Generally in my notes, I always question the Saudi (Salafi) influence on Pakistani society and (mostly Salafi and Deobandi) seminaries. And how Pakistani cultural softness is disappearing under the weight of Saudi Riyals and their interpretation of Islam is replacing the traditional and more tolerant form of Islam that we have had for centuries.

At the same time I was appalled to see a newspaper advertisement from a (Shia) religious party (MWM) that claims to represent the adherents of a particular interpretation of Islam, to publish quarter page advertisement to declare Jummat-ul-wida as Yaum-ul-Quds. So far so good, but the most disturbing part of the advertisement was to post, the past and present pictures of Iranian revolutionary leaders in that ad. Why so? What Iranian leadership has to do with Pakistan? Or it was a display to show their allegiance to the Iranian leadership?

[Instead of Khomeini, Khamenei, Hasan Nasrallah etc, why can’t Pakistani Shia activists use pictures and quotes of Pakistani Shia leaders, such as Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Raja Sahib Mahmoodabad, Sir Aga Khan, Fatima Jinnah, Hafiz Kifayat Hussain, Mufti Jafar Hussain, Allama Arif Al-Hussaini etc? https://www.facebook.com/ShiaCitizensOfPakistan ]

This is simply non-sense. Can they imagine that Iranian or Saudi’s would do the same in the similar circumstances? Answer is no, they would never do that, because they are not morally bankrupt, but I guess we do.

I am not talking about ultra nationalism but there are certain values every country possesses, no matter how weak the country becomes, it doesn’t look for leadership beyond its borders. Sharing a creed or sect doesn’t automatically bind us to accept the suzerainty of another country. We are certainly better than this.

LUBP’s note: Shia Citizens of Pakistan (SCP) offers a worthy alternative for Pakistani Shia Muslims. https://www.facebook.com/ShiaCitizensOfPakistan

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