Terrorism

Friday, November 23, 2012 

From Print Edition (The News)

The tragic terrorist attacks in Quetta, Karachi and Rawalpindi (November 21) are fresh wounds on the body of our weak and fragile society. These are also a gory proof of the destructive potential of human beings. Wars based on ideas, interests, hatred and animosity are not new, but their intensity and frequency – thanks to lethal weapons and technology, which have been used by the haters and fear mongers with impunity, leaving scars on the soul of humanity – has increased exponentially over the past decades. Humanity is the casualty whenever and wherever the bodies of human beings explode into pieces by bombs, missiles or bullets. These incidents of violence are not just a cause of grief and anger today; they are also fully capable of keeping our future enchained in hatred and mistrust.

Pakistan came into being because the people of the Indian Subcontinent wanted a safer and secure piece of land, where they would be able to practise their faith in a protected and dignified manner. Or, that is what we have been taught. What is happening, on the contrary, is that hundreds of lives are being lost, specifically during religious ceremonies and rituals. Mosques, imambargahs and shrines are routinely being bombed and thousands of people, of all sects and segments of society, have died. Surely, this was not the destiny that the makers and dreamers of Pakistan had imagined. Our state and society has gone wrong on more than one front and the poor citizens are paying for it with their lives and limbs.

This state of affairs needs to be questioned at all levels and rectified through short- and long-term measures. At the social level, this can be achieved by driving society towards appreciation of pluralism, where differences are celebrated as strength. At the same time, the governance mechanism needs to be revamped and modernised to ensure that criminals are apprehended and tried. This cannot be possible without a robust judiciary and a responsible media. The state and society share the onus for deterioration of law and order alike. The solutions will also have to be crafted together. The journey is long and painful, but we do not have any other choice.

Noor Muhammad
Islamabad