qualification and professional competence of therapists, like doctors, homeopathic doctors, hakims, by their registration with the government. The government should also oversee and check malpractices in these fields.

Through a federal legislation, Dr Khaki argues, the government has already established the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for allopathic method of treatment, Homeopathic Council (for homeopathic) and Council for Tibb (for tabib/hakims).

But there is no such regulatory body for the regulation, registration and supervision of spiritual or magic treatment by quakes which results in wastage of money, loss of lives and threat to the faith, Dr Khalid regrets.

According to the petitioner, the matter pertains to public importance as the public at large is suffering due to lack of legislation on the subject.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2017