The recent target killing of about 30 innocent people belonging to the Shia sect near Mastung and also in Quetta has forced me to make an appeal to all religious parties of Pakistan to show restraint and patience to other religious groups/ parties that are existing in Pakistan. We as Pakistanis have been witnessing inter-faith rivalry leading to brutally killing of minorities and it is truly unfortunate.
Islam teaches us peace, tolerance, patience and inter-faith harmony. I am sure the leaders of these groups understand the philosophy of Islam and also know that we have to tolerate other faiths and schools of thought. We are all Pakistanis and our country has people of all religions and faiths. Those who are not Muslims, they are also Pakistanis and enjoy all the basic rights as a citizen of this country. In the Quran, Chapter109 ( Sura-i-Kafroon) says that your religion is yours and my religion is mine. So let there be no dispute in following one’s faith and we should all believe in peaceful coexistence.
Killing innocent people is strictly forbidden in Islam and is one of the major sins. The person who plans or commit such heinous crime will not be pardoned by Allah Almighty. Therefore I appeal to the religious scholars of all faiths and the leaders of various religious groups to lay down their arms and preach peace, harmony and show tolerance to other religious groups. Failing this, there would be no end to bloodshed as revenge killings from the aggrieved group will take place as has happened in the past. This would then be an unending cycle of killings and bloodshed which is not the solution to any problem.
Muhamamad Azhar Khwaja
Lahore
