State urged to start grand dialogue to end growing extremism

The state should change its “five-decade old anti-people” narrative, and start a grand dialogue to end growing religious extremism, hatred and other such tendencies from our society, said speakers during a candlelight vigil at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday.

The candlelight vigil against extremism, religious fanaticism and violence, titled ‘Together we call for peace, harmony and a future free from extremism’, was jointly organised by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and the Home-Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) to express solidarity with the affected people of the Jaranwala incident.

Those who spoke on the occasion included the NTUF’s Nasir Mansoor, the Workers Rights Movement’s Gul Rehman, the HBWWF’s Zehra Khan and Saira Feroze, the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women’s Nuzhat Shireen, the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum’s Saeed Baloch, Alternate’s Aqib Hussain, Shahzad Mughal and Faiza Siddiqui, the Textile Garments General Workers Union’s Himat Phulpoto and Iqbal Abro, youth leaders Aeni Yousuf, Ruqiya Hanif and Kashif Abbasi, and Comrade Tara.

The speakers said that the reason behind sad incidents like the Jaranwala tragedy are the support provided to religious extremists and armed militias by powerful circles. They said that such incidents cannot be stopped until the state and state institutions stop the fanning of religious extremism.

They demanded that the state shun its “five-decade old anti-society” narrative, and start a grand dialogue to promote pluralism and tolerance in society.

They said that during the last five decades, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the name of Afghan jihad, besides sustaining a loss of trillions of dollars. They pointed out that a large number of people were forced to migrate, so they were displaced.

They also said that if the verdict of the future chief justice against the administrators and backers of the Islamabad sit-in of a religious organisation had been implemented in letter and spirit, the Jaranwala incident could have been averted.

They claimed that not only the Pakistani state but also its partners, like the US, the UK and the Gulf states, played a big role in promoting extremism in the name of Afghan jihad.

They further said that different religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Ahmadis, besides Shias, faced terrorism. Several hundred thousand people fell prey to violence in the name of Afghan jihad, majority of them Pakistanis, they added.

They also pointed out that the US and its partners spent more than three trillion dollars in the Afghan war because they wanted to topple a progressive and revolutionary government in Afghanistan.

They claimed that they organised, armed and trained religious organisations, and the whole world was still living under their fear, and they also formed different terrorist organisations, and made billions of dollars from the smuggling of arms and narcotics.

The speakers said that in Pakistan every voice that opposed this anti-society “state” narrative was suppressