No more films on prophets’ lives

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The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to bar cable operators from airing films and serials based on the life of prophets. The court also directed PEMRA to ensure undertaking of appropriate steps to stop the sale of CDs on the life of prophets in the market. The court also issued notice to Secretary Establishment Division, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Chairman Pakistan telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Chairman PEMRA for October 5.
Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan passed the orders on a petition filed by Aalmi Majlis Tuhaffuz-e-Khatam Nubawat on a petition against not blocking of links to blasphemous material. Petitioner’s counsel argued that uploading of profane films and other blasphemous materials on internet are attempts to malign sacredness of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He said that such steps hurt the feeling of Muslims not only in Pakistan but also all over the world. He informed the court that the government had constituted an inter-ministerial committee to block links of blasphemous material on internet but blasphemous links were still accessible. He charged that PTA and PEMRA had failed to comply with the court orders, passed on an identical petition last year, for blocking links to such material.
He added that CDs of such films was available in market. The counsel pleaded the court to issue directions to the PTA to block all websites having blasphemous material at CP or URL level permanently. He requested the court too penalise Chairman PTA and PEMRA chairman for violating court orders. The court after hearing the arguments ordered the PEMRA to bar cable operators from airing CDs of films and dramas based on the life of prophets. The court also issued notices to the respondents for October 5 besides seeking a report from a deputy attorney general.
LHC also swung into action and issued notices to PTA and the federal government for not blocking the film.
Angry students take it out on the police
Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, UET, Lahore College, other students and Punjab Union of Journalists also staged protests. The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with hate slogans against the makers of the movie. The participants said the sacrilegious film was the worst act of terrorism which should not be given cover under the freedom of speech argument. They added that the act was absolutely shameful and has exposed double standards of the west. “The western countries have been adopting discriminate attitude towards Muslims and their beliefs,” they said, adding that the West got easily provoked when pictures of their topless princess were published but had different standards fro others. He said that no civilized person could permit hatred speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and gender identity.