- Blasphemy and its discontents
Wednesday’s verdict proved that when state institutions have the will to implement the law, regardless of outside pressures and likely fallout, justice is eventually served. Credit must therefore go to the Honourable Supreme Court for righting a grave wrong; even though the wheels of justice took their sweet time in turning the right way. But, alas, such is pace of the legal machinery in the Islamic Republic. Now, though, that the Court has played its part, and a small section of the religious-right too has duly followed through on its threats of jamming entire cities and issuing death threats to senior judges, it is up to other top state institutions to play their part and restore normalcy to the country. That emergency had to be imposed in certain parts – with roads, motorways and airports shut down – reflects poorly on the state of affairs in the security setup.
Prime Minister Imran Khan did the right thing by warning against testing the state any further, but since the provocateurs don’t seem too impressed, it is for the government to put its muscle where its mouth is in case they cause any further damage. Already schools are shut down, as are many businesses, and since nobody likes to get stuck in traffic for hours (like Wednesday), business activity in general is going to remain compromised.
Also, let this case also settle other pressing questions about not just the blasphemy law but, more importantly, its perception in society. “If our religion of Islam comes down heavily upon commission of blasphemy, then Islam is also very tough against those who level false allegations of a crime,” the judgment rightly noted. Shouldn’t relevant institutions now set important precedents? There are more questions to be answered. How will the Aasia Bibis of this country be compensated for all those years of imprisonment, abuse, harassment and agony? And what of the blood of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti, and the courageous Mishaal Khaans of Pakistan? What follows will be every bit as important as what has just come to pass.