Braving both the cold and a decree by some cleric somewhere against attending the funeral of slain Governor Salmaan Taseer, the mourners filled up the sprawling lawns of Governors House on Lahores Mall Road yesterday. Though many political leaders did attend, such might be the guidelines of propriety in the political sphere. It was the presence of common people that yielded a sight of that elusive silent majority that the liberals keep speaking of.
It seems to be an embattled silent majority, the noose around whom keeps getting more and more constricted. With a section of the press sounding as if it is being written from the pulpit of a mosque. With the local mosque, even of the supposedly inclusive, liberal persuasions, preaching intolerance. With the education system indoctrinating children with an ideology of hatred, sometimes as part of a covert curriculum, sometimes quite blatantly.
Life, however, goes on. The larger chess game remains relatively unchanged and in its grief, the ruling party has to make a decision about Mr Taseers replacement. The choice would be a function of the relationship that they would now like with the PML(N), specially in light of recent political developments. There have been some pretty hawkish statements by the minister of parliamentary affairs who all but blamed the Punjab government of criminal negligence and perhaps more. But he just might be playing the bad cop in this strategy. The future Governor just might be a dove to balance things out.
As for the contentious laws that motivated the heinous murder, there does seem to be more debate on the issue. Progressive sections in the media have begun illustrating the difference between speaking against the blasphemy laws and committing blasphemy itself. The laws are written by man. They can be changed upon deliberation by representatives of the people. Some voices even within the centre-right political parties have acceded, in principle, to have a debate about the laws if they are indeed being misused. This is no silver lining, however. Reactionary forces still hold the sway. It is a long slog ahead.
