Daily Times

The Sialkot lynching from a few days ago is such a deep and ugly stain that it will never completely wash off this nation’s conscience, and rightly so. But it is heartening, if such a term can be used at such a time, to see the government spring into action in the manner it is supposed to. The will to identify and punish all culprits is clearly visible, as is the prime minister’s resolve to address this matter in the right spirit. Now, with practically the entire world’s focus on the follow up to the grizzly murder, it is going to be important to speed up the process of arresting all individuals identified on video footage of the incident so the law can then take its course.

The Pakistani government, and the people, must realise that this episode will have more than just legal and moral consequences. It is going to cast Pakistan in a very bad light politically and diplomatically, it is going to deliver the kiss of death to our hopes of kindling foreign investment, tourism, etc, and it will do our chances at forums like FATF and with issues like GSP-plus no good whatsoever. And the fact that it has come at that awkward time when the prime minister of the country is making the case against Islamophobia across the world will do his own reputation much harm as well.

Yet, if the government really wants to get a handle on this issue, it will have to do more than ensure strict implementation of the law in just this one case. It will, rather, need to have the conviction to do something about religious extremism in society as a whole. And in this regard, it is definitely heartening to note that senior government ministers, especially Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary, have already spoken of the need to confront extremism and ensure the writ of the state. It is this bigger challenge that will be the real litmus test of the government’s resolve. *