Punjab passes bill to protect Islam’s foundation

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Punjab Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam Bill 2020, besides passing Ravi Urban Development Authority Bill and the Punjab Cooperatives Societies Amendment Bill.

Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said the law would stop prevent blasphemy of the Holy Prophets (AS), the Great Companions (RA), Ahle Bait (RA), Umhat-ul-Momineen (RA) and the holy figures of other religions, the holy personalities of all religions forever, and would help eradicate sectarianism and religious hatred.

The printing and publication of objectionable material are prohibited under the Bill. The Bill bars the publisher, editor or translator from printing or publishing any book and material that consists of photographs or pictures of suicide bombers, terrorists, except as required by law enforcing agencies for purposes of investigation.

Moreover, the new law has also made it mandatory that “the blessed name of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) shall be preceded by the title Khatam-an-Nabiyyin or Khatam-un-Nabiyyin followed by ‘Sallallahu alaihi wasallam’ (darood) in Arabic text.

The law has also empowered the DGPR to visit and inspect the premises of the printing presses, offices of the publication houses and book stores. After passage of the bill in the Punjab Assembly, Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi said “Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam” is a historic bill. “I am highly thankful to Almighty Allah on its passage. This bill will prove a milestone in protection of religion Islam and its supremacy. The federation and provinces should follow us in this regard. The bill like should be passed by the centre and all provinces, and enforced all over Pakistan. The Section Number 3/F of this bill should be Article 295 of Pakistan Penal Code 1860,” the speaker said.

He said, “I thank Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser for taking personal interest in this matter. I will also consult him soon in this regard so that it should be implemented.”

He praised Hafiz Ammar Yasir as well as Opposition leader Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Minister Murad Raas and other MPAs who played their full role in the passage of this bill. He said: “About a year back matter of three such books came into notice in which filthy and blasphemous language was used.”

The speaker said: “At that time our party member Hafiz Ammar Yasir moved a resolution in the Punjab Assembly in this regard which was unanimously approved. I constituted a special committee headed by Law Minister which did very good work.”