IN the backdrop of what people of Pakistan witnessed during the last few days, the decision of the Government to ban Tehrik-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) would be seen as a move to uphold the rule of law and establish the writ of the state at all costs.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has clarified that the ban was being imposed due to TLP’s “character” and not due to any political compulsion.
Large-scale violent protests, vandalism and ransacking of public and private properties sent dismaying signals not just to people of Pakistan about ability of the Government to protect their lives and properties but also relayed negative signals to the outside world about influence of pressure groups that operate at will to disrupt normal life, creating law and order situation and inflicting huge damages on national economy.
No Government worth the name can entertain this type of behaviour by any group or party and, therefore, appropriate action was needed to put things in the right perspective.
‘Namoos-e-Rasalat’ is close to the heart of every Muslim but there was no justification for anyone to take law into one’s own hands and make mockery of the writ of the state.
The present Government highlighted the issue of ‘Namoos-e-Rasalat’ at the global level, took firm stand against blasphemous caricatures/ actions of the French President and Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote personal letters to his OIC counterparts urging the need for collaborative efforts and measures aimed at sensitizing the international community about love of the Muslims and their respect for the Last Prophet (SAS).
In a democratic polity, people are entitled to raise their voice and express their sentiments through peaceful means but attempts aimed at dictating terms to the Government must be discouraged.
We must bear in mind that the country has just started its journey on the path of economic recovery after a long struggle against the menace of extremism and terrorism that took toll of seventy thousand lives.
There are credible reports that enemies of Pakistan are conspiring to derail the march of the country on the path of progress by instigating religious and sectarian sentiments, which is considered to be the easiest ways of triggering trouble in Pakistan.
It is also regrettable that some quarters are also baselessly trying to implicate the defence forces in recent protests.
The defence forces are strength of nuclear Pakistan and efforts to weaken the state would directly benefit our enemies.
