Pakistan's Senate committee approves bill imposing prison terms for advocating Zionism

Image: Jihad Watch

In an unprecedented move, Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Interior approved a bill on Thursday that imposes prison sentences for promoting Zionism. The legislation is intended to curb incitement to communal hatred amid concerns surrounding the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The new law stipulates that advocating Zionism to incite communal hostility can result in up to three years in prison, while displaying Zionist symbols with the intent to provoke public unrest carries a maximum two-year sentence.

Senator Afnanullah Khan from the ruling Muslim League-N party introduced the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, claiming that Zionism promotes violence, pointing to the Gaza conflict as evidence.

During a session chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, Khan argued that Zionist ideologies currently influence global affairs, saying, “It is written in the books of Zionism that those who do not agree with you should be killed. They are martyring children in Gaza under this ideology.”

Khan added that Zionist propaganda and symbols would be prohibited in Pakistan, noting that some individuals in the country harbor Zionist beliefs.

The introduction of this legislation is significant, given the lack of reported cases of Zionist preaching or propaganda in Pakistan. Historically, a Jewish community resided in Karachi, the country's commercial hub, and in Rawalpindi, a garrison city, before Pakistan’s establishment.

In central Karachi, the historic Merewether Clock Tower still bears the Star of David, symbolizing the community’s legacy.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)