Blurring the silver linings
In this situation, our elected representatives, including the MNA and two MPAs, adopted an ostrich-like approach perhaps to protect their political future. While Chitral needed them the most, they almost disappeared from the scene in different parts of the country or abroad and did not bother to even visit their constituencies. The people of Chitral expected that their political and religious leaders would work as a binding force to promote sectarian harmony, tolerance and co-existence. The elected representatives and other leaders should not have confined themselves to condemning the blasphemous remarks and demanding punishment for the blasphemer because blasphemy cannot be tolerated by any Muslim and the culprit would definitely get punishment whether you make a demand or not. The public figures should have advocated for peace and harmony on the basis of the fact that even if the blasphemer was from a particular community the latter cannot and should not be blamed for his satanic act. While Maulana Khaliquz Zaman saved Chitral from an immediate disaster, some elements tried to add fuel to the fire by playing with the sentiments of the people. Though there is no dearth of sane elements, including religious figures, who played their role in calming down the angry mob and stopping them from acting unlawfully, it is unfortunate that many others targeted a particular community even though its members had nothing to do with the unfortunate incident and were quick to condemn the blasphemous remarks and seek punishment for the man. As law abiding citizens of this country and in order to maintain peace and sectarian harmony of Chitral, we should have appreciated the khateeb for his timely and lawful act and discouraged violent reaction to the incident. But the angry mob attacked the Chitral police station and burnt down the car of the khateeb and the police rounded up about 200 of the rioters. It took almost a week for the police to identify those who were involved in arson through video footage and all others were set free. The police produced 31 people in a local court which granted them bail but 22 others were booked under the anti-terrorism act and sent to the ATC Swat from where they were shifted to the DI Khan jail. But instead of taking the legal course, a former JI MNA and two PTI leaders have declared the arrested people innocent and demanded their immediate release. The JI leader has even threatened to launch a protest move if the DPO Chitral was not removed from the post for what he said misusing his authority and framing ‘innocent’ people in terror cases.
If all these 22 people are innocent as claimed by the JI and a few other leaders, the best way is to adopt the legal course through the independent judiciary to prove their innocence instead of threatening the government to release them and transfer the DPO.Secondly, someone has to be punished for challenging the writ of the state by rioting, violence and attacking public and private property to avoid such incidents in future. To say that whatever damages to the public and private property were caused in reaction to the blasphemous remarks is not only unjustifiable and illegal but would also set a very dangerous trend for future. Besides, neither Islam nor the law of the land allows you to go on a rampage and then take refugee under the religion. Islam does not allow anyone to become the prosecutor and the judge as there are state institutions and laws to deal with any issue otherwise it would leave society in a mess and chaos. And last but not the least, we have to give a breathing space to each and everyone citizen irrespective of their faith, political affiliation, ethnicity and socio-economic condition. In this, political and religious leaders can play a positive role irrespective of their affiliations so that peace of Chitral can remain the supreme priority of all. (Zar Alam Khan) Published in ChitralToday on May 3, 2017.]]>
I would like to be a bit frank. This incident has exposed some politicians especially people like Abdul Latif. He always pretended to be an educated left wing leader. But the role he played in this particular incident made us believe that even Maghfirat Shah is much more sensible leader. He remained impartial to some extent. But this guy from PTI was ten step ahead of Maulana Abdul Akbar in proving his loyalty for the hardliners who created law and order situation. He did all this to please right wing voters.
At the same time the statement to be frank under pressure also damaged his political career as well as the vote bank to the point of no return. Sardar Hussain also committed a political suicide and the days of political acting are over. The MNA to some extent remained cautious. His behaviour was like an educated man.
Maulana Chitrali had become acceptable to people of both the communities but this time around he lost all his votes in upper Chitral and sensible people in the lower Chitral have also realised that he does not deserve to be their representative in parliament. This incident has completely changed the political chess board of the district as it is not 1982. The people are educated and not hardly takes few second to judge the calibre of a person.
As far as the grudges of the cleric against the DPO is concerned I would like to tell him that days are gone when police used to work under pressure. If the DPO is trasfered under the demand of a seminary cleric, I would like to tell Imran Khan that he must show his allegiance to JI cleric Sirajul Haq.
I would like to urge PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to issue a showcause notice to his party MPA for his irresponsible statement as he has violated the very discipline of the PPP by siding with the hradliners. Imran Khan should also screw Abdul Latif as people have started considering him as a hardliner extremist and NOT the activist of a liberal politician like Imran Khan.
Excellent narration of the matter, it is extremely unfortunate that our society became so polarized and extremist that one can not speak truth and reality. Our leaders are short sighted and looking forward each and every moment of political point scoring instead of public service.
Those persons who are speaking for the rioters are not doing it for the love of the Holy Prophet but for gaining political benefits. Such people prod others to riot and then render lip service demanding the release of such rioters.