Secularism in governance is not about being atheist. It's just not governing by any religion. Every religion has claimed to be a way of life, but our country is not just for Muslims. We have a minority that numbers in the millions. We'd be sidelining so many Pakistanis by adopting an Islamic government.
What we need are just laws and justice won't be against Islam, either.
Couldnt agree with you more. This topic has been discussed to nth degree in various forums and in public debates on TV. Main problem is that religious parties have portaryed secularism as having 'No religion' . This has caused general polity in Pakistan to think that a secular state would imply having no moral values and things such as kissing in public and sex outside marriage will be comon place. This is a totally false impression. Sexual freedom and moral turpitude has nothing to do with secular or non secular system. For example kissing in Public was a culpable offence in Spain under Gen Franco in the sixties. Spain is still a Catholic State but it is an offence no longer.
On the other hand in an Islamic Pakistan; we see gang raping sister of someone accused of having illicit relations with another women. One can understand even killing of couple involved, but why the decision by very respectable and religious people to sanction gang rape of an innocent victim.
Can one infer from such instances ( regretably not uncommon) that Islam promotes this behaviour ??? Of course not.
My point is that moral values are soceity based and often due to exploitation of the weak by the powerful, nothing to do with secularism or religion. ( Btw
parading naked and gang rape as a form of revenge is quite common in India as well, as portaryed in the movie about Phoollen Devi)
Once you make an official religion of the State; such as UK ( Church of England) you discriminate against people of other sects or religion. Monarch of England cannot be Catholic or of any other faith excpt that of C of E. Any one born oustide wedlock cannot get a Commission in the Royal Forces. A secular state will not forbid practice of any faith nor would it bar any one from holding any office on account his/her beliefs.Secularism neither promotes nor forbids any moral values.
Pray tell me how is secularism against Islam?? Trend in the European Soceities is to do whatever one desires as long as it doesnot concern others. Thats why you even have same sex marriages. This has no realtionship to 'Secularism'. For example UK is not a secular state but same sex marriages have social sanction.
I am personally against Pakistan declared a secular state because it goes against "Raison D'etre' of why Pakistan was created in first place. However, since this thread is a debate about secularism, I maintain that seclarism is not against Islam or any other religion for that matter.