Where the Sindh, once the land of sufis and saints, is heading towards? Events of targeting religious minorities and sectarian opponents in last few months are not indicative of a sudden and one-time phenomenon. It’s a gradual change happening over the last few decades, now ultimately defacing the land of a peace-loving plural society. Unchecked establishment of hundreds of sectarian based religious seminaries all across the province is now bearing its unholy fruits. Though still in minority, we have a number of people who believe in waging jihad against minorities in every form — forcibly converting Hindu girls to Islam, digging out buried Hindu corpses, attacking on dhramshala and mandir to take revenge against alleged blasphemy. I wonder the way charged mobs gather in minutes while feeling no guilt in attacking and destroying minorities’ properties and businesses shall be enough for anyone to desist from blasphemy, let alone doing it in presence of eye witnesses. It proves the point that most of the blasphemy charges are intentionally framed to settle personal score, economically destroying the business opponents, occupying vacated properties and such other ulterior motives.
The ruling party, PPP’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s tweet condemns the recent attack on Hindu property in Larkana. Yes, condemnation, but then what? PPP needs to wake up from deep-sleep, the Sindh province is getting out of its hands as religious extremist elements are becoming stronger by day, a phenomena South Punjab has already witnessed and now suffering without any cure.
This week police arrested three Hindus in Badin for writing a Muslim name by using Holi colours and pigments. No one has witnessed this happening, but an allegation on the behest of a prayer leader is sufficient for police to arrest the youth.
Can we expect PPP to come forward and see what’s happening in its last bastion in the country?
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia