Ceding space to the extremists

PESHAWAR: This is with reference to recent reports which said that the case into the murder of Salmaan Taseer was being affected by delays because the lawyer chosen to prosecute the alleged killer had excused himself. Something like this is bound to happen because the government seems to be ceding space to the extremists when it should be doing just the opposite.

I can’t think of any reason other than the fact that the ruling party in particular and the government in general don’t seem to have the requisite political will that is needed to fight the extremist threat to the nation.

The problem is also partly the way children are raised in many segments of our society. For instance, many parents teach their children to respect/judge others not on the basis of human values but rather on what sect or faith they belong to.

Shahbaz Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2011.