Several commentators are right in their advice to Muslims to maintain the sanity while protesting against the production of a mischievous film and publication of blasphemous cartoons; otherwise, all focus will be on the violent reaction providing further material for more provocative actions. It’s sad that political and religious leadership in Pakistan has miserably failed to put up a joint strategy to avoid violence in the name of protest against the film. Sept 21, which was planned as ‘Youm-e-Ishaq-e-Rasool’ (Love of the Prophet Day) will now be remembered as hatred-to-humanity day. That day more than 20 people were killed, hundreds were injured, countless properties and businesses were burned to ashes, banks and their strong rooms plundered, ATMs smashed to loot the cash, police checkposts and vehicles torched —- all in the name of protestors’ love for Prophet. Karachi, Peshawar and Islamabad bore the brunt of Friday’s lawlessness wherein in Karachi alone several landmark historical cinemas were put on fire.
We need to pause for a moment and ask ourselves – by doing all these mischievous acts, have we done any justice with the Prophet whose honor we are claiming to guard? No civilized country can allow this lawlessness regardless of any noble cause. Law shall take its own course, all those involved in looting, ransacking, putting properties on fire, killing, firing on law-enforcing agencies shall face the music in courts and their leaders shall be forced to pay for the damages their followers have done.
Alas, our courts have no time for these criminals; they are quite busy disqualifying dual nationality legislators as finding them not ‘Ameen’ and ‘Sadiq’ (honest and truthful). They need to know that a number of Ameens and Sadiqs were out on streets on Friday, not afraid of any consequences as they always find courts on their side.
It’s pity to see such a disgusting course to achieve a noble cause.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia