A Pakistani cleric, Mohammad Ali Mirza, has openly criticised his own country’s legal system while praising India’s democratic space, triggering widespread reactions after a video of his remarks went viral on social media.
In the clip, the Islamic scholar takes a pointed swipe at what he calls the misuse of laws in Pakistan and contrasts it with India’s culture of free expression and open public debate. Citing a recent debate titled “Does God Exist?” between noted lyricist and atheist Javed Akhtar and Islamic scholar Mufti Shamail Nadwi, Mirza underscores how such discussions are possible in India but unthinkable in Pakistan.
Mirza says such a debate would not have been possible in Pakistan. He claims that if the discussion had taken place there, both participants would have been booked under Section 295A, with Javed Akhtar likely facing blasphemy charges. “Only India has the capacity to allow such debates,” he says in the video.
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Section 295A of Pakistan’s penal law deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting a religion or religious beliefs.
The video, shared by an Instagram account named muslimvibes2812, has triggered mixed reactions online. While some users praised India’s democratic ethos, others urged Mirza to organise similar debates in Pakistan.
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