‘Even Galileo responded to his prosecutors that regardless he was hanged, the Earth would continue to rotate around the Sun.’ That was with what Dr Shakil Auj responded to his colleague’s advice to tone down his enlightened and inter-sectarian harmony drive. Dr Shakil was gunned down in broad daylight in Karachi, Sept 18, in an attempt to silence another preacher of peace and religious tolerance who was out to show the true face of dark forces. Assailants’ modus operandi has not changed for decades — accuse the target of committing blasphemy by issuing a fatwa (edict), and creating an atmosphere of hatred to justify his/her eventual murder.
Dr Shakil was the dean of Islamic Studies faculty at University of Karachi, an author of numerous books on Islam and tolerance in a multicultural society, and translated the holy book Quran. He was silenced forever by those who want to make Pakistan (literal meaning the Land of the Pure) more purer. These dark forces are dismantling Pakistan brick by brick as professional, academicians, intellectuals, intelligentsia and flag bearers of tolerance are either leaving the country or being systematically eliminated forever.
Sept 18 was a sad and bleak day for a tolerant Pakistan; but a bright day for those who take pride in killing innocent people in the disguise of blasphemy accusations. Anyone brave enough to question the Karachi seminary which issued the fatwa to announce Dr Shakil as ‘wajib-ul-qatal’ (liable to be murdered)? Pakistan has reached this stage not solely because of dark forces but of silence of most of us who fail to speak out. It’s your turn to speak out before they get you and us all.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
