A new target

The scourge of bigotry and hate seems to be growing deeper and deeper roots in our country, reaching into areas that have as yet been left untouched. On August 28, in an attack in a remote area of Awaran district in Balochistan, unknown gunmen shot dead six people at a Zikri place of worship. At least seven others were injured in the attack.

The Zikris, based primarily in Balochistan, have rarely come under attack before. What happened in Awaran then suggests a new and more dangerous trend. The police say they are investigating the killings, but appear convinced they are linked to the growing extremism creeping over our country like an unhealthy layer of fungi. The place of worship that was attacked is said to be relatively small, but well known because it is visited by Zikris across the province. There have as yet been no claims of responsibility, but it is not hard to guess who is behind the mowing down of innocent persons practising their belief. Groups like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have been associated with attacks on minority sects in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan in the past. It is perhaps also not irrelevant that religious outfits had moved into Awaran, long a stronghold of Baloch nationalist forces following the earthquake that hit the region in September 2013. It is possible the influence has lingered on in the most dangerous form.

Militancy is a problem and we will need to deal with it on an urgent basis. It is simply destroying our country bit by bit, piece by piece — tearing communities apart. A two pronged strategy has to be developed for this. We must go after the extremist outfits and attempt to weaken and vanquish them. At the same time, hearts must also be won over by persuading people to see what dangers lie in the growth of hatred and how crucial it is that we develop a greater sense of harmony. This can best be done through the media and by using school curriculums as a means to reach into the minds of those who will form the future generation of a torn country.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2014.

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