Pakistan’s human cockroaches

To use the lynching incident to conclude that the entire country is worthy of shame is an over-reaction.

LONDON: This is with reference to Fasi Zaka’s article ‘Pakistan’s human cockroaches’ (August 24). What happened in Sialkot is without question barbaric and worthy of shame. However to use that to conclude that the entire country is worthy of shame and deserving of visa restrictions, etc. is an over-reaction. In the same country, there are also those who have very humane qualities, and at the same time, there are others outside of Pakistan who are guilty of all sorts of crimes, including police brutality in public view.

At the end of the day, there are good and bad people everywhere. It is not particularly helpful to tar the whole country with the same brush just because we are angry about a very horrific case in our midst. It is perhaps more appropriate to ensure justice is served in this case, and served in a manner so as to be a warning to others.

Ayesha Ijaz Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2010.