Re: Pakistanis refuse alcohol promotion
AFTER failing miserably to persuade England to play a Test match in Karachi, the PCB, in what can only be seen as a face-saving gimmick, has asked the ICC to excuse Pakistani players from wearing jerseys endorsed by alcohol beverage producer Johnnie Walker during the Super Series in Australia.
According to the PCB, alcohol is banned in Islam and cannot be consumed by Muslims in Pakistan. If the PCB is truly concerned about Muslims consuming alcohol, it should refuse any sponsorship payments that will be given to it and the Pakistani players from Johnnie Walker. In fact it should refund each single penny that it received from Cricket Australia during the VB series that took place in December 2004. Maybe the PCB is not aware that “VB” refers to Victoria Bitter, another alcoholic beverage.
Another point that the PCB should remember is that Australia is a secular country and their culture allows anyone in Australia the freedom to choose what beverage they want. We as Muslims claim to be tolerant and peace loving yet we waste no opportunity to be disrespectful to Western culture. In most Muslim countries we want westerners to strictly follow our culture — from the way they dress to what they eat — when they come to our cities but when we go to their cities we like to shun their culture and show no tolerance or flexibility.
Wearing a shirt which says Johnnie Walker has nothing to do with consuming alcohol. From the mediaeval beheadings in Iraq to the suicide bombings in London to these mindless decisions by the PCB, when are we as Muslims going to give up hypocrisy and start showing tolerance and rationality in our decision making?