A Pakistani court dismissed a petition on Friday seeking the inclusion of the Holy Quran in the curriculum of education up to the college level.
The Sindh High Court dismissed the petition, stating that faith is a personal matter and that the court cannot intervene in it.
The court ruled that if fundamental rights are violated, no changes to the curriculum can be made.
Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees citizens’ religious freedom and requires the state not to interfere in individuals’ religious affairs.
The court reserved its decision on the appeal, which requested that the Holy Quran and its translation be included as a subject in the curriculum offered to students from elementary to college level.
The constitution, according to the court’s decision, established a balance between the functions of three major pillars of power: the judiciary, the legislature, and the administration.
If basic rights are not violated, the court cannot order a curriculum change. The decision states that faith is an individual concern for each person, and the court cannot intervene in it.
It continues by stating that the Pakistani Constitution protects both positive and negative rights.
Negative rights bind a state to refrain from interfering in citizens’ personal affairs. Citizens have the freedom to exercise their rights in any way they see fit.
The court points out that Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees citizens’ religious freedom and forbids the state from interfering with their religious beliefs. Previously, Advocate Imtiaz Ali proposed making Holy Quran instruction mandatory in Sindh province.
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