After cowardly accepting the government action plan against religious/sectarian terrorism as agreed in the All Parties Conference in the presence of Army Chief and then later walking out of the parliament instead of debating and voting against the constitutional changes, religious-cum-political parties are now on the offensive trying to create confusion and wedge in the nation. They are objecting why the terrorism in the name of religion and sect has been singled out; what about other forms of terrorism say in the name of regionalism/separatism.
One would expect government and media shall not be on defensive but tell these parties in clear terms that ‘enough is enough’. Pakistan has lost its 50,000 civilians and security personal in a war which has been waged in the name of religion and sect, not in the name of separatism. In fact these terrorists have waged war against the religion itself by bringing a bad name by killing and bombing innocents, destroying schools and hospitals, kidnapping people for ransom and political blackmail.
But we see government is still not clear what to be done; still trying to please religious leaders that seminaries will not be targeted or closed down. If we can learn any lesson from the past, then obviously this ostrich-type attitude will fail all of us.
Despite fiery speeches by Lal Masjid leaders and issuance of non-bailable warrants against Molvee Abdul Aziz, government is reluctant to take any action and still seeking legal opinions. Leader of LeT/JuD is still holding rallies in Lahore and his seminary is being financed by no else but by Punjab government. Interior Minister Ch Nisar, is highlighting his government’s inability to trace the financial support seminaries are receiving from abroad.
Banned religious and sectarian outfits are being warned not to operate under new names — at the end of the day don’t you see its business as usual? If that’s what is going to happen, then why so much fan-fare on action plan; we have seen many such action plans in the past possibly now eating dust in clerks drawers. People of Pakistan had enough with this misuse of religion since Americans war in Afghanistan in 80s. How many more decades do we need to learn that we shall expect only thorns if we are sowing thorns or milking snakes.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
