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OP is not saying that Islam in general is the problem.
The problem becomes when you mix religion, government, and misguided people. Yes, the people interpret the religion, but since idiotic politicians will **always **exist, you must remove causes through which they attempt to garner favour with the masses.
Do you honestly believe that **all **citizens are protected equally under Sharia law, **regardless of their faith or sect, or lack thereof? **
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Yes…Allah swt might have given us the chance to become a bigger and better nation but are only Muslims entitled to a nation in Pakistan? What about the Christian Pakistanis? Hindu Pakistanis? What about other minorities? What’s to become of them?
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It probably wouldn’t change much. It’s not the laws that are causing all the mess in Pakistan, it’s the people. Changing laws won’t change how people think and act. There is no quick/easy fix.
Like KKF said, the people who’ll end up losing power will convince people it’s something horribly wrong and then we’ll have riots. Pakistan won’t change much unless people start thinking different, and that won’t happen until the state of education gets better.
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Rehaji you ask a brave question. I personally also think religion is personal rather than political. Even in subcontinent in secular countries sometimes religion is used in politics for communalim. Although i feel if religion had been the basis of government and law there is a chance it could be affected by imperfect people and then abused. Who will ensure it is properly applied, whose version of religion would be applied? What if a Wahabbi PM was elected who felt destroying Buddhist monuments, as occured under Taliban in Afghanistan, was his duty? Pakistan does have a beautiful collection of Buddhist monuments great for tourism. Who would protect them if not the government? If it had been personal there probably would have been more minorities living in Pakistan rather than going abroad, they would have felt they belonged and they wouldn’t be seen as second class citizens. Dr Abdul Salam, the first Muslim Nobel laureate, a Pakistani Ahmadiya, worked to improve things in developing countries but left for UK when he was declared a “non-Muslim” in the constitution. People may have believed them to be non-Muslim but when it became official despite being a patriotic Pakistani he left in protest. His tomb in Pakistan has many visitors but has got defaced so it reads just Abdul Salam rather than Abdul Salam, first Muslim Nobel Laureate as it did before. Not saying that all Pakistanis would see them that way but some fringe elements might. If US had been a Christian country how different would it be and how would right wing people make minorities feel? Many Pakistani minorities are very patriotic, like Deepak Perwani, but not all have a chance to display their patriotism.
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do you think it ever will be? is there a consensus/unambiguous understanding of what it means for “Islam to be implemented in Pakistan” really means?
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i think Blasphemy law and Hudood ordinances are misused in a way they shouldn’t be.
A secular country does not mean a non-religious or athiest country. Bangladesh has a secular minded constitution but they are religious and there are personal laws for all religions. The Bangladesh anthem is that of Rabindranath Tagore, a famous pre-partition poet. It has not been changed yet.
I think Pakistanis have a very rich cultural heritage not just Islamic but also non-Islamic past that is less known in the world then it should be. Buddha spent 30 years in Pakistan. Islamic countries like Indonesia, Egypt and Malaysia publicise their pre-Islamic past. Not saying Pakistanis are not tolerant some of the Sikh religious places are in Lahore and people are able to visit. But how many people know about Jagan Nath Azad, a Pakistani Hindu, who was asked to write a few lines on Pakistan and he wrote a Tarana-e-Pakistan which was played on the night of 1947. He said “What can be a greater honour, particularly for a non-Muslim, than having his Tarana broadcast from Radio Lahore immediately after the announcement of Pakistan’s establishment on the night of 14th August 1947?" There is some dispute whether Jinnah asked Jagan Nath Azad to compose those lines. Some say yes, some say no but the fact it was played showed there was a place for everyone in Pakistan.
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I just think government laws should be fairer and inclusive but it does not necessarily mean taking religion out. Just maybe modifying laws like the blasphemy law and Hudood ordinances which unfairly target people. I mean anyone with a grudge against anyone can use that law against anyone by creating witnesses. In the West, stories like that of Rimsha Masih, Asia Bibi, Prem Chand, Shahbaz Bhatti and Salman Taseer etc do not do justice to the mostly fair minded, tolerant people of Pakistan and people get misconceptions of Pakistanis when majority are tolerant, hospitable and peace loving. Any Indian who has visited Pakistan knows that. I learnt all this through some of the liberal minded amazing Pakistani friends i made online who are working for human rights and minority rights in Pakistan. Right wing extreme groups in the West and elsewhere use Pakistanis treatment of minorities as an excuse for discrimination. Generally I find liberal minded Pakistanis to be friendly and warmer, more than lot of Indians, and had there been equality in law all Pakistani minorities would have been proud to be Pakistani and would not leave their land. Like society will probably never be 100% discrimination for minorities anywhere but if you can rely on the law you can feel confident and you’re more likely to get support.
