While Pakistan’s main political parties, its establishment, the media and people have realized that they need to distance themselves and eradicate seeds of extremism sown by Zia junta, it is unfortunate that India is on a fast track to promote and institutionalize Hindu Supremacist, Fundamentalism and fan the poison of mob violence. The insecurity and political instability within Pakistan which was product of rise in fundamentalism and extremism devastated our economy and became an obstacle for foreign investment.
We in Pakistan have taken concrete steps to curb this menace and will, in due course, re-track back to the vision of Father of Nation, who wanted this country to be modern democratic welfare state where all citizens of all faiths could live in peace and harmony with one another. This requires consistent effort by the State to overcome obstacles and hopefully restore Rule of Law, with all institutions working within their constitutionally defined corridors.
It is unfortunate that India established by its Founding Fathers to function as a democratic secular state is fast deteriorating into a country where armed unruly mobs lynch members of minority faiths and even Dalits who in this age are treated as untouchables. If this Lynch India mindset prevails it will engulf our neighbour in such deep trouble that its economy will slow down and insecurity of its minorities, will boost insurgencies.
India with its diverse population cannot afford this, nor can the subcontinent. One hopes that sanity prevails in India. How can India which boasts of being largest democracy in the world justify clamping of curfew in the IoK, confining six million Kashmiris within homes, cutting all lines of communication and arresting all political leaders. Nazi Germany failed to exterminate Jews and so have numerous others who embarked on such sinister agendas.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
