I hate to say it but although Salmaan Taseer’s murder may have shocked many people, it was not unexpected
CARMEL, IN, US: I hate to say it but although Salmaan Taseer’s murder may have shocked many people, keeping in view the recent tide of religious fanaticism in Pakistan, it was not unexpected. Except for one election, religious parties have not received a sizeable vote in the National Assembly. Both the PPP and the PML-N are mainstream parties and quite different, at least in their ideology from the religious parties and groups.
It seems that the only way to change the course in Pakistan, which at the moment seems close to impossible, is to let democratic institutions take hold, end the war in Afghanistan, strengthen economic, political and social relations with neighboring countries especially India and Afghanistan, check the onslaught of a particularly intolerant and retrogressive interpretation of our faith, focus on education, create jobs and enforce the law. If any of these things is not done, the situation will not get better.
Asim Syed
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2011.
