SC seeks report on converting Islamic centre into cinema house

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a comprehensive report from the Sindh government and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on conversion of an Islamic centre into a cinema house.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, while hearing a suo moto case regarding the matter, directed the Sindh government and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to explain as under what law the Islamic centre can be converted into a cinema house.

The apex court had taken suo moto notice on an application moved by Ameer of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Karachi, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.During the course of proceeding, Chief Jusice Anwar Zaheer Jamali asked as to whether an Islamic centre has been converted into a cinema house.

A representative from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation told the court that the corporation has rented out the auditorium of Islamic center to a cinema house for Rs02lakhs per month.A law officer of the Sindh Government, however, told the court that they will file a written statement in this regard to which the court gave time for submitting the reply.

Counsel for Jamaat-e-Islami Taufeeq Asif informed the court that the auditorium of the Islamic center is being used for screening films for the last five years.It is pertinent to mention here that Ameer Jamaat-e-Islam, Karachi, had filed an application with the Supreme Court mentioning that the Islamic Culture Centre has been converted into a cinema house which is un-Islamic and immoral offence adding that this act is also against the ideology of Pakistan.

He had requested the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of the matter at which the court, while hearing the matter on Wednesday, directed the Sindh government and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to submit their replies within two weeks and adjourned the hearing.