The same day, Shia passengers in four buses going to Astore from Rawalpindi were killed by terrorists when the buses were intercepted at Babusar by a band of these murderous criminals.
A few days later, news came that a mob wanted to kill and burn a minor Christian girl, Rimsha, a special child, for allegedly committing blasphemy. Apparently, she had burnt a “Noorani qaeda” to challenge the ghairat of Muslims. The child is in custody, the case sub judice and new evidence alleges she was framed by a rascally cleric.
Just two days ago, Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists captured, killed, and beheaded 12 soldiers of the Frontier Corps when they attacked a post at Batwar in the Salarzai area of Bajaur. They also released the gruesome video and still photos.
Of these four incidents, I find the two, the killing of Shia passengers and the threat to the life of the Christian girl, more worrisome and symptomatic of the cancer that has metastasised in our social fabric. No one wants their soldiers to be killed or, worse, beheaded. But soldiers, once they don the uniform, understand that when called upon to fight, they will kill and get killed. That’s the nature of the job.
Societies can fight long, simmering or hot wars, internal as well as those imposed from outside; they can render tremendous sacrifices and yet keep their morale high. The battle for Stalingrad is just one such example; there are many others. But this happens only when, despite many differences, a people decide that they have to band together against an enemy that threatens their way of life and their values, in short whatever it is that makes life worth living.
Trouble starts when a society fractures, a far more dangerous phenomenon than a state unravelling, though fairly often the unravelling of one leads to the collapse of the other. TTP terrorism is a threat, no gainsaying. But it can be countered. Take the Batwar incident. The army’s response has been swift and the TTP terrorist leader in the area along with his lowly gang of criminals have been despatched to hell. The rest must also be given a one-way ticket, and will be. Take Kamra: the army battalion X, deployed for base security, responded swiftly, confined the terrorists to one area, took out some of them, the rest of the job done by another platform that shouldn’t be disclosed.
It’s the Shia killings and the persecution of minorities — a hateful term — that is the real problem. Shias in Pakistan are being deliberately targeted by sectarian terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and this campaign is aimed at creating denominational and social fissures. These groups are also linked to the TTP and al Qaeda. The Pakistani Shia, generally better educated and upwardly mobile, form the backbone of many sectors of the Pakistani state and economy. This terrorist campaign, therefore, has to be treated at two levels: counterterrorism (CT) and social pressure.
CT strategies against these groups also link up with the broader CT military operations. In the urban centres, these groups must be taken out by the civilian law-enforcement agencies; in the operational areas, by the army. But the strategy of dislocation requires social and religious pressure. Some Sunni Muslim passengers, if reports are correct, got killed because they tried to dissuade these sectarian criminals from executing their dastardly agenda. If this is correct, these average Pakistanis deserve the highest gallantry awards. They are this nation’s heroes.
They instil hope. The average Sunni lives in harmony with his Shia brother. It is he who has to stand up and decry such acts of murderous violence. But even more, it is the state’s responsibility to chalk out a comprehensive strategy, not only to put down these groups, but also to spearhead the policy of isolating them socially. Let the government bring clerics of all denominations on one platform, in full view of the media, and get them to say it as is: sectarian violence is low, murderous criminality. The clerics mustn’t be allowed to hem and haw and hedge. They should be pinned down on the issue and forced to take responsibility. Let those who can’t come through be exposed to the public just like the Munir Report exposed these clerics five decades ago.
The persecution of non-Muslim Pakistanis is another big problem because it is done by mobs that comprise average Pakistanis, people who otherwise go about the daily business of life. The army cannot respond to such mobs with its firepower. They must be dealt with through the police where and when necessary, and the use of police power must be complemented by social ostracisation. The strategy must combine state power, media outreach and brave and honest clerics. The government must pull in religio-political parties and demand that they play an honest role. At the minimum, if they hedge, they will again be exposed.
Underpinning all this must be a strong will to ensure that no one is allowed to take the law into their hands. If a mob tries to lynch a person, it presents itself as a bunch of criminals and must bear the full brunt of state power. Let the mobs know that their enthusiasm for lynching, on whatever pretext, is no more a cost-effective exercise. If someone still desires the embrace of the houris, he may be despatched to Paradise post-haste.
But for space constraints, one can recommend many more measures. The strategy has to move from the immediate to the medium and long term, though the three phases are not to be sequential. Simultaneity is essential because most of these measures are interdependent. That is good and works to the advantage of the policymakers.
