Religion is a difficult turf to tread on, particularly when it has been contorted to suit one’s personal agenda. A bitter truth but this is exactly what has happened to Pakistan’s religious landscape where each sect has dominated a certain turf – both literally and figuratively. Ready to neither embrace each other nor eat from the same plate, they have become rigid and dogma-ridden, and in certain cases, trigger happy too.
The recent clashes between two sects in Karachi have once again highlighted this problem that often remains under the radar. As many as eight persons lost their lives, most of them passers-by, while many were injured. The bone of contention was a mosque and a hospital. What makes these incidents more damning is the fact that they have fought over some worldly possessions and not on certain nuances of religious commandments or edicts. That they traded fire for hours also speaks volumes of the inefficiency our security agencies have come to be known for. As to how a banned militant outfit was able to launch such an attack needs investigation whereas a large number of firearms should also be a point of concern for the security and law enforcement agencies. Law and order in the metropolis is already a big question mark on the performance of provincial and federal governments, more so for the former and less for the latter. MQM’s parting ways with the government is surely not going to help a bit in tackling this issue. The issue does need immediate attention nonetheless.
Karachi’s peace is like tinder on the end of a matchstick. Any amount of friction can cause it to light up and the fire of violence, sectarianism, terror and target killings is set ablaze anew. Another casualty of this whole gory picture is the loss in billions of the trading and industrial sectors that come to a halt each time this episode is replayed. Whereas religious differences might be nigh impossible to bridge anytime soon, an effort can be made to cultivate the culture of tolerance among the sects while LEAs must work to ensure no reprisals happens.
