Adil Najam
I must confess that after our recent posts on the vigilantism by folks at Jamia Hafsa and the Lal Masjid I had hoped not to write about this issue yet again so soon.
This is not because I shun controversy or duck issues. It is merely because discussions on this issue tend to be prone to slogan-mongering from those holding extreme positions on all sides, they tend to drown out the more serious and more thoughtful deliberations that are so needed, and they quickly turn into mud-slinging matches which take up too much of our time in cleaning up the mess made by those who routinely ignore or are incapable of understanding and following our comment policy. Having said all that, let me also say that it is intellectually dishonest to simply ignore events and trends that are tearing apart the fabric of society.
With that rather long preamble, what has really prompted this post are two things I saw in today’s Dawn. The first is a set of two ads on behalf of ‘The Citizens of Karachi’ (clicking on the images will take you to larger and more readable versions). The first starts off with:
“Are You Ready? Do you want danda bardar and klashnikov shariat?
IF NOT THEN… come to attend the rally in lage number and show your solidarity against the danda bardar and klashnikov shariat.”
I found these ads to be yet more evidence of a polarized society. More than that, I wonder who put these ads? Any clues, readers? I also wonder how many - and who - will show up on the 15th at this rally (starting 2:00PM near the Mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam)?
The second item appears on the back page of Dawn (and most other papers) and is much more disturbing. Here is the story in full:
Militants Beat up Dancers
LAKKI MARWAT, April 12: Clashes between militants and villagers in the Dhoda-Shah Hasankhel area on Thursday morning left two people injured. About a dozen people were taken hostage by the militants.
Sources said a group of Taliban militants had beaten up some transvestite dancers, shaved their heads and broken their musical instruments near Abdulkhel as they were going to the Dhoda village to perform at a wedding on Wednesday night.
Villagers decided to take revenge by raising a Lashkar against the Taliban, the sources said. Light and heavy weapons were used and the Taliban also fired rockets during the clash which lasted for several hours. The Taliban took 12 villagers hostage. Five of them were later freed while the others were in the custody of the Taliban till late evening, according to the administrator of a seminary, Hafiz Amanullah Khan.
A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Constabulary personnel reached the area. A ceasefire was brokered by some local ulema who held talks with village elders and the Taliban. The sources said the situation was tense and additional contingents of the FC had been summoned.
What is common between both stories is that the battle lines in a divided society are being drawn. The only possible good that could come out of this is for the mainstream of the country to recognize the difference between being ‘religious’ and ‘religious extremism.’ Maybe it will take such actions to remind people that we can be religious without being religious extremists; that faith should help flourish a culture of caring, not of violence.
Adnan Siddiqi. Why do you constantly lie about people and make things up that no one ever said. I note above you also did this with other people above.
1-Where have I “praised” a murderer (I think you mean MQM)? READ what I wrote I am calling them ghundas. I am praising the act of condemning evil. Does an ‘evil’ act (acts of Lal Masjid mulahs) become ‘good’ just because someone else who is bad is condemning it.
2-Where did I say that I “hate” anyone? Or do you consider yourself God and know what is in people’s hearts?
3-And speaking of false accusations without proof. Do you have personal experience or proof of the supposed activities of this ‘Aunty Shamim’ that you keep repeating accusations about her by name? Or is it OK to make a tamasaha of someone’s izzat just because she is a woman?
I just don’t know why ATP lets you spread hatred and lies about everyone else and misquote people and make up stories all the time!
Afshan, how sane it is to praise a murderer condemning act of evil by others just because he hates them? I could pay attention if all of them were not said by Altaf who killed hundred of mohajirs in 90s.
Tonight I got chance to read a funny news that MQM’s rabta comittie has issued a “Research Report” about Jamia Hafsa which is actually nothing but cutting of news papers which they would have collected from various sources. The intresting thing of the report is that they don’t even know the area of Hafsa school at all. IT seems like a report which was made in drawing room.
Muammad sahab, if you know the ACTUAL meaning of Quran then why don’t you teach other rather wasting your time in sissy rants? what I see you have been chanting Mullahraj zindabad. What would some learn from your *mighty knowledge*? Is this what you guys will teach to your future generations. I am afraid they will be more like a garbage for Pakistan than mulllahs whom you curse 24×7x356.
Prove yourself good first so that others could follow you. Right now you guys come out as clowns rather intellectuals.
Speaking of Afghanistan, i think you need to read a bit ISI 101 to gain some knowledge. I give you a hint, Akhter Abdul Rahman. Go and search about him.
Would altaf bhai like to initiate a research case about murder of Hakim Saeed,Azeem Tariq and Khalid Bin Waleed? Would altaf bhai be able to face the research reports about the torture cells in Karachi? Offcourse not, he will kill the researches at first place.
I would more welcome if someone who stands up and make a research reports against crime of Altaf Hussain, Aunty Shamim and offcourse Hafsa managment to find out the real facts rather fooling others.
I am sure people have already seen this video clip making the rounds over email. Young children and burqa clad women areshown beheading a bearded man and chanting Allahu Akbar. BE WARNED, IT IS VERY GRAPHIC.
This is what we are up against. These protests take on new meaning after watching this. Rise everyone, otherwise this is where these Madrassa Taliban want to take you.
I agree with the man at the end of the video, this is not about Islam and Muslims. THESE TALIBAN ARE THE REAL KAFIRS.
“You mean action of extremist altaf bhai who is responsible of killing of his own party people and several other young karachiites? Yes I am also unable how these enlightened souls are favoring such ghunda people.”
Adnan Siddiqi. No, I don’t see anyone here at all defending the violence of the MQM. I have just read comments again and not a single person is doing that.
What surprises me is people defending the actions of the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in this and other posts. I can’t imagine how anyone can defend criminal and violent behavior either by the MQM ghundas or these Madrassa ghundas. The MQM rally from everything we have read had no violence in it. Did it?
The only good thing that has come out of this is that the most extreme voices are no longer accepted as the spokesmen for Islam and people everywhere are distncing themselves from their views.
I agree with others that this is the time for religious as well as liberal people to come together against extreme views like this.
I am very pleased to see such large crowds from all sections of society coming together to speak up
[quote comment="44307"]Let us please realize that most religious parties and people in Pakistan do NOT support the actions of Lal Masjid people. These are the actions of extremists and not of Muslims. I cannot understand how people here on this forum (supposedly educated) are defending the actions of these extremists.[/quote]
Indeed you are correct, this is the reason that the silent majority of Pakistan need to come out in force and demonstrate against mullahism and mullahraj.
This is an opportunity for all of us - to work for our national interest Pakistan, put aside any differences and strike out for Pakistan, for too long we have waited for others to take the lead in fighting for our nations reputation both in Pakistan and Internationally.
We need to prove it to ourselves and our people as well as our freinds and enemies internationally - and the foul mouthed - rabid attitute mullah who doesn’t even know the meaning of the Qur’an and it wants to take over Pakistan - we have seen the paradise they created in Afghanistan - we need to show all that we are Pakistanis - we are awake - and we are able to stand united against this threat!
Pakistan Zindabad - Mullahraj Murdabad!
I cannot understand how people here on this forum (supposedly educated) are defending the actions of these extremists.
You mean action of extremist altaf bhai who is responsible of killing of his own party people and several other young karachiites? Yes I am also unable how these enlightened souls are favoring such ghunda people.
Saif, foul language really? Look who’s talking here. It means the foul language used by anti mullah cabal is part of educated which they give to their kids? Stop bullying and before condeming others, try to fix people of your own tribe.