Finally, analysts should not just lament; lamentation doesn’t make policy. They must come up with solutions. This is a fight that needs passion for sustenance but a cool head for thinking and execution.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (57)
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@Asma: "I see you have been spooked by the Eli Cohen story. So now round 2 of the story for Pakistan starts."
Where have you been? This is not round 2. This is much further along. Round 1 was the objectives resolution of 1949. Round 2 was the Ahmedi riots of 1953. Round 3 was the discarding of the Munir report on round 2. Then came the doctrine of necessity. After that we started on the half hindu bengalis which eventually culminated in 1971 and then we buried the Hamood ur Rahman report on that as well. Through all these rounds Shias were right along with the Sunnis. You are correct, now it is their round but it is much farther along than round 2.
@Asma: Jinah the father of Pakistan was Shia. Why are people paying a lip service to people of his tribe? In my personal opinion they should be saying a big Thank You.
@Milestogo
"Kashmir is the biggest issue. We need to solve that first. Once Kashmir is solved Taliban and LeT can be Put under rehab program."
Balochistan and Khyber Pashtunkhwa are the biggest issues not Kashmir.
The Kashmir issue is important to certain revisionist elements in Pakistan and they downplay the issues that are plaguing Balochistan and KPK.
Baloch and Pashtun nationalism will only get worse, especially if Afghanistan remains unstable. LET might be reined in but not the TTP, because they are Pashtuns not Punjabis.
Lamentation is not solution. It is correct but condemnation of gruesome killing of innocent people is necessary.It is an excellent peace of writing.
The government must pull in religio-political parties and demand that they play an honest role.
Does the term 'Government' here include those who created MMA with Mehrangate funds?
Let those who can’t come through be exposed to the public just like the Munir Report exposed these clerics five decades ago.
Was that of any help to the Ahmadis?
How will any such report be of any use to the Shias and the Christians?
The average Sunni lives in harmony with his Shia brother.
So very generous of them.
But then, who is asking for demolition of Ahmadi places of worship?
And who is showering Qadri with rose petals?
And who turns up for LeJ/ SSP/ ASWJ rallies by the thousands?
And who insists on 'no tampering' with the Blasphemy Laws?
everyone including this author is in denial. what else is he doing by writing this article if not just lamenting?
@Lala Gee and Ejaaz : I see you have been spooked by the Eli Cohen story. So now round 2 of the story for Pakistan starts. Find all non hard core Sunni folks who are in important positions in the Army / Government or Society. Start surveillance, hound them from all sides. Find a few guilty - label them the workers of the 'foreign hand' - hang them. Let the cruel circus continue.
First declare that Pakistan is built only for sunnis. Then tell the non-Sunnis , you cannot be patriotic because we have not built this country for you. Thus your loyalties have to reside with other countries. Since this makes you potential moles, we are going to blame you for all the bad things which no true muslim would ever do - that is, set up terrorism outfits - that too something like Al-Qaeda and TTP!
The solution is simple, accept that these are the problems of Pakistanis and Pakistan stop blaming America , India , and your government stand behind your government ,All are guilty . majority of people support terrorists and religious extreemist in some way The majority then must accept its responsibility
Ejaz Haider you said the past three weeks have been bad. I didn't remember the good week we had for the last 10 years as Pakistan decided to go into war on terror.
Finally, analysts should not just lament; lamentation doesn’t make policy. They must come up with solutions.
Here they are.
A. Scrap Objectives Resolution.
B. Scrap the Second Amendment.
C. Scrap Pakistan Studies.
D. Convict Malik Ishaq. If need be, under the FCR, for Shia killings.
E. Convict Dr Aalim Online.
F. Scrap the Blasphemy Law.
And that is only the beginning.
@Ejaaz:
"Does anyone seriously think that the non-muslims of Pakistan will ever be loyal to a state created for muslims and where they have been told in Pakistan school books, by Pakistan’s presidents, over radio and tv that their religions are false and they are deviants and crooks? It is never going to happen."
You are absolutely right in your conclusion. The only solution is to implement a secular constitution as directed by the father of the nation, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Unfortunately, we ungratefully refused to benefit from his wisdom.
@gp65:
"I am surprised to see the link you have attached which seems to imply that any non-Muslim Pakistani cannot be patriotic. What has prompted the turnaround in your thought process on this issue?"
I didn't change my thoughts as you might have known by now. My only purpose to suggest the case of Eli Cohen was to point out the possibility that the same method might have been used to setup terror networks in Pakistan as well. If you carefully study the events of 9/11, Bombay terror incident, and the daily carnage in Pakistan, it is very hard to believe that Al-Qaida, TTP, or BLA indigenously possess these all sorts of unlimited technical and financial resources necessary to carry out their activities for so long from an entrenched position.
