Lessons and the law

Police in Lahore arrested and charged the owner, principal and a teacher of an institute for blasphemy on October 31.

Signs that the whole blasphemy issue remains out of control continue to come in. The latest incident demonstrating this came at one of the branches of a well-established high school in Lahore where, on October 31, the police arrested the owner and principal of the institute, as well as a teacher, under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with blasphemy. The action came after a day of mob attacks on the school by parents and activists of religious parties, following a complaint by the vice-principal of a religious school that is located in the same area. The school, one which has earned honours at the board level, has remained closed for the past two days.

As is almost inevitably the case in blasphemy accusations of this nature, the reports coming in of precisely what happened are a little muddled. Some speak of remarks written by a teacher on the answer to a question submitted by a sixth grade student, regarding an assignment on Eidul Azha. Other accounts state that notes handed out by a teacher were blasphemous. There has been talk of rivalry against the school and also of a teacher about to be fired taking revenge. The people who gathered outside the school, including parents and students, in many cases, seemed confused about what they were protesting against and why, with some talking of high fees or stating that the owner was a “bad man”.

We have seen far too many incidents of such nature. The whole blasphemy debate needs to be addressed in an appropriate, rational manner. Things have clearly gone too far. An accusation of blasphemy has become the perfect way to settle scores and this has happened again and again. As a result of such actions, persons guilty of no crime at all remain in jail. Fear and misinformation complicate the situation. We need to act before things get any worse — and this action must come now. The long silence from the government only encourages irrational acts — such as those seen at the high school — and inflicts terrible misery on people.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2012.