The Pakistani Spectator

In the central Punjab, where most oppressive and sizzling heat can turn any man exhausted as electricity in the small mud houses is a rare commodity due to worst energy crisis. In this most populous but fertile and dusty area poverty, harsh environments, unbearable demographic, weight, unemployment, high inflation rate and high rate of corruption has left every human being to crawl for earning his livelihood than indulging in any frictional activity. The most dominant feature of the local culture is personal feuds – a typical feature in low income regions, where earning livelihood pose a major challenge. The Warriach, a sub-caste of Jats enjoy upper hand due to their lucrative transport business and show off their power in the local politics. There are many small groups who wield their influence, as pressure groups, always talk about one group’s tussle with another over petty issues. The religious elements are accounted for their tiny presence but carry no or very little say in the social set-up. There might be some extremist elements, but during the past there was no such mention about religious vendetta or fanaticism.

Christians make almost 1.58% of predominantly 96 per cent Muslim population of 160 million Pakistanis. The two communities live peacefully since centuries. There is seldom any such outbreak of hostilities, although these minorities keep registering their sentiments against the blasphemy act. By and large the Christian community takes more pride by virtue of some of their better educational institutions and philanthropic job done by some of benefactors/international donors. One seldom complains about any atrocity committed by the local Mafia or Jihadis or other religious seminaries. Yet some of the elements of these minorities ventilate their feelings against the Blasphemy act as a sword of intimidation hovering over their heads.

According to the reports, at least nine people were killed in an armed clash between Christian and Muslim residents of Village Korian, near a Tehsil headquarter Gojra of district Toba Tek Singh on August 1, 2009.  According to one of the local daily’s report, this attack was premeditated as the bottles thrown at the houses belonging to minority even melted the girders of many houses - giving clear indication that some dubious elements mixed into the mob that used such incendiary material. Similarly a fact finding mission of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) have also learnt through its sources that announcements made from the mosques urging Muslims to gather and make a mincemeat of Christian deserve thorough grilling. One may object to the claims that attackers appeared trained for rioting and a number of attackers belonged to the banned Siphah-e-Sahaba.

Once again Pakistan is perhaps juggling with a hydra-headed problem, which if let open would prove a boiling pot of troubles. District Police Chief Inkisar Khan said to have registered a case under section 295 of Pakistan Penal Code against Mukhtar Maseeh without any arrest.  On August 1, 2009 a number of youth who had their faces covered with veils set ablaze some 40 house while shouting anti-Christian slogans. There are reports which appear over-blown that people stood aside when the rampage was going on and all the begging and imploring by the local resident failed to attract any response from the law enforcing agencies.

According to unconfirmed sources clash triggered when some of the youths while rejoicing a music band showered currency notes over the bride groom during a wedding ceremony where torn-out pieces of Holy Qur’an were also found. This appears a deliberate mischief on the part of some miscreant who did it to create doubts and brew agitation. The ceremony was watched over by the neighbors and passerby who objected to it as immoral or unworthy practice, out of his misperception not knowing how and what actually happened. On their admonition to respect religious sentiments, the exchange of hot words between the two religious entities took an ugly turn. The subsequent events are result of arbitrary decisions taken by some of the mediators who acted out of their desire to extinguish the flames but a number of miscreants who infiltrated into their folds, spread different rumors to add fuel to the fire to ignite inferno to the incendiary sentiments.

We have a culture of presenting the picture to our readers, riddled with lacunae in the larger national interest but sometime wounds keep on simmering or festering till core issues are properly addressed or real symptoms are healed properly. Every time such incident takes place. Muslim majority has to sacrifice their personal ego, to pacify the Christian brothers. Such a strategy is wise move as a slight deviation from the same outlook may prove a costly illusion. Small things once moving out of control may cause big waves. As one of the adages says `you cannot direct the wind but you can adjust your sails’. Evidence creates weight and the weight of evidence demands judgment. Doubt is the classical weapon of both spies and foreign diplomats, and our Indian counterparts spare no such chance to exploit such opportunities. By all moral standards the situation demands to weed out violence and plant smiles to shed away mistrust and cultivate goodwill.

In practical life, people have sympathies with the Christian, they are treated with respect, their voice is given due consideration and they are accommodated at all costs vis-à-vis Muslim majority but fifth columnists keep on fanning some of the controversial issues, time and again to sow the seeds of anti-Muslim feelings. The best that every Pakistani should do is to sacrifice his selfish ego for collective welfare and play his role to ensure safety and peace in the country.

The blasphemy act prohibits anybody to use derogatory language against Holy Prophet or the holy book of Qur’an, which if violated, would turn anybody culpable to be tried under admissible laws and anybody found guilty may be awarded capital punishment. Yet there is tendency of making a mountain out of molehill. Generally Christian leaders often   claim that Muslim clerics use this blasphemy act to settle their personal scores and rivalries. The fact remains that Christians have neither qualms nor fulminations against their Muslim brothers in any village or locality. One may travel from one corner of the country to the opposite extreme end to ascertain the veracity of this statement that no body would talk against the Christians. Pakistan is not Orrisa or Bihar where discrimination has literally paralyzed the minorities. The Christian minority enjoys mutual respect and equal share in the administrative set-up. Still, reports about the occurrence of incidents in cities like Kasur, Rahim Yar Khan, Shanti Nagar, Bahawalpur, Murree, Taxila, Sangla Hill and Sukkur deserve a thorough probe to absolve Pakistan of any stigma of any such HR violations.