Govt Bans Its Own Anti-Covid Slogan 'Corona Se Darna Nahi' After CII's Objection

In light of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII)'s recommendation, the government has banned the use of anti-Covid slogan 'Corona se darna nahi, larna hai'. ("Let's fight Covid instead of being afraid of it") for campaigns and reporting on media and social media. The Ministry for Religious Affairs has come up with a new slogan 'Corona waba hai, ehtaiyat jis ki shifaa hai' ("Corona is a disease, whose cure is prevention") which is to be used from now onward.

A notification was issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in this regard. The federal cabinet made this decision after receiving recommendation about the slogan from the CII.

Backstory

In October last year, the CII had filed a petition in Lahore High Court (LHC) against government’s anti-Covid19 slogan ‘Corona se darna nahi larna hai’ terming it ‘immoral’ and ‘un-Islamic’ because the virus is ‘God’s will’ which cannot be contested.

Salman Idrees had filed the petition against the slogan on behalf of the CII in the LHC. He had argued that the slogan implies that we are up against God’s will. He added that this slogan challenges the supremacy of God as no one could fight against God’s will. He argued that the government should stop using this slogan on media as it is ‘un-Islamic’.

Previously, LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan had directed CII to give their opinion on the slogan. The court was later informed that CII had advised the government not to use the slogan.