Misguided interpretations of religion again stifled enlightenment. Sadly, Pakistan ranks 140 out of 180 countries in terms of corruption and 130th out of 139 in terms of adherence to the rule of law.
In terms of honour killing and blasphemy, we would rank first if a comparison were to be made.
The incident of Jaranwala where hundreds of Christians had to abandon their houses only to be burnt by their fellow countrymen, is a grim echo of the past. To save the honour of their holy book, the “devout and pious” burnt the sacred books of others and set ablaze their worship places.
The law-enforcement agents who held legal authority chose to stand idle amid this chaos, adding fuel to wrongdoings and evil practices.
Law-enforcement paralysis arises from unpreparedness, expediency, weak governance, gaps in training, and the lure of false narratives. The incidence was followed by exactly what was expected – the promises of solidarity. Do we have the courage to acknowledge that we failed to protect those who are too weak to defend themselves?
In Pakistan, the issue of blasphemy is not merely a subject of religious doctrine but a tinderbox that has ignited controversy and violence, casting a pall over the nation’s quest for social harmony. Pakistan stands as one of the few nations where blasphemy is a criminal offense, carrying the terrifying specter of the death penalty. A weapon that can be unsheathed with a mere accusation, it casts a shadow of fear and suspicion, silencing voices, and breeding mistrust.
Religion- which is supposed to teach love and respect, is used by the miscreants to incite hatred for worldly gains. Regrettably, the extremism is not only limited to religion, even so-called liberals and in particular the politicians play this card maliciously too.
The people, or to be specific, the youth of Pakistan have always been carried away with the captivating slogans and this started pre partition: Pakistan ka matlab kia …………” still resounds in the religious rallies. Then follows the incredible narrative that Divinity not only created this nation exclusively, but He governs it too-an ultimate mortification of Omniscient.
A few years ago, we were fooled by “roti kapra aur makan”; recently, we played with purana, naya, and hamara Pakistan. A religious slogan labaik ya Rasool Allah is the best way for those with vested interests to play their favorite game here.
In my college days, the whole generation of Karachi came under the trap of “fight for your rights.” Sindh resounded with Mohajirs and Sindhu Desh slogans. We witnessed a dramatic transformation as the local lads playing cricket suddenly brandished TT pistols and their minds poisoned with the notions of marginalization and injustices. On November 21, 1979, in a blaze of turmoil sparked by propaganda about Mecca seizure, usual fury razed the U.S. embassy in Islamabad.
When joined the service, I was taken aback to find the landscape marred by hatred and disgust for different clans or beliefs, a toxic environment advanced by events like the Iranian Revolution and Afghan wars. I heard derogatory names for Punjabis, Urdu-speaking, Pathans, Sindhis, Baloch’s, Shias, and Sunnis and of lately Barelvi’s and Deobandi’s.
With the emergence of Taliban in our Western Neighbors, a big portion of the country became inaccessible and incapacitated. The toll it took and still takes, perhaps hard to measure. They will continue to haunt our future generations.
Will we look inward? Our social contract has been diluted. State institutions and citizens have grown apart, exploitation reigns. The decision to choose sides in other conflicts deceitfully has led to disaster, along with power-driven politics. Pseudo-knowledge overshadows our education, aimed at personal advancement rather than illumination.
The only way forward is to stop remaining silent on evil-doing and accountability at all costs. But who will bell the cat when it is too sharp and healthy now? The answer lies in the courage to confront our past, acknowledge our failures, and take decisive action. The time for appropriate response is now, for the seeds we sow today will determine the harvest of tomorrow.
We are a nation that often works on a day-to-day basis, reacting to problems rather than proactively addressing them. While we cast blame upon the illiterate, unemployed, and the poor for being extremists, we must not turn a blind eye to those at the pinnacle of power; indeed, they may be the root of all zealotry.
The pivotal doctrines of NAP, NISP, and NSP remained estranged from the training academy, their wisdom lost in transformation, never reaching the crucible of tactical application. Urgently sought though, now is a counter-extremism strategy that delves beyond grassroots, piercing the heart of leadership and stakeholder echelons, for within those tiers lie fervor equally entrenched and radicalized.
A twig bends, so does a tree, and this is true for our society, which has been shaped by those who substitute eccentricities and radicalizations. To achieve their control goals, they are willing to play with fire, even if it means nightmares for others.
The path to healing our nation and bridging the deep divides requires confronting uncomfortable truths. Extremism, I reiterate far from solely a tool of the oppressed, emerges also as the weapon wielded by the powerful—the elites who reign.
If we continue to ignore the elephant in the room, we risk becoming a house divided against itself. The clock is ticking, and the time has come to seize the reins of our destiny.
Let’s not let our past haunt our future. For a nation without a moral compass is doomed to wander in darkness. Let us forge a new path based on justice, accountability, and unity, lit the lamp of wisdom, and chart a course towards a brighter future.
If the shadow of blasphemy laws looms large in our corridors of opportunist sinew and misguided notions of honor persist on our streets, then a harmonious nation remains but a dream, forever elusive and just beyond our reach.
