Daily Times

Pakistan is a country where the rule of law and constitutional norms are applied in an abysmal manner when it comes to commoners, especially if they belong to minority groups. Whether it’s the matter of forced conversions or targeted killings, minorities bear the worst kind of brunt and live in absolute fear in their own homeland.

Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 11th August 1947 speech and the inclusion of the colour white in the national flag were all about providing equal treatment to religious minorities whether they are Christians, Hindus or Ahmadis.

Recent incidents show that the state has failed in its responsibilities to protect them. First and foremost, the brutal killing of two Ahmadi doctors in Islamabad is an ominous sign for the safety of the Ahmadi community.

Though, as per reports, the case is about land grabbing, a possibility of hate-crime cannot be ruled out given the state of affairs pertaining to persecution of minorities in the country.

Ahmadis are sadly considered children of a lesser god since the inclusion of the second constitutional amendment in September 1974.

The hypocrisy runs deep within our ranks since we often talk about rights for Muslims in the West but at the same time, there’s a deep-rooted hate for religious minorities. Perhaps, some people have no right to talk about Islamophobia when all they do is look towards the other way when it comes to protecting those who do not belong to the same religious community.

Another recent incident involving the abduction and forced conversion of a married Christian woman in Islamabad is horrifying, to say the least.

On what grounds are such dastardly acts committed in the name of religion? Islam never preaches such heinous acts since it’s about compassion and love for all.

It’s most likely linked to a linear and narrow-minded approach adopted by some of the scholars who consider themselves ‘supreme authority’.

May they be reminded that during the days of the Ottoman Empire, the imam of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul was required to have knowledge of not only the Quran but also the Torah and the Bible. He was also required to have command over Latin, Arabic, Turkish and Persian.

Maybe the time has for deep introspection for some of the modern scholars in Pakistan who need to learn a lot from the Ottomans, and promote religious cohesion and harmony amongst everyone residing in the country. *

Published in Daily Times, March 20^th 2019.