“We refuse to bow before terror. We will fight, regardless of the cost. We shall prevail, Inshallah.”
This was stated by Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani after visiting Malala Yousafzai in hospital at Peshawar. The whole nation is shocked and praying for her life. People are angry and demand decisive action against Taliban whose agenda is to take over Pakistan and impose a medievalist system on the people of Pakistan. They share an ideology with Al-Qaeda and see fellow Muslims who are supporting democracy as being followers of western concepts.
The constitution, parliament, judiciary and all state and national institutions based on democratic ideals are antithesis of Islamic political system. The women who do not put on veil and men who do not have long beard are considered westernized, secular, liberal and non-pious. Men and women who mix with one another are regarded as essentially wicked. Those who listen to music commit a grave sin. All such people have to be reformed by use of force. The question is if such an ideology is compatible with modern society.
Those who believe that Pakistani Taliban’s violence is a reaction to American drones can hardly explain why they targeted 14-year-old Malala and warned that they would go after her again if she survived. Let the promise of the COAS to free the country from the menace of extremism and terrorism be soon fulfilled. I believe what COAS has told the nation; we will prevail if we stand up and be counted now.
S T HUSSAIN
Lahore
