Pakistan’s Capital Bans Valentine’s Day Celebrations, Saying They Go Against Muslim Culture

Enjoying Valentine’s Day? Be glad you’re not in Islamabad, Pakistan, where public celebrations of the day have been banned on account of not being Muslim enough.

The Islamabad High Court’s order prohibits all Valentine’s Day festivities in government offices and public spaces with immediate effect.

It also directs the media not to promote or cover Valentine’s events.

The orders were a response to a private petition which argued that Valentine’s Day was contrary to Islamic teaching.

What does it say about a religion when public displays of love are deemed contrary to its beliefs? Sure, it’s an extremist strain of Islam we’re talking about here, but this isn’t some sort of isolated incident. It’s also not about blocking overtly sexual acts, either. Some vendors worry they won’t be able to sell flowers, balloons, or roses:

In the first week of February, vendors start selling heart-shaped balloons and the price of red roses increases.

In Islamabad’s markets Monday, florists standing amid large heart-shaped garlands of roses and bouquets of daffodils and jasmine were worried by the effects of the ban.

“We spend four to five days making these, I’ve got forty of them ready to be sold for tomorrow,” Sultan Zaib, told CNN.

You might say this defies common sense. But when religion is involved, that’s always a possibility, isn’t it?

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Scott for the link)