The horrific attack on Pakistan’s religious minister the other day has reminded the world that Pakistan’s struggle for survival is not over. Actually, it has not even begun, even though we see military operation against the Taliban in Swat, the battle itself against nihilists has yet to be started.
For this battle to begin, the people in Pakistan will have to come together without ifs and buts to fight the threat. Pakistani nation will have to understand that those who sympathize with the Taliban are actually blinded by their hatred towards America. Otherwise, there is no logical reason for supporting thugs who behead people, beat and publicly execute women, chop hands for stealing etc. And this swift delivery of justice (as claimed by the Taliban) according to them is not only Islamic, but also necessary to rid the country of the evil that has been spread by the ‘enemies of Islam and Pakistan.’
Talk about delusional people.
Many people continue to confuse Pakistan army’s limited operation in Swat to be the start, or the end (depends on who is answering) of the Taliban, but both answers are wrong. This battle against enemies of Pakistan, be it the Taliban or any other group trying to impose a particular ideology on Pakistan can only produce positive results when not only hate mongers are defeated, but their hateful ideology is also buried with their defeat, forever.
This process has not begun as the country is still divided over the contentious issue of whether the Taliban are bad people, or whether these people are the ‘agents of India, funded by the Americans.’
This nonsense and the ambiguity about the Taliban has to end so that the journey towards building a safe and secure Pakistan can be started.
In addition to religion paranoia (Jews, Christians and Hindus are conspiring day and nigh against Pakistan because they have nothing else and nothing better to do) Pakistan also has to put a lid on misguided nationalism. Otherwise, this is a recipe for disaster.
Whenever religion is mixed with nationalism, we get what we have today in Pakistan – chaos, mayhem and anarchy.
It is clear, whether we admit it or not, that Pakistan was created to be a place where all races and religions will have equal rights, a model based on Western, but realistic ideals. That is precisely why right wingers bitterly opposed Pakistan’s creation, but, Pakistan ended up on world’s map, despite their opposition. So, with Pakistan’s creation, illiterate, narrow minded, and isolationists starting preaching a version of Islam that is more tribal and completely in sync with Saudi Arabia.
But, liberals and progressives refused to acknowledge the problem of fanaticism within the society, despite clear and repeated warning. In fact, mullahs openly declared that they are working to convert Pakistan’s rational and partly secular society into a hard core religious entity (we now call it Talibanization), but hardly anyone did anything to counter the hateful propaganda that was poured in Pakistan for decades.
Today, the situation is so bad that even if you ask a common sense question to someone huffing and puffing about Islam, you’d be marked as an enemy of Islam. Try asking any mosque to not use their ‘loud speaker’ for speeches after hours and see how bearded men would come after you.
More alarmingly, Pakistan’ urban areas have become a prime battle ground for different versions of Islam. Visit any city and you will find mosques after mosques promoting completely different brands of Islam, a religion they all claim to be a peaceful and universal religion. But, promoters of this peaceful Islam condemn you to death if you dare to ask them to respect a different point of view. I remember seeing a protester in England carrying a sign stating “Behead those who consider Islam to a violent religion”, and I couldn’t believe it.
Regretfully, whenever anyone tries to be realistic about Islam, he or she asks for trouble. Today, everyone is expected to conform to a particular ideology, otherwise, his or her survival become a challenge. Worse, Pakistan’s Sharia law makes it simple and easy for anyone to declare that so and so has disrespected Islam, and take any action he sees fit, and he will get away with anything, perhaps even murder.
What Pakistan needs is a realistic look at the way Islam is being preached. Otherwise, it won’t be long when using Islam as an excuse, the entire society would take up arms against each other claiming to be on the right side of God.
Pakistan needs to be what its founder thought it would be; a peaceful, prosperous, tolerant and pluralist society. I still believe that we can turn the tide and be a society that Pakistan was meant to be.
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