Dress Mess In Pakistan: Could 'Halwa' And QR Codes Pose Fatal Risks In Pakistan?

In videos that went viral on Sunday, a woman in Lahore was witnessed weeping as she was escorted out of a restaurant by police personnel while being pursued by a mob demanding her blood.

The incident, which unfolded in a bustling bazaar in Lahore, underscores the exploitation of blasphemy laws to persecute individuals, particularly minorities such as Hindus, Christians, Ahmadiyas, and Shia Muslims. Moreover, it highlights how allegations of blasphemy can be linked to attire and QR codes.

Dress Mess in Pakistan

According to Pakistan's blasphemy laws, any derogatory remarks regarding Prophet Muhammad, whether spoken, written, or represented visually, are punishable by death, imprisonment for life, or fines. At the centre of the controversy and death threats in Pakistan in 2024 is a dress featuring Arabic calligraphy, purportedly from a Kuwaiti company.

The fervent crowd in the Lahore bazaar misconstrued the Arabic script on the dress, associating it with Quranic verses. However, the dress, available for purchase on eBay, had no connection to the Quran; it merely featured the word 'halwa'. Despite its seemingly innocuous nature, the incident underscores the volatile atmosphere in Pakistan where rationality appears elusive. The seriousness of the situation is evident given the involvement of a violent mob and threats of 'sar tan se juda'.

This incident is not an isolated one. In 2022, a Pakistani man threatened to burn down a truck delivering cold drinks after he claimed to spot the name of Prophet Muhammad on the QR code of a 7UP bottle. Similar protests erupted in Karachi over alleged comments against the companions of Prophet Muhammad reportedly played by Wi-Fi devices installed at a mall, leading to accusations of blasphemy against Samsung, as reported by India Today.

Halwa wala dress and blasphemy in Pakistan

In the most recent incident, the woman accompanied by her husband to a market in Lahore faced a confrontation from a group of individuals regarding the Arabic calligraphy featured on her dress.

Faraz Pervaiz, a Pakistani Christian who himself has been accused of blasphemy, commented on the situation, emphasizing the prevalence of ignorance in Pakistan. He suggested that the woman could have faced grave danger had the police not intervened to quell the enraged mob.

Pervaiz, an advocate against Pakistan's stringent blasphemy laws, clarified that the dress did not contain Quranic verses but rather a design incorporating Arabic calligraphy, a common feature in Saudi Arabia. He explained that the Arabic word 'Halwa', meaning "beautiful and sweet," was written above the calligraphy, indicating no association with blasphemy.

Fearing for her safety, the woman felt compelled to apologize for wearing the dress, despite its innocuous nature. Similar dresses featuring Arabic calligraphy, including the 'halwa' design, are available for purchase online. For instance, a Riyadh-based platform specializing in women's apparel, 'Shalik Riyadh', had listed a dress with a similar design, as reported by India Today.

Following the Lahore incident, requests were made to the store owner to remove the photo of the dress, with sarcastic remarks highlighting its unavailability in Pakistan.

Pakistani-born journalist Taha Siddiqui, currently in exile in Paris, criticized the Pakistani establishment and society regarding the recent controversy surrounding the Arabic dress.

Attacks Over Blasphemy in Pakistan

• Individuals and places of worship are frequently targeted in Pakistan for blasphemy-related incidents, despite its 96% Muslim population.
• In a notable 2021 incident, a mob in Sialkot tortured and burned the body of a 40-year-old Sri Lankan national over blasphemy allegations.
• In August 2023, at least five churches were vandalized in Pakistan's Faisalabad district following an alleged blasphemy incident, with videos showing clerics inciting mobs to destroy the churches.
• Pakistani society has become increasingly radicalized, with the introduction of harsh blasphemy laws contributing to this trend.
• Blasphemy laws in Pakistan, inherited from British rulers, were further strengthened by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's regime, leading to severe penalties for those convicted of insulting figures connected to Prophet Muhammad.
• The mainstreaming of organizations like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has exacerbated radicalization, exploiting emotional issues surrounding blasphemy and the finality of Prophethood.
• Approximately 1,500 people have been charged with blasphemy in Pakistan over the last three decades, often resulting in extrajudicial lynching due to public outrage.
• The strict enforcement of blasphemy laws and the radicalization of society are evident in incidents such as the persecution of individuals over seemingly innocuous items like Arabic 'halwa' dresses or QR codes.