One is amazed at the depth of decay of our social values and woeful dissipation of collective conscience listening to known ulema, political leaders, TV anchors, self styled journalists, champions of rule of law and human rights, educated men and women not only reluctant to condemn Governor Salmaan Taseer’s brutal assassination but also trying to justify the murder on one pretext or the other.
I was completely taken aback when almost all the doctors in an elitist hospital actually ‘endorsed the killing. Then came the news that some paragons of piety had so despicably refused to lead the slain man’s funeral. These men are so obnoxiously unforgiving.
All this means that we have been deeply dehumanised by these merchants of death and religious intolerance. Governor Salmaan Taseer’s assassination is ominous as it was done by his own official guard. The fissure and the fault line have reached that alarming level.
This appears to be the end of the beginning of our state system. Once the wobbly state structure implodes the country will plunge into fearsome anarchy. The implications of such an eventuality are horrendous. Our social tragedy is of cinematic proportions.
We must admit first that we have become a deceased society, and then undertake a major surgery. Otherwise we are fast becoming Afghanistan- Somalia- Sudan in one.
BRIG (Retd) MEHBOOB QADIR
Rawalpindi
