Condemning Religious Violence in Pakistan

-Swami Agnivesh

New Delhi, 21 March 2013

I strongly condemn the dastardly violence against the christians in Pakistan on the silly pretext of Blasphemy. Pakistan has become an increasingly hostile place for minorities, be they Christians or Hindus, or Shia or Ahmadia Muslims The recent attacks highlight the heightened state of vulnerability of all minorities. It also shows that the provincial or central authorities are unable or unwilling to protect minorities.

Countless individuals have lost their lives due to this barbaric anti blasphemous law 295(c) which was introduced under the British rule but strengthened during the administration of military dictator Gen. Zia ul- Haq. Although it is interesting to note that MA Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan was a Shia himself, the sectarian factions of the Sunni sect have been constantly using this demonic law and perpetrating violence against the minorities especially shias and Ahmadiyyas. The most high-profile individual to loose his life as a result of this fanaticism was none other than the Governor of Punjab-Salmaan Taseer. Mr. Taseer had supported reforming the laws and was shot dead in January, 2011 Two months later, the countries Minorities’ Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti was assassinated. Its high time that the rulers of Pakistan scrap these sectarian laws, failing which they must share the blame of orchestrating terror on the minorities.

While there are no recent instances of an anti-blasphemous sentence being carried out, the accusation of blasphemy alone leads to a spiral of violence- And cases are usually about something else, land or money or personal animosity, but where 295-C has been used as a means of assault. Thus at the time of partition, Pakistan had a healthy 23% minority population which now faced with such abominable laws and mentalities has dwindled to less than 3%

The state of Pakistan must do away with such sectarian laws and propagate the Quranic ideals of equality for all and religious tolerance. The holy book instructs to its believers in IV;135-“O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witness for God, even though it be against yourselves or your parents or your kindred………….” It is astonishingly painful to realize how the followers of this holy book indulge in such horrendous sectarian terror and violence in the name of purification.

The International community must step in to curb this systematic elimination of minorities in Pakistan. I also appeal to the UN to nominate a Special Rapporteur which should instruct the Government in Pakistan to immediately stop this ethnic & minority cleansing.