Pakistan, being a nuclear state is expected to have writ of law and the constitution enforced across the length and breadth of the country, whose citizens have a right to exercise dissent, and protest in a civilized manner prescribed by law. The right to protest is guaranteed by the constitution, but not the right by mobs to kill and destroy state and private property. Nowhere in the world is this allowed or tolerated.
Pakistan is a Muslim majority state, which was created through a political and constitutional struggle led by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He elaborated that Pakistan would be a modern democratic welfare state with a constitution as the supreme law. The Quaid made it clear that all citizens were equal before the law and would enjoy fundamental rights, irrespective of their differences. The state is not responsible for determining any citizen’s piousness or belief in Islam, nor who is Sadiq and Ameen because that is the sole jurisdiction of Almighty.
Unfortunately, after Quaid’s death, democracy was derailed, the constituent assembly was dismissed, and Jinnah’s modern democratic welfare state was replaced by a security state. The British Raj policy of divide and rule was adopted by dictators to prevent any united struggle to restore Jinnah’s vision. Religion was exploited and politicians of integrity banned under EBDO were replaced by opportunists and religio-political parties promoting sectarian divide. Extremism and political intolerance were patronised, and state sovereignty was compromised to fight proxy wars. Seminaries that were once devoted to religious studies became the tools to brainwash young males to fight proxy wars.
What this country has witnessed recently is a ferocious blood bath perpetrated by brainwashed zealots unleashed on the streets and roads, blocking the main GT road for almost two weeks by few within this country, devoid of any political vision, who since its creation are bent upon derailing and demolishing the vision of Father of Nation Quaid-e-Azam MAJ. The Writ of State was allowed to be humbled by few thousands, few of them armed with Kalashnikovs, accompanied by mobile cranes capable of demolishing concrete structures. All this unfortunately in the name of a religion that forbids resort to violence.
Instead of some remorse, an arrogant Mufti is empowered to belittle and abuse federal ministers and all citizens who believe in Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state, whose citizens enjoy equal rights, and the writ of law to prevail over the whims of few. Those who dare to stand up and protest or demand that Jinnah’s Pakistan be restored are branded as “Liberals”, a term normally having a positive meaning, but reduced to almost the status of an abuse.
Our enemies don’t need to spend billions to inflict harm and project this country as a state under siege by militants and extremists. What if they exploit religion, brainwash few and adopt tools so often resorted to by those involved in political engineering maneuvers?
Malik Tariq
Lahore
