Imran Khan believes that the Muslim countries in general, and Pakistan in particular, confront two major problems i.e., corruption and sex crimes against women and children. He took up the issue while speaking at an online dialogue with global Muslim scholars, under the purview of the National Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen Authority (NRAA). Imran Khan has gone back on his pre-election claims of putting an end to corruption in a few months after coming to power. He maintains now that while it might be possible to curb corruption at a limited level but not when it thrives in the lower ranks of bureaucracy. Similarly widespread sex crimes against women and children cannot be controlled by the government. PM Khan has finally concluded that society itself must fight sex crimes and corruption. This amounts to a confession that the PTI government is unable to put an end to what it considers to be the two major problems facing the country.
Religious scholars belonging to Muslim countries who spoke at the online dialogue took no notice of corruption as if this was not a matter of major concern. A scholar from the United Kingdom agreed that mobile phones and internet played a major role in disseminating obscene and pornographic material. He conceded however that internet was not something that could be regulated by individual nation states.
Every scholar presented a unique solution. The way out suggested by a UAE scholar was to raise the spiritual level of the youth so that they could attain ‘Sakinah’, which means peacefulness of mind. Another scholar advised guiding the youth through teachings of Islam that were authentic and pertained to the challenges they faced. A Turkish academic advised encouraging the youth to develop intellectual independence by following Sunnah. A prominent intellectual wanted Muslim countries that possessed tremendous resources to utilize these to revive and preserve their culture on the basis of faith. PM Khan concluded the discussion saying that such thought-provoking sessions would be held once a month or two months. Maulana Tariq Jamil’s motivational lecture to FBR officers had failed to produce the desired effect. Whether these lectures will make government officials follow a righteous path or reduce crimes against women and children remains to be seen.
