Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Insaf Welfare Trust on Friday approached the Supreme Court, requesting it to ban the practice of “black magic” as well as practices of bogus spiritual treatment of ailments performed by quacks in the garb of mysticism and spiritualism.

The top court has also been requested for directions to the federal and provincial governments for legislation to regulate genuine practices of spiritual and psychological treatments.

Insaf Welfare Trust Chairman Advocate Mohammad Aslam Khaki filed a human rights petition under Article 184(3) read with articles 19 and 2A of the constitution.

In the petition, the federal government, all provincial governments, the Pakistan Press Council and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) have been made respondents.

The petition was filed in light of a tragic incident in Sargodha, where the custodian of a shrine murdered 20 devotees, leaving four others injured. The accused, identified as Waheed, used to allegedly beat his devotees who came to him for treatment of various physical or spiritual ailments.

The petitioner said that such fake ‘spiritualists’ – having no expertise or knowledge of the Sharia – were spreading misguidance and anti-Islamic faith, besides playing with the health and lives of the people for money. He said that many incidents had been reported in recent times regarding such ‘saints’ ruining people’s lives – at times leaving them dead. The petition further contended that every method of treatment must be regulated by the state in terms of qualification and professional competence of the therapist, like a doctor, a homeopath or a hakeem.

The petition further stated that the government had established the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council for allopathic method of treatment, the Homeopathic Council for homeopathic and the Council for Tibb for herbal treatment. “But there is no regulatory body for registration and supervision of spiritual treatment by” such so-called healers, “resulting in wastage of money, lives and also the faith of the people”, the petitioner further argued. He prayed before the top court to direct the governments for legislation on the subject for regulating the practice of psychological or spiritual treatment. He further requested the court to ban such practices until permitted and licensed by the regulatory authority. The petitioner also requested the court to direct the Pakistan Press Council to stop publishing advertisements regarding fake spiritual treatments or any such practice.