SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
The use of loudspeakers and some amplifiers (except for Azan and Khutaba for Juma Prayers), cassette players for making all kinds of objectionable sectarian related speeches and sermon has been banned by the government. Under the National Action Plan, banning the use of loudspeakers except for azan and Arabic sermons during Friday prayers is one of the several measures the government had announced. Apparently devised to block hate speech on sectarian grounds, discourage expression of extreme views publicly and promote religious harmony, the move has also affected the Salat-o-Salaam tradition mainly practised by mosques affiliated with the Barelvi school of thought. This has hurt the sentiments of many and a number of people in the city have been detained by the police on this account. A large number of Khattebs and Prayer leaders have been booked so far for violating this act. Though banning loudspeaker has hurt sentiments of number of people yet it is very positive step for a country that is burning in the fire of sectarianism. During Ashura in 2013 the clash between participant of Ashura and students of mosque in Raja Bazar Rawalpindi was just because of wrong use of loudspeaker. Now in second step Government should raid on seminaries of all sects and confiscate the hate metrical to completely control the fire of sectarianism.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
