Proof of the pudding…
The prime minister must be complimented for the symbolism of his Diwali outreach, at least, even as the government’s attitude towards minorities remains far from satisfactory. Such a high-level PR exercise means some serious brainstorming must have gone into the pronounced shift in outlook. But the prime minister must understand that the public in general and minorities in particular will need this initiative to go all the way rather than take it on face value; and for that the government has itself to blame.
Despite long years of vicious and violent persecution of Muslim and non-Muslim minorities the government has failed to take necessary steps on the ground. The country remains littered with suspect seminaries that openly preach intolerance and even murder of any grouping that does not subscribe to their own harsh, extreme interpretation of religious doctrine. And despite thousands of murders and assassinations – sometimes hundreds killed at once – there has been no movement against organisations that carry out and proudly claim responsibility for these acts. Even bans placed on certain specific militant outfits came only after intense international pressure. And had the army not put its foot down with regard to Zarb-e-Azb, the government was keen to keep talking to the TTP despite persistent attacks on high value official targets and minorities alike.
The government must realise that its handling of the security situation has come under criticism for good reasons. It had complete support – political as well as social – after the Peshawar tragedy, when the National Action Plan was so ambitiously formulated. But almost a year since the attack the civilian side has made no progress worth writing home about, hence the recent warning from the brass as well. There will be quite a number of embarrassed senior government officials in Islamabad very soon on the first anniversary of the Peshawar attack, and rightly so. It is time that the government puts its house in order. It must, finally, identify and act aggressively against all militant factions that attack and persecute minorities. Till then, the government should excuse minorities for wanting something more concrete from the PM than his inspiring slogan at Divali, that “Every community living here… belongs to me and I belong to them”.