@Ken Bryant: Get off your high horse! If you want to see brutality in action just go to any slum in NYC, or DC or LA and there you'll find enough barbarians except they go to church and speak english. We all know the violence, and racism that festers in every western society, so fix your house and we'll fix ours, but don't lecture us about human rights, tolerance, etc since the west has lost all the moral high ground it once had!
. . .cancer that has metastasised in our social fabric, the way our society has slipped into intolerance and hatred for, the religious other, couldn’t be better explained. Great article! It is also important to identify the root cause which led to the society that we are today. The government of Pakistan encouraged ordinary citizens to express hate when they fill in a form may it be for ID cards, or passport or any other documentation. It is not a religious right to identify an individual as an imposter; all it does is breed mindless contempt and nothing else. Individuals have every right not to agree with the views presented by a certain claimant, but there is no use getting people to declare him an imposter. This is the breeding ground of despicable hatred demonstrated in Pakistan. In the month of August, Hindu families were driven out, shias shot dead, Christian minor booked for blasphemy and the continual persecution of Ahmadis. Please remove the burden from the people of Pakistan to declare an individual as an imposter; this is not how societies grow. This cant be Islam.
I don't see any of this happening. Unless you recognize the hateful ideology that Pakistan was based on and taught in schools, these measures will only offer a temporary reprieve.
I second the guy above who said "Wishful thinking".
Article is good but please don't use insulting words. People might take an offense.
'the strategy of dislocation requires social and religious pressure. Some Sunni Muslim passengers, if reports are correct, got killed because they tried to dissuade these sectarian criminals from executing their dastardly agenda. If this is correct, these average Pakistanis deserve the highest gallantry awards. They are this nation’s heroes. They instil hope"
Yes. So do it. Don't wait for the State, the imam, the Institute, or somebody else to act, Mr. Haider. Find a way to publicly honor such men yourself - hopefully with a group of friends, but all by yourself if you can't manage that.
Start small, but make a start.
It is clear to those of us in the world outside Pakistan that such unhindered atrocious, barbaric treatment of minorities can only mean that the majority are themselves barbaric, and approve such treatment. What you are asking for is that the Pakistani people be different from what they are. We would all wish that; but pretending that this is a problem of a vicious minority will not, in fact, change the vicious majority.
@Noor Nabi: I don't condone his murder! But I also didn't like the idea of someone with Taseer's moral credentials to starting dissing a law which, clearly, meant a lot to a large segment of the society! Instead of focusing on the law, fix the way it is implemented!
@Faraz: You know as well as I Taseer was very close to Zardari. Taseer also very deliberately and openly flaunted his western & "liberal" lifestyle. It doesn't suit a person with these kind of moral credentials to touch such a sensitive subject. Also who gave him the authority to talk about changing any law? He was not an elected but an appointed government servant, as you pointed out, so what right he had? Change in the legislature is part of the elected officials!
He should have remembered that he was governor of Punjab not Pennsylvania. He lived in Pakistan not the U.S. and here you don't offend the public by blasting blasphamy or sharia law that most Pakistanis think is here to "protect" Islam! This is the view of the MAJORITY of your country men, go outside ask the people what they think, and you'll know the opinion of the majority!
Zia didn't introduce this law because he was some saint but he did it to keep the public HAPPY!
@Faraz: "By that definition, he was amply within his rights to advocate abrogation of a rather foolish and malevolent legislation which has no grounding in religion or morality." Sadly, he was not even asking for abrogation. All he was asking was to strengthen the controls around implementation to prevent abuse of the law. This is what allowed Meher Bokhari to paint him as a blasphemer himself. I wonder what people are going to say about HAfiz Ashrafi who has also asked for the exact same thing i.e implement controls that would prevent abuse of the law? Sherry Rehman who had moved a private member bill seeking some changes to the existing law. Most specifically -Mens Rea - i.e. the intent to denigrate Islam (the doctor who was accused of blasphemy because he threw the visting card of a medical rep into trash can and the rep's name was Mohammed) would be out of the blasphemy net, if such a change was implemented as would young Rimsha who burnt Noorani Qaida that she found in a garbage heap. - Punishment of anyone who deliberately brings a suit of blasphemy against osmeone with malafide intent.
And poor Sherry not only received enough death threats to subject her to virtual house arrest but for quite a period became persona nongrate within PPP. In other words, any attempt to bring legislative sanity on this cruel act wee also thwarted.
