Can Pakistan ban alcohol for non-Muslims? Not ethically!

Does imposing Islam on non-Muslims make us better Muslims?

Faraz Talat July 23, 2014
As the nation slides down the slippery slope of prohibition, progressives entrench their nails into its icy surface, resisting the imposition of Islamic dicta on the state’s non-Muslim subjects.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights stated its opposition to the proposal to impose a complete nationwide ban on alcoholic beverages, revoking the exemption provided to non-Muslims in Pakistan.

It is a restriction Pakistan’s ultra-right political parties have long pushed for. JUI-F MNA, Maulana Shirani, has been particularly vocal in this regard. The proposition implies a constitutional amendment, which has faced a welcome amount of resistance from the moderate quarters.

For consistency’s sake, my opinion on this matter is the same as my opinion on Hinduism-inspired laws is some Indian states restricting cow slaughter for all citizens. I’ve made it a habit of holding my tongue on religious affairs, leaving the discussions to more scholarly men. But on a matter of principle, I find it imperative to speak out when a religious group – any religious group – devices self-centric laws that impinge on the liberties of other groups.

I’ve even expressed my reservations towards the imposition of the law on Muslims. A government entrusted with the authority of making a better Muslim out of you by preventing you from drinking, could potentially enact a law that drags you to court for missing your obligatory Fajr prayer.

I’ve long surrendered to the practical limitations of applying these liberal theories in Pakistan. But to have the prohibition expand, to devour even the non-Muslims, is inconceivable to any rational mind.

For starters, it means outlawing the “blood of Christ” itself; which Catholics believe is obtained through ‘transubstantiation’ of wine which is ceremoniously served to the believers. To impose an exception less ban on alcohol would be the equivalent of forbidding non-Muslims from practicing their religion freely. Luckily, the Prohibition Order of 1979 takes note of such conundrums, and empathically provides an exemption.

Then there’s the matter of non-Muslim visitors to Pakistan. There are few daring foreign officials, businessmen and tourists who aren’t dissuaded from coming to Pakistan by security threats and a plethora of inhospitable laws. Let us put to test their stubbornness in visiting our country, by denying them alcoholic beverages too.

The right-wing sometimes challenges the exemption as a loophole through which bootlegged alcohol reaches Muslims. The fact that the law is sometimes used for nefarious means does not negate the non-Muslims right to not have Islamic rules imposed on them.

Let us no longer pretend that liquor magically jumps off a store shelf, and pours itself down the gullets of devout Muslims. And more urgently, let us stop congratulating ourselves for looking after our minorities whilst finding more ways to force our beliefs on them.

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WRITTEN BY:
Faraz Talat

The writer is a doctor based in Rawalpindi and writes about current affairs and societal issues.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (66)

Saad Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Any government can ban alcohol for its citizens.. there are enough medical reasons for that. Every other day we read news about groups of people dying from consuming sub standard liquor.
WS | 9 years ago | Reply It's funny when people say things like "Islam should be personal..." etc etc. Anyway, no one's gonna intrigue and jump over in someone's personal issues but man: states have ideologies. Pakistan is a state belonging to 97% Muslims, and what's more its constitution, its basics, its creation evolved around this a priori fact of development of Islamic society. First thing: making Pakistan secular WON'T solve the problems because it's run totally by a single sect. Personal issues can be kept personal, but arguing over and shouting for such controversial and unfathomable revolutions in whole system will not be very helpful for future. One must know and preserve their customs, like West did.
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