Pakistan: Old 'Hateful Fatwa' Banning Muslims from Voting for Minority Candidates Sparks Row

A “hateful fatwa” targeting religious minorities in Pakistan has resurfaced on the country’s social media ahead of the general election next month. A previously issued ruling by Islamic scholars of Karachi-based seminary Jamia Uloom Islamia has resurfaced on social media platforms like Facebook and X, Pakistan’s GEO News reported.

The fatwa calls for choosing Muslim candidates over minority candidates, reigniting debates on religious discrimination widespread in the electoral process in Pakistan. Chaman Lal, a minority rights activist, shared an image of the un-dated fatwa on Facebook. The fatwa was issued in response to a query about the permissibility, under Islamic laws, of voting for a non-Muslim candidate.

“The world is in a race to reach Mars and ours is in giving fatwas. A #Fatwa is issued that, It is permissible to take votes from the population of more than one million minorities, but Today a fatwa has been issued that it is not permissible to vote for minority candidates in the general election. Wow, Mr. Qazi, your judgments and hateful fatwas,” Chaman Lal said in a post on Facebook.

Pakistan media reports said the fatwa addressed a situation where a political party nominated a Hindu candidate in the presence of a better-qualified Muslim candidate, even though reserved seats were allocated for non-Muslims. The fatwa suggested that voters should choose a candidate based on qualifications, ability, and a satisfactory party manifesto. It concluded that, in the given scenario, it is better to vote for a Muslim candidate.

The verification process revealed that the fatwa was available on the seminary’s portal, indicating its issuance five years ago, the GEO report said. However, the exact date of issuance remains unknown. Chaman Lal expressed dismay over the issue, saying that the Pakistan constitution grants equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of religious affiliation. He questioned why individuals dedicated to the betterment of their communities, regardless of religious background, shouldn’t receive support in the elections.