Government of Pakistan is requested to come up with strongest words of condemnation and offer all kinds of support.
LAHORE: This is apropos the article, “Boko Haram and the value of evil” by Asad Rahim Khan (May 13). The author has very courageously and fearlessly, by quoting from the Holy Quran, condemned the most heinous crime committed by a mentally sick group of extremists, the Boko Haram. Kidnapping more than 250 girls in the name of religion and calling them slaves — which religion of the word allows such brutal acts?
Not a single electronic media anchor in Pakistan — all of whom are very fond of shouting at the top of their voices on live television on the most trivial of issues — condemned this barbaric act against humanity. Not a single personality from our political leadership came forward to denounce this cruel episode.
Our civil society is another example of a silent spectator of this incident, a parallel of whose cowardice is impossible to find.
Our leadership, our men of letters, our advocates of humanity and our religious scholars seem to be unaware of the havoc that is being wreaked in the name of faith. Asad Rahim Khan has come out boldly to let the people of this land know what is happening outside Pakistan in the name of religion. The Nigerian girls are our daughters and sisters. The international community should join hands to bring back our girls safely and eliminate extremists like Boko Haram from the face of the Earth.
Also, it is time that the Pakistani nation joined hands to condemn this barbarous act, gather at the main square of every city, every nook and corner of the country and tell the world that we are a civilised and peace-loving society that will strongly condemn such barbaric acts.
The government of Pakistan is requested to come up with the strongest words of condemnation and offer all kinds of support to the government of Nigeria in apprehending the culprits while ensuring the safe recovery of our daughters. The only slogan on our lips these days should be “Bring back our girls!”
Aamir Aqil
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2014.
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