THIS refers to the editorial ‘Ramazan reflections’ (May 27). I would like to submit that the holy month of Ramazan is a month of infinite blessings, and, therefore, the state intervention is in order and the bill in question a welcome step.

When fasting individuals restrain themselves from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, why cannot the sick, the old and the underage restrain themselves from eating and drinking in public as a mark of respect to the blessed month.

This is not about asking everyone to fast, but about showing respect to what is relevant to society in religious, social and cultural terms.

Those not fasting for whatever reason should respect the norms voluntarily. All it needs is a will to be seen as respectful to things that a massive majority values with utter sincerity.

Some of us, totally ignorant of the blessings of the month, do not pay heed to such matters. They show disrespect with impunity not to the fasting majority, but to the blessed month itself. In such a situation, a Muslim state is left with no options but to intervene by making this act a punishable offence. It is a very simple issue because a ban on eating in public for a month will cause no harm to anyone. It is hardly an issue of public interest and did not deserve an editorial comment.

Sara Hasan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2017