@WB: He was a GOVERNOR. Governors are APPOINTED. They are NOT elected. Capisce? Governors represent the sagacity, will and the power of the federal government. By that definition, he was amply within his rights to advocate abrogation of a rather foolish and malevolent legislation which has no grounding in religion or morality. Anybody (read you) justifying his dastardly murder is an accomplice or worse.
Welcome back Ejaz Sahib, well said. You correctly identify the social pressure aspect but what of the apologists? Those who wish to obfuscate all acts of terrorism with whats happening across the western borders thus diluting the negative public response. Sectarian murders in Pakistan especially of Shia sect took a nasty turn in the eighties thanks to our misplaced policies in Afghanistan and playing rent a country by Americans and then Saudies who bank rolled all extremists and waged a proxy war with Iran on Pakistani territory. Yet we are told and expected to believe that all our problems will go away once the Americans leave Afghanistan and Taliban regain control. Absolutely deluded expectation, these are the same people who are responsible for killing shia's and harboring those responsible for carrying out such dastardly acts of terrorism.
@WB:
In a free society everyone has a right to express her/his opinion. This applies to Salman Taseer as much as it does to you and me. This "holier than thou" attitude is the root cause of all problems. Pakistan is not Saudi Arabia. Salman's ruthless murder cannot be condoned under any circumstances. You do, however, have a right to disagree with him or anybody else.
@Palu: "Just let him bring on a nationalistic shade and see how this entire page will explode of his suspect credentials and closet establishment-arianism. It is about time we got some new readers. Don’t get me wrong, Ejaz was always rational, credible and a realist. Except that we are just not willing to accept the fact that there can be a specie called a Liberal Nationalist".
I am one of the people that has disagreed with Ejaz in the past and agree with him today. Whether he is a closet establishmentarian or not is irrelevant. It is the content of his argument that is relevant.
Also when you say that people like me refuse to believe in a Species like "Liberal Nationalist", I am unclear what you mean. When did I or people like me say that liberals are anti-national? Why then would we have a problem with the formulation of Liberal Nationalist?
I would imagine that unless there is actual evidence, one should assume that every individual across the ideological spectrum is patriotic and is advocating what they feel is in the best interest of the country. WE can disagree with someone's ideas without questioning their patriotism surely?
@lala Gee I know that our opinions differ when it comes to India and specifically Kashmir. Since you are a patriotic Pakistani and I a patriotic Indian, this is possible. But in the past I have tended to agree with your social formulations within Pakistan. Specifically, I have seen you advocating secularism and equal rights for all Pakistani citizens. I am surprised to see the link you have attached which seems to imply that any non-Muslim Pakistani cannot be patriotic. What has prompted the turnaround in your thought process on this issue?
@WB
Governors have the authority to dismiss state governments, although they are not supposed to use it unless absolutely necessary. You are talking about a biased law. Not just a governor, you a common citizen can question anything in the law. You can campaign for changing it, organize people to elect leaders who can change it etc. The only thing which is not allowed is to choose the violent way out.
CT and social pressure to counter terrorism. But leave the constitution that legitimizes outright discrimination against non-Muslims and Ahmadis survive. Mosques that preach hatred against "others" should be left alone. Terrorism that causes physical harm is bad, but laws and attitudes that nurture terrorism should be left intact.
Intolerance will rip off this unstable country.
Ejaz - Couldn't have agreed with you more. We badly need a tightly integrated national strategy against terrorism that requires bringing all hands on deck from domains of military, police & law enforcement, religious clergy, politicians, academics, media folks, and social opinion makers.
Kashmir is the biggest issue. We need to solve that first. Once Kashmir is solved Taliban and LeT can be Put under rehab program.
There is only one solution for this madness. Declare Pakistan as a secular state & and treat all citizens as equals. Religion should be strictly a personal matter nothing to do with the state.
Plenty of big words, sadly none of them of any relevance when it comes to Pakistanis, as they are too deep in yheir own cocoons to see the reality facing them !
Too many moderate and secular people have been killed at the hands of these fanatic extremist terrorists. Most of the victims have been Shia, minorities, defenseless citizens, ANP and PPP leaders and nationalists. Not only Taseer was brutally killed but his son has been kidnapped and nobody even talks about it. Bhatti was murdered despite his early warnings about attempts on his life. In all these killings and afterwards the attitude of rightwing and religious parties have been shameful silences. There is a tacit approval of such actions by the like of Punjab law minister Rana Sana. It is an open secret that PTI and particularly PML-N have close relations with Wahabi extremists. Unless these terrorists have support from the rightwing parties nothing can control them. It is time the public should demand these parties to come out and prove it to the countrymen where do they stand, with the silent majority or the terrorists?
