There won't be any boxes of chocolate, heart-shaped balloons, or red roses in Pakistan this Valentine's Day. On Monday, just one day before the holiday, the Islamabad High Court in Pakistan's capital issued a nationwide order banning any Valentine's Day festivities, decorations, or references in government or public spaces, and prohibiting the media from discussing or promoting the holiday. The ban, which is effective immediately, does not extend to shops and restaurants.
The court's order followed a citizen's petition arguing the holiday goes "against the teachings of Islam and should be banned immediately" and encourages "immorality, nudity, and indecency under the cover of spreading love," BBC reported. Last year, Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain also came out against Valentine's Day, declaring the holiday — named after a Christian saint who supposedly "was martyred in the name of love" — had "no connection with" the culture and "should be avoided."
Pakistan isn't the only country that's taken issue with the day of love. The holiday is also banned in Saudi Arabia, and citizens of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have been punished for celebrating Valentine's Day.
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