It quite amazes me when I read in the papers or see on TV people saying that religious extremism has come from outside and that we have nothing to do with it. I am not a keen follower of history but I do have an understanding of what has been happening since Partition.
Take a look at the Jamaat-e-Islami which after Pakistan’s creation started saying in the 1950s that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and that the latter should the state religion. Their ideology eventually led to attacks on minorities and when that happened we stood by quietly and said and did nothing. Anyone who doubts what I am saying should try and get hold of newspapers from the 1950s or read Justice Munir’s report of the attacks and riots of that time.
Over the years, these elements became emboldened — because the silent majority said and did nothing — and eventually took upon themselves to be the interpreters and custodians of public morality and religion. And again we remained quiet. As time passed these so-called religious parties became political powers and even a strong political leader like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto could not say no to their demands and we know what he did. And again the nation remained quiet.
In 1979 when Bhutto’s government was toppled by General Zia these religious-cum-political parties of Pakistan immediately switched sides (rather they initiated the martial law by convincing Zia that he would be Ameerul Momineen). Gen Zia used these parties to bluff the nation for 11 years and the war against the Soviets was a great opportunity for him to use these parties in the service of so-called jihad. And still the nation remained quiet.
This brief backgrounder is necessary to understand what is happening to Pakistan now. Everything that happened in the past was not imposed over Pakistan rather it was done by us. There is not a single instance in our history where after someone from the minorities was burnt, murdered or assaulted, ordinary citizens stood up and protested and demanded that the government should punish the culprits. On the contrary, parliament itself on several occasions has assisted these extremists through constitutional amendments and presidential ordinances, and no political party came out in the street to tell the nation of the consequences of such intolerant deeds.
These were seeds we sowed with our own hands; we nourished these seeds with utmost care. And now we reap their harvest. By now we should know who our real enemies are. I can only hope that we break our silence now.
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