Ejaz to us in this avatar, critical of any theological effort to dominate the rest, appears rational, logical and liberal. Just let him bring on a nationalistic shade and see how this entire page will explode of his suspect credentials and closet establishment-arianism.
It is about time we got some new readers.
Don't get me wrong, Ejaz was always rational, credible and a realist. Except that we are just not willing to accept the fact that there can be a specie called a Liberal Nationalist. It is time we opened the windows and doors to some fresh air on how we tend to let the rotten sterotype rule our conception.
Seconding gp65, this is one of the few opinion pieces by Mr. Haider that I agree with completely. In addition to all of the measures outlined here, and (frustratingly) before all of them have even a chance of happening - Pakistan needs a great leader who is strong, fair and most importantly secular. Before you think Imran Khan - No. He is not the guy. Leadership is very important in such situations because people need to be TOLD what to do - when they have to marshal in a concerted manner. Who is this leader? I safely take the excuse of letting the people of Pakistan determine that. But frankly, I do not know.
Correctly stated and the solutions are reasonable.
To achieve the objectives political parties must come together and agree on objectives and the parliament might even have to pass new laws of temporary measures to restrain the hooligans and enforce the law.
However, the solutions suggested require a strong government and economy which is unlikely to happen in PAK for sometime.
Ironically, the solutions are achievable in military governance in PAK.
The solution should also include introspective analysis of how PAK ended up at this cross road. Surely, TTP is not the only problem.
@Author:
You need to read the story of "Eli Cohen" to know how these terror networks are setup and work and who might be the mastermind behind all these carnages (need to replace country with the appropriate one).
Mr. Ejaz Haider,
I did not expect you to lament the migration of 100 Hindu families, to escape persecution.
Perhaps you even celebrated it quietly, like most Pakistanis did. Getting closer to a purer society, eh?
Such a big news does not figure in your list of tragedies of the last 3 weeks. Nice.
"It’s the Shia killings and the persecution of minorities — a hateful term —"
Wait, are you saying "minorities" is a hateful term?
@Author
TTP kare tau bolo terrorism; LeT kare tau Gazwa-e-Hind? Right?
Are you trying to saythat LeT members have no connections with Al Qaida and Sipaha-Saheba/Lashkar e Jhangvi type outfits just as you mentioned TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi members have dual membership with Al Qaida?
Are you in favor of NOT repealing Anti-Blashphemy law?
"They must be dealt with through the police where and when necessary, and the use of police power must be complemented by social ostracisation. " Why is Minister without portfolio Mr. Malik not responding to the situation of the young girl? She should be immediately released. Author with access to corridor of power should recommend to the key stakeholders that its about time Blasphemy law either repealed or at bare minimum applied only in rare of rarest cases and never on children. Lot of people in west use Bible paper for making cigarette due to high quality of paper and no one gets charged. Why the religion of majority needs protection and religion of minority (Ahmadi) is banned? It is high time Pakistani should lower their daily dose of religion in exchange of high dose of education and economic activity. After all at end of the day it is still the economy stupid.
One of the few OpEDs from Mr. Haider that I can agree with completely.
A lot of heinous actions are justified by the clarion call of Islam khatre mein hai. But it is not Islam, it is Pakistan which is in danger if the cancer of intolerance continues to grow.
"The persecution of non-Muslim Pakistanis is another big problem because it is done by mobs that comprise average Pakistanis, people who otherwise go about the daily business of life". - Would not happen without the tacit approval and apathy of powers (civilian, judicial as well as military). Cancer has spread from the "average" to "not so average" Pakistanis! Denial is no solution.
could religion be the cause of this mess?
Ijaz Haider, "Finally, analysts should not just lament; lamentation doesn’t make policy. They must come up with solutions. This is a fight that needs passion for sustenance but a cool head for thinking and execution." Root of all evils is constitution's ammendments which not only encourage mullah mind to exploit religion but this constitution stands firm behind these crimminals act.For example had there been no blasphemy law we had not seen the whole tamasha of Rimsha. Unless constitution remains intact such incidents will continue to occur.What hinders the nation to do away with such anti human ammedments-Change the constitution today before constitution changes the geo-graphy of this land. Regards.
Wishful thinking
Logical and forceful. Well done.
Evil triumphs when the good remain silent.
Salman Taseer came up with a solution i.e., to abrogate the kala kanoon. You know what happened to him. And none of the stalwarts of freedom and liberty had the courage to even attend his funeral prayers.