The establishment of military courts is a hardline policy, which in the long term, will create peace and security
KARACHI: This is with reference to Hafiz Allama Tahir Ashrafi’s article, published in The Express Tribune on February 25. I would like to first correct his use of the adjective “sacrilegious”. As Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council in these extremely dark times, it would be prudent for him and other religious leaders to curb their enthusiasm and emotions. ‘Sacrilegious’ means ‘blasphemous’ which in Pakistan is akin to death. If Mr Ashrafi believes in the need to change the ideology of the nation, then he must first start with addressing the content of religious diatribes, especially those that appear in print.
The National Action Plan’s (NAP) 20-point agenda seeks to: 1) Execute convicted terrorists; 2) Counter hate speech and extremist material; 3) Register and regulate madrassas; 4) Dismantle communication networks of terrorist organisations. Nowhere does the NAP allude to ‘sacrilege’. As an educated and concerned Pakistani, I am particularly piqued by Mr Ashrafi’s inappropriate use of a word that has led to murders and disrespect of human rights.
Mr Ashrafi is wrong when he says that the security measures being taken in the aftermath of the December 16 attacks are not in the right direction. They are indeed in the right direction and the nation will be united. The registration and regulation of madrassas — in effect, the control of their syllabi — is the start of an internal policy, which in the long term will bear fruit. In the same vein, the establishment of military courts is a hardline policy, which in the long term, will create peace and security.
Saharish Qadri
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2015.
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