Prem Chand We Are Ashamed! | Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi’s Blog
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I think any religion being basis of constitution never really gets implemented in the way it should. Most humans don’t have pure intentions and politicians, who are hungry for power, definitely don’t. You could say secular ideology could be abused but at least you are guaranteed equal rights and you are not judged on your background. If Pakistan had laws free from discrimination and this had trickled down into society, i believe it could have been a much better country than India as majority population of Pakistan is generally quite warm and friendly. The image of Pakistanis worldwide does not match reality
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I think it would -
Religion is the driving force behind the country, the people, the laws, the values, the morals, the society, everything. Everything in Pakistan has some sort of religious basis - not necessarily true Islam but their version of Islam.
If you eliminate Islam - you also eliminate a reason for people to openly persecute someone else. Yes, it will happen because no country is perfect, not even the US. But it wouldn’t happen the way it is now.
This is what I mean. I do know some people that are Christian Pakistanis…but they don’t have the freedom to wear their culture on their sleeve the way we Muslims do. Because Pakistan is still very much prejudiced against non-Muslims.
I am an American. My Pakistani heritage makes me no less American. My faith makes me no less American. In fact, my life here is representative of the fact that this is America…land of the free. The area I live in…practically every single suburb has a mosque of its own. Is it possible for churches to be built in that manner in Pakistan? No. Because its a Muslim country where only Islam will be allowed to flourish. I have my loyalty here because this country has given me sukoon, safety and allowed me to be me. Why are non-Muslim Pakistanis not allowed to have the same loyalties to Pakistan? Here, I can go to a mosque and if I choose to, I can go to a church. No one will bat an eye at me. But would that be possible in Pakistan? Would I be able to live a life as anything else besides a Muslim in Pakistan carefree? No.
This is why I have always felt Pakistan was not meant to be a Muslim country. There should be no imposing religious influences in public places. None. It just doesn’t work based on the principle it was created on - freedom for those persecuted for their faith.
Take out Islam and you’ll have yourself some Pakistanis…they could be purple, green, pink…but they’d all be Pakistanis.
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Reha just a question, please don’t mind as you are my sweet friend. Did you open this thread because of Ahmadis and how they don’t have any rights in Pakistan? I know in Pakistan, Christians and Hindus don’t get much favor but I thought you are doing it because of quadyanis.
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quoted for painduness award of the year. 
Problem is this that just like Saudi Arabia, Islam or submission to Islam is only for poor people in Pakistan.p.
All kinds of stuff happen in Saudi palaces including drinking and adultery, but they chop the head of an old woman in the name of sorcery.
In Pakistan, poor people are jailed under the made up accusation of toheen e risalat, while our interior minister does not know how to recite sura ikhlas
It’s shame that our mna and mpa are obligated to have a college degree, but those who are Muslims are not obligated to have at least ten sura memorized.
Solution is not to take Islam out of constitution. Solution is to implement it at every level, and not the Saudi version, but the version of Umar, severe accountability started from the top down, and real support started from the bottom up
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queer uncle I read her blog that’s why I am doing it. Mr. Mocking person of year.
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really pal.. you need a clue.
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Reha that’s what I was trying to say, if you have studied Islam, it never stops anyone to practice their religion. It’s people who need an education and change.
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You can expect dumb things from pregnant people.
Queer is pregnant?
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its just the buffet lunch, i swear..
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Lolzzz good one Tlk BhaiBhai
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I dont think Rehaji was talking about stopping religion or putting any prohibitions in it. People should be able to practice religion like they want and have personal laws respecting that but just maybe having more rights of the minorities protected whether they be Shia, Ahmadiya, Christians or Hindus could help. Reha is probably writing this as a friend of hers was affected just like friends of Premchand protested his treatment.
Pakistani Christians representation is like this even in Al Jazeera. What about if this happened to minorities in US? This type of violence can easily occur in other subcontinental countries and has..but there is no law being misused to justify it. That is what Rehaji is against.
Even if it is exaggerated being fairer with laws like blasphemy or Hudood cannot hurt Pakistan or Pakistan’s reputation worldwide even in the middle east.