Why a Pakistani court has banned Valentine’s Day

Flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals and assortments of objects all in red and pink are hard to avoid in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day.

And while there’s always someone complaining about what a terrible holiday it is, most people wouldn’t try to ban it. But a Pakistani court decided to take that step on Monday, effective immediately.

The Islamabad High Court prohibited the celebration of Valentine’s Day in public spaces, on social media and in government offices throughout the country, according to Dawn, a publication that covers Pakistan and South Asia. It sided with citizen Abdul Waheed, who argued the holiday is not consistent with Islamic tradition.

His petition argued that Valentine’s Day masqueraded as a celebration of love but actually promotes, “immorality, nudity and indecency” which “is against our rich culture.”

While not saying anything specific about Valentine’s Day, strict adherence to Muslim tradition has the same conclusion, for different reasons. The only festivals mandated under Islam are Jum’ah, Fitr and Adha, and human beings cannot add to those festivals. Doing otherwise is considered a “misguided practice,” especially if the holiday has roots in other faiths, as Valentine’s Day does.

Valentine’s Day was originally a pagan holiday in ancient Rome celebrating fertility, called the festival of Lupercalia. Pope Gelasius I renamed the holiday St. Valentine’s Day in 496, named for two men both named Valentine who Roman emperor Claudius II martyred.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain urged Pakistanis to forego celebrating Valentine’s Day last year, saying it was a Western tradition. However, the outright ban is a first, according to the Huffington Post.

“Valentine’s Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided,” he said, according to Dawn, adding that the downsides of Western culture had “adversely affected one of our neighboring countries.”

The order also prohibits the print and electronic media from promoting the holiday.

The order says the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and Chief Commissioner Islamabad will ensure that ban is carried out. It is unclear what the penalty for celebration would be based on the order.

This story was originally published February 13, 2017 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Why a Pakistani court has banned Valentine’s Day."