Daily Times

Systems with de facto second-class citizenry naturally violate human rights and all civil societies act to dismantle such systems. Though our country claims a democratic set up and has a nominal human rights agenda, the real issues are not tackled by design for the simple reason that the fear of a radical backlash has made successive governments timid. All the major political parties suffer from the disease of playing to the gallery and not providing leadership in matters that have serious implications for society. Whereas the PPP transformed itself into a movement on the basis of its liberal egalitarian agenda, it quickly lost its way. Realising that the leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) could not be either wrestled away or shared with Indira Gandhi — or Tito its founding leader who had aspirations higher than the horizon Pakistan offered — Pakistan succumbed to the mirage of the OIC leadership shown to it by the then Saudi monarch and killed the liberal agenda by starting the radicalisation process that has ever since only gained strength.

Although the Pakistan Muslim League as the successor of the All India Muslim League should have carried on with the ideology of Jinnah, the Great Quaid, it chose to become the mistress of tyrants and usurpers of power, and ended up being a party that never aspired to make the dreams of Jinnah come true. Thereby, it has also ended up as a party of opportunists and has never provided leadership on issues that mattered. The nation, therefore, lacks leadership in matters of human rights. While all faiths protect human rights, in this country these have become hostage to the interpretation of the mullah. While the political leaders are fully aware that there is a conflict of interest when a mullah gives an opinion on human rights since radicalisation is his agenda, yet they seek his guidance on the issue. Naturally, the advice from the clergy is biased and radicalism prospers. Consequently, except for one or maybe two, across the political divide are parties that offer nothing but lip service when it comes to tackling radicalisation though knowing that the radicals are prone to end up later as sympathisers and financers of terror outfits. Even when some outfits are banned due to external pressure, proactive vigilance is not exercised and the outfits continue to operate with new names while in some areas their continued activity with the original name has also been observed.

Their resolve against radicalism and its ablest prodigy terrorism is so weak that they have not even been able to update their laws according to the changed rules of the game. It is that low on their list of priorities. When it suited them, successive governments have been able to pass the17th, 18th, 19th and the 20th constitutional amendments passed in days but have been unable to move a leaf when it comes to revamping the anti-terror laws. Consequently, terrorists caught by the law enforcers who put their own lives at risk are able to walk free from the courts due to flawed evidence laws and lack of a proper witness protection system.

The government’s response to the attack on Malala is a perfect example of their lack of commitment to fight radicalism. The response has never gone beyond condemnation. Their attitude is submissive and actions toothless. Government’s offer of a job for her father at the High Commission in London is reflective of the attitude. They want her and her family to relocate and relieve the government of the responsibility of taking any bold decision. Rather than tackling the mindset of despair and gloom head on, they have chosen the easy way to consume time with the knowledge that the school her father managed will not function properly in his absence and the opportunity to women that the Taliban wanted withdrawn will ultimately cease to exist. They too see Malala as an irking problem. While the nation wanted a response proportionate to the level of the crimes of the Taliban, the government has acted timidly. The nation must therefore rise and make the political parties and government re-think it all.

It is time civil society wakes up and makes the public see through the conspiracy where all minority communities have been made a victim to gain political power and promote radicalism by the clergy, which sees theocracy as the only way to get dominance in a country whose people are democratic and moderate by nature. This is their revenge from the nation that united under Jinnah to create a country where all were supposed to live in peace and harmony and which all religious zealots had opposed. We, civil society, must act now to defeat their nefarious designs. We all owe this to our Quaid, Jinnah.

(Concluded)

The writer can be reached at thelogicalguy@yahoo.com