Editorial
Religious intolerance is an intensely prevailing agony in Pakistani society. Pakistani nation is an orthodox, rigid and religiously emotional at large. It has a historical perspective, unfortunately communal horrifying violence and bloodshed fertilised its creation. During the partition process in 1947 hundreds of thousands minority people were murdered, kidnapped and misplaced in the name of either faith or creed both in India and Pakistan.
By birth Pakistan is not an Islamic Republic but simply a Muslim majority state. However, March 12, 1949 Liaqat Ali Khan’s Objective Resolution laid the first step towards religious interference in state matters. Later, particularly since 1953 religious stratum and defeated anti-Pakistani religious assemblages like Ihrar, Ji, JUI used religion as a tool to pave their way in the native society. Steadily the false interpretations of Islamic teachings nourished aggression, rigidity and extremism in Pakistani society.
State supported fanaticism ever strengthened the religious and communal extremist accumulations. Particularly Bhutto and Zia’s bantering with the Islamic principles subjecting to strengthen the radicalism to more penetrate in the society. As a result Pakistani nation is now divided in various unconstrained Islamic ideologies at all level. Mullahs are not playing their role to organize the society according to the Islamic teachings but enjoying this bifurcation for their social, economic and political purposes. Common masses neither respect nor tolerate each other’s beliefs, propagation and teachings.
Consequently, in Pakistan now Muslims are killing Muslims for Muslims in the name of Islam. Misuse of blasphemy laws is one of the tools as under the guise of these laws, society has become religiously extremist. Illiterate people, religious and educated particularly academic stratum equally and vigorously share the misuse of blasphemy laws. Political and authoritarian regimes are severely failed to contain the frenzied mobs to commit the murders of the alleged persons under the umbrella of religious zeal and Islamic epithets. From Asia Bibi to Mishal Khan and Tahir Ahmad Naseem to Mushtaq Ahmad mobs and individuals have ever been found involved in the lynching.
Pakistanis need to realize religion is someone’s personal matter. If a citizen blasphemes, it is the job of the state to arrest and run the trial according to the law, but no individual or mob should dare to take the matter in their hands. The extremist activities particularly in the name of blasphemy are defaming Pakistan through civilian and political unrest and uncertainty in the Country. This horrifying situation shivers a sense of insecurity through the 7% minorities’ spines despite the fact that they are true Pakistanis and since 1947 not even single non-Muslim found involved in any anti-state or extremist activity in Pakistan. No doubt religious tolerance is the need of the time for the national integration and a prosperous Pakistan.