Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy law continues to be misused as an
instrument of terror and violence frequently against the countries minuscule
minorities but at times also against fellow Muslims. In the latest instance of
this outrage, on November 11 an angry mob set ablaze three churches, Christian
schools and the residence of the local bishop in Lahore. A mob went on the
rampage in the city’s Sangla Hill locality after reports that Yousuf Masih, a
Christian, had burnt a large number of copies of the holy book. The mob
reportedly destroyed the houses of Yousuf Masih and his brother. Many Christians
fled the area to avoid any untoward incidents.
Towards the end of his visit to the country in the last week of
November, the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams told the press that
during his meeting with top leaders in the Pakistan government he had received
indications that the blasphemy law would soon be suitably amended. Human rights
groups in Pakistan have long demanded an end to the dubious legacy left behind
by the late general, Zia-ul-Haq.
Is it merely for public consumption or is Pakistan President
Gen. Pervez Musharraf beginning to get serious about curbing religious extremism
in his country?
While addressing students from different universities of Punjab
on November 28, the President made an impassioned plea to youths to "stop the
people involved in spreading (religious) hatred and militancy and disturbing
peace" in the country and abroad. "Whoever is spreading hatred, extremism and
militancy needs to be stopped. We must forge unity and harmonise our society,"
he told university students who had gathered at Aiwan-i-Iqbal, Lahore, to take
oath as volunteers. President Musharraf cautioned that Pakistan would not move
forward if it did not command respect (of other nations).
Addressing a conference of local representatives also in Lahore
on the same day, President Musharraf sought their help in stepping up the
campaign against religious extremists.
But having been taught hatred in schools, can students really be
expected to turn into crusaders against hate-mongers once they enter
universities? For some time now historians, educators and social activists have
been trying to explain to the Pakistani establishment that all talk of fighting
Islamic extremism in the country would remain superficial until school textbooks
are purged of all the negative portrayal of other religions and the country’s
religious minorities.
The message, it seems, is slowly starting to sink in. As in
other Islamic countries, Saudi Arabia included, the content of school textbooks
is beginning to be put under the scanner for the first time. Meanwhile, in an
attempt to tighten the noose on Islamic seminaries in Pakistan, President
Musharraf promulgated an ordinance on December 2 prohibiting madrassas from
teaching or publishing any literature that promotes militancy, and spreads
sectarianism and religious hatred.
The ordinance, called ‘Societies Registration (Second Amendment)
Ordinance, 2005’, came into force with immediate effect in the Islamabad capital
territory and was followed by similar ordinances being issued by the four
provincial governments.
The amendment to the ordinance makes it mandatory for every
madrassa, by whatever name it is called, to register with the government and to
submit an annual report of its educational activities to the registrar of
societies. All madrassas are required to register themselves before December 31.
Having already succeeded in winning over the largest union of
seminaries, the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Deeniah (ITMD), on the registration
issue, with 8,200 madrassas – almost half the seminaries in the country –
already registered, the government is hopeful of meeting the deadline and
completing the process by December 31.
For those who may not know this, Punjab literally means the land
of five waters (rivers). If it was Punjab that witnessed the worst kind of
horrors during partition, it is the same Punjab on both sides of the Wagah
border now to emerge as the most ardent champion of Indo-Pak amity. If the
broader Indo-Pak peace process is working with four buttons – forward, pause,
stop, rewind – the growing friendship between both politicians and the people of
the two Punjabs seems to be functioning with a single button: fast forward!
In what for many devout Sikhs was the fulfilment of their
lifelong ardas (prayer), for the first time ever Pakistan permitted a
religious procession (Nagar Kirtan) of nearly 2,000 pilgrims to cross over from
India via the border road at Wagah, west of Amritsar. Organised by the Delhi
Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), the procession included a Rs 50-lakh
gold palanquin to be installed at Guru Nanak’s birthplace in Pakistan. The
marchers, who entered Pakistan on November 29 amid much religious fervour and
bonhomie, were greeted by Punjab chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh and his
counterpart from the other side, Pervaiz Ilahi.
The procession included 29 Punjab cabinet ministers and MLAs,
former chief minister of Delhi Madan Lal Khurana along with 70 BJP councillors,
MLAs and RSS members. They were greeted on the Pakistani side by people waving
Indian and Pakistani flags as a goodwill gesture.