The Federal Capital of Pakistan at the end of the tenure is giving its attention to laws already devised and implemented in the country. The fact that they dedicated a session to revisit the Ehteram-e-Ramzan Ordinance only goes to show that the elected legislators are not prioritising the imminent issues that affect the people of Pakistan on a daily basis. This does not mean that revisiting a law is something legislators should not indulge in but in this case several other problems are being neglected. There are countless reports showcasing the deteriorating health and education sector of Pakistan, Pakistan’s inability to move its economy on its own and amassing of circular debt, and the growing violent, and extremist ideology in the masses is no secret either.

Ignoring all these threats to focus on the Ehteram-e-Ramzan Ordinance seems like a disservice to the people of Pakistan and an attempt to appease the religious vote bank. By doing so, they are ignoring very important aspects of the federal capital. The capital is not just home to Muslim citizens but also to other nationalities, religions, religious minorities and ethnicities as well. Enforcing the laws in such a scenario means taking away their rights to carry on their lifestyles easily because a majority of the population is fasting. This is a sign that the country cannot ever progress towards becoming a plural society. And that is a huge concern.

However that is not the primary problem with strengthening punishments against people who sell or consume food during fasting hours; observing religious customs should not be mandatorily enforced on people, it is a voluntary decision. Furthermore, the government cannot ignore the countless citizens who do not, or cannot, observe a fast. The sick, the elderly, children and many other people with special needs need to consume food. Restricting food access to them, without serving any discernable benefit, is a foolish goal.