Media watch: Taliban and Sufism

Local media talk about the reasons revolving around the recent attack on the shrine in Karachi.

Media watch is a daily round-up of key articles featured on news websites, hand-picked by The Express Tribune web staff.

A dastardly attack

The TTP has evolved into a conglomerate that serves as a platform for a number of violent jihadi and virulently sectarian militant groups. As per the militants’ philosophy, attacking anything that falls within their definition of ‘unbelief’ is perfectly kosher: western targets, the Pakistan Army as well as security agencies and Shias top this list. Moderate Sunnis, specifically of the Barelvi persuasion, are recent additions to the list of ‘enemies’. In fact, anything that serves as a symbol of Islamic interpretations beyond the narrow confines of the extremist canon is a legitimate target. (dawn.com)

Attack on shrine

The decision to close all shrines in Karachi has been taken back but not before it had reflected the government's understandable nervousness. It is important that we do not give in to the terrorists and everything possible should be done to ensure that people can visit the shrines, as they have done for centuries, and without fear. These places are after all an important part of our tradition and culture; today they also represent a link with the life of tolerance we seem to be leaving behind. (thenews.com.pk)

Attacking the Ghazi of Karachi

Sufism is the single greatest threat to the Taliban and their ideology of violence and coercion. Sufism teaches tolerance and humanism, it is non-dogmatic, accommodative of all sects and religions and non-violent. The Sufis’ message of love transcends the material world and embraces universal brotherhood. In stark contrast, the Taliban use violence as the principal means to their goals and want to impose their strict interpretation of Islam on everyone by force and compulsion. (dailytimes.com.pk)

Attack on Karachi shrine

The problem is that there are so many cooks in the kitchen. Given that suicide-centred terrorism is a unique crime in terms of motivation and execution, its effective control is presently beyond the capacity of our law-enforcing agencies. Not only are they lacking proper training and equipment to cope with terrorism, the institutionalised approach to control and curb this much rife crime in Pakistan is also missing. (brecorder.com)