Pakistan: Turkey-Like Reforms Needed
By
Tauseef Ahmad Khan, Tr. New Age Islam
12 March
2024
Lynching
For Blasphemy Is Common In Pakistan
Main
Points:
1. Mishal Khan
was lynched in Wali Khan University for alleged blasphemy.
2. Rashid Khan,
a human rights activist was killed for alleged blasphemy.
3. A woman
accused of blasphemy in Lahore market was saved by a lady police officer.
4. A Sri Lankan
Hindu factory manager was lynched for alleged blasphemy.
------
(Screengrab)
-----
The
innocent woman was forced to apologise.
If the ASP,
Ichhra Bazar police station in Lahore had not acted courageously, not only the
woman but his entire family would have been ruined. The woman who had gone to
Ichhra Bazar had worn a shirt that had the Arabic word "Halwa"
printed on it. Halwa in Arabic means love.
The
religious extremists unfamiliar with Arabic language surrounded her and accused
her of blasphemy against the Quran. Some shopkeepers of Ichhra Bazar tried to
convince the crowd that the shirt had no blasphemous word on it. But the crowd
refused to see reason and was bent on violence. Someone informed the police.
The police arrived soon. Later ASP, Shaher Bano arrived there and rescued the
woman. In the police station, a video was recorded in which the woman is seen
apologising for the act she never committed. That brand of shirt is widely sold
in the markets of the Middle East.
Maulana
Tahir Ashrafi and some other religious leaders indeed condemned the incident
but the leaders of prominent religious organisations remained silent.
A few years
ago, a Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumar who worked as a manager in a factory
manufacturing sports goods was lynched by the employees. He was a sincere and
disciplined man. He exhorted the employees to come on time and work according
to the rules. Some employees were not happy with his strictness and planned to
teach him a lesson. They accused Priyantha Kumar of blasphemy and lynched him.
The killing of the Sri Lankan citizen caused worldwide condemnation and embarrassment
to Pakistan and threatened the export of sports goods of Pakistan. Therefore,
the Pakistan government got them arrested and convicted. Thus the export goods
industry averted a crisis.
People
still remember the lynching of Mishal Khan in Wali Khan University of Mardan.
The lynching evoked countrywide condemnation. The police arrested dozens of
students and non-teaching staff. They were booked under terrorism laws.
Mishal
Khan's father was a brave man. He tried his best to get the guilty punishes but
the police adopted a lackadaisical approach to the case and made mistakes in
investigation that benefited the accused. Some accused were lightly punished
while others were acquitted. Radical organisations tried to save these people.
The human
rights organisation of Pakistan, HRCP co-ordinator Advocate Rashid Rahman was
shot dead by Kalashnikov wielding men in 2014 because he was fighting a
teacher's case.
A few
months ago, an angry mob destroyed houses and churches of Christians of
Jaranwala in Pakistan. A miscreant had spread the rumour of desecration of the
Quran and instigated the mob. Later, the rumour was proved to be false. Now in
Karachi, places of worship of other religions are regularly attacked in a
planned way. Such incidents became recurrent during Gen. Zia's regime.
Statistics
available since 1990 show that most of the killings occur in Punjab. Religious
extremism was spread in a planned way and the mind of the youth was
radicalised. The political class has played an important role in strengthening
religious extremists. Religious extremism was used as a tool that weakened
democracy. The members of the minority community, People's Party and members of
the civil society became targets. Muslim League (N) was also a target. In 2018,
some elements misinterpreted election laws and launched a campaign against the
Muslim League government. Someone hurled a shoe at Mian Nawaz Sharif at Madrasa
Jamia Nayimia. A Muslim League leader was attacked but survived.
Religious
extremism has not only besmeared Pakistan's image but also divided the society.
Recently, a vilification campaign was unleashed on social media against the
Chief Justice of Pakistan Faiz Isa for one of his judgements. The main aim of
the campaign was to bring the judiciary under pressure and obstruct the
judicial process.
Now that a
new government has been formed, it has become imperative to form policies for
eliminating religious extremism and to effectively implement those policies.
Those spreading
religious extremism should be dealt with an iron hand. Secondly, reforms should
be introduced in madrasas to bring about changes in the mindset of students
.The syllabi of educational institutions should be reformed and the proper
training of teachers should be ensured. Laws to prevent the spread of extremist
ideas on social media are also the need of the hour. Scholars of history are of
the opinion that Pakistan needs a leader like Turkey's Kamal Ataturk to bring
about radical reforms in the country.
-----
Courtesy:
Express News, Pakistan
URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/pakistan-turkey-reforms/d/131898
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism