Adil Najam
Here is a rather gruesome ad from the Punjab Anti-Narcotics Force, warning prospective pilgrims going for Hajj to Saudi Arabia of the dangers of drug trafficking.
The painted bill board ad makes the point, rather graphically and quite clearly that anyone caught bringing drugs into Saudi Arabia will face death. One wonders, however, if that point is being made a little more graphically than necessary.
The wording on the billboard (seemingly quite large and on an outdoor public location) says:
Don’t unknowingly invite death.
By taking someone’s else luggage or unnecessary foreign or local medications do not put your own life at risk.
Taking narcotics or addictive elements to Saudi Arabia will result in a certain death penalty.
Anti-Narcotics Force (Punjab).
How, I wonder, does a parent explain to a child who sees this billboard why the Arab-looking man is beheading the Pakistani-looking man with such gusto.
One wonders who it is that really gives Muslims a ‘bad name’? The message for the prospective drug smuggler to Saudi Arabia is quite clear. But, what is the message for the rest of us? And the rest of the world?
Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Austria, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Qatar, Switzerland, Canada all these countries have a very low crime rate, be it rape, drugs, murder, embezzlement etc. They do not practice any of the gruesome punishments that Saudis do, so your justification fails here.
I lived in UAE for 18 years, we did not use to lock our houses or our cars. Never got robbed. Most of the people died in accidents, mostly run over by rich Arab youngsters who drove the fastest cars in the world.
45 men and 2 women were beheaded in 2002 and a further 52 men and 1 woman in 2003 in Saudi Arabia. If it was so effective method of reducing crimes why din’t the crime rate decrease?
Now crime in society happens because of social problems, people fighting for resources. Saudia is a freakin rich country, that is why the locals don’t commit crime, and immigrants living and working in Saudi don’t need to commit crimes like theft because there is no greed and no reason why do it and get kicked out with the hands cut off of course.
You will rarely hear about crimes being committed by Immigrants living in US.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are third world countries. No employment, discrimination, economic problems lead to crime in these countries most of the time. SAUDIS don’t understand this.
Going back to execution, Sword was the only weapon for execution then, if there were another it would have been used. And then there were no jails and prisons.
I also lived in Karachi for 6 years, never got robbed or had any body broke into my house. If things were very scary like presented by drpk everybody would have immigrated. Again I don’t want to portray a flowery picture of Karachi. Shit happens, it will also happen in SAUDIA.
@Mr Shah you said
“I find women in Saudi Arabia having much better lives than in the west â€
MQ,
I think that you do not comprehend the reason why the laws are there for. As an example on what you said earlier:
“For example, we used to travel on camels. Now we use Cadillacs and planesâ€
Sajid,
You say my viewpoint on gruesome punishments [quote] “is not in line with ISLAMIC laws which have beheading, stoning, lashing etc. included in it. So you are trying to negate the law of ALLAH just to prove yourself modern and moderate.â€
Shah sahib, you reminded me a quranic verse:
Satan said, “My Lord, because You misled me, I will make things on the earth seem good to them and I will mislead them all, every one of them, except Your servants among them who are sincere.” (Surat al-Hijr: 39-40)
Dear Shah sahib. Where was this ‘erotic car wash’ that you went to get your chaskas… Have never heard of this in Karachi. Was this Lahore? Islamabad?