BLOOMINGTON NORMAL, ILLINOIS, USA: The brutal targeted attack on Malala Yousufzai, like the planned targeted killings of Karachi, is a criminal act on the part of a criminal group to exert political influence through threats, intimidation and killings. It is the ultimate price that we are paying today, for allowing a culture of violence to nourish in this country and treading off the path of a democratic, welfare state, visualised by the Quaid-e-Azam and trampled upon by military adventurers and political opportunists, who were driven by greed for power and money. In this turf war, the Taliban have exploited religion, when no faith, including Islam, allows the killing of innocent, unarmed human beings. This cowardly act by those who claim to be Muslims, but have acted more like vultures, aims at bringing into disrepute our faith.
The Pakistani state and establishment are responsible for allowing and tolerating violence to be used as a tool to exert political influence, by their failure to capture these criminals and prosecute them effectively. Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan allow every individual to lead their life according to their free will in accordance with the laws of the land, answerable to none but the Almighty alone for their personal acts and deeds.
There are several Hadiths of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), which recount that even in times of war, violence against unarmed women, children and men is forbidden. The right to take life is only allowed as a punishment for murderers through a legally appointed judicial process. We need to punish murderers, criminals, extortionists and kidnappers for their crimes without any discrimination or favour, irrespective of their political affiliations.
The state and its resources must be utilised to protect lives and properties of citizens, otherwise anarchy will prevail. The cancer of corruption, which afflicts Pakistan today, facilitates the spread of weapons and crimes against innocent citizens, whom the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, political affiliation and the freedom to lead their lives within the confines of the law. The only remedy for all these ills is to strictly enforce the rule of law, with no immunity from accountability to be given to any group or individual.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2012.
