Prime Minister Imran Khan would be forming the “Rehmatul-lil-Aalimeen Authority” to oversee the dissemination of Islamic teachings in the country – an announcement that left several concerned over the viability of the decision.
The “Rehmatul-lil-Aalimeen Authority” was announced as part of the larger celebrations in the Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. At the inaugural event of a ten-day celebration during the month in Islamabad on Sunday, Khan said he would be the ‘patron-in-chief’ of the new authority, while a top Islamic scholar would be the chairman. The PM also said that Pakistanis would have to collectively stand up and fight against social evils such as poverty and corruption.
Journalist Roohan Ahmed tweeted that the authority was announced by the PM to show the ‘true face’ of Pakistan to the world. The authority would band together religious scholars from the world to monitor social media content, schoolbooks, and children’s cartoons to ensure Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) values were being spread in society. Ahmed said that the premier stressed on the need for research into Islamic heroes as well.
Prime Minister Imran Khan announces that his government will form the "Rehmat'ul'lil Aalimeen Authority".
Religious scholars will be monitoring media, social media, children cartoons and schoolbooks, says the Pakistan premier.
— Roohan Ahmed (@Roohan_Ahmed) October 10, 2021
The PM’s vision for the committee raised concerns for several on the internet. Technologist Saba Gul said that it was necessary to stand up to the idea that Islam needed a protector to begin with. She added the role of the ‘custodian’ was historically vulnerable to exploitation. Gul said that Pakistan’s citizens needed protection, not Islam and its values.
What we need to challenge in Pakistan is the notion that religion *needs* a protector. It is this role of custodian that’s been endlessly exploited by leaders / political parties. As we’ve seen over & over, Islam is not in need of protection in Pakistan—its citizens though, are. https://t.co/0bzm3mnQAp
— Saba Gul (@sabagl) October 10, 2021
A user was concerned about the technicalities of the plan and said that there were no Islamic scholars in Pakistan to the best of his knowledge. The user added that Khan should oversee the whole process himself, instead of handing authority to existing elements that would abuse the religious authority.
Known to me, not one religious scholar inhabits this land. Considering the circumstances of the country, the PM should be the one overseeing/approaching these aspects for the time being to create an effective change. https://t.co/FBZV67wOhA
— ء-الوَصْل (@nighebanikhudi) October 10, 2021
A user echoed the same concerns of clerical abuse of power and said that Khan’s government had mismanaged the economy like previous regimes. He added that the PM’s ‘reactionary Islamism’ would embolden the existing clerics.
PTI Govt has the same economic policies and poor governance as previous Govts. What makes it worse is Imran's reactionary Islamism that will further empower the clerics https://t.co/n8qaRNxHU6
— faraz (@faraz_lhr) October 10, 2021
Another also suggested that Khan was pandering to religious figures and in doing so masked his regime’s economic pitfalls.
IK is granting maulvis more power than any other government before him, an effort by the powers that be to shore up legitimacy in the face of economic crisis and what most can clearly see as the self-interested nature of the establishment. https://t.co/TIZnjqL16v
— Arsalan Khan (@akkhan81) October 10, 2021
More than one user said that Khan was using the ‘religious card’ ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
time to scan religion card for re-election https://t.co/jGpgd9ONRv
— Shuja (@JaaliPasha) October 10, 2021
You can do anything to win election https://t.co/z6YCTmMIAv
— Charlie Chaplin (@tfOwwais) October 10, 2021
One user said that Khan should take the help of religious scholars to monitor the illicit activities that were sometimes common in seminaries themselves.
Tell them to monitor the activities of pedophiles in madaris. https://t.co/Yf8VkUYSpc
— Roma (@doc_romcom) October 10, 2021
The concern of abuse in seminaries was raised by others too. A user said that scholars weren’t even able to hold abusers accountable in madrassahs and were the ones who should be investigated.
religious scholars can’t even monitor the safety of the young boys abused by men meant to be educating them in religion. they’re the ones that should be monitored. https://t.co/3WxblfUthn
— sohni (@sohnianika) October 10, 2021
Several users drew parallels between Khan’s approach to Islam and former president General Zia ul Haq’s Islamization policies.
Should have named it 'The Zia Experience' https://t.co/nc0bYTLnQC
— Ali (@aliakberhabib) October 10, 2021
A modern take on Zia’s islamization program: https://t.co/ac6d4gYlEq
— Dreamer (@theshyescapist) October 10, 2021
For those of us who didnt live through the Zia era, our Prime Minister wants to make sure we get the full experience. https://t.co/pXYTaT6epk
— Aizaz Haider (@aizazhaider265) October 11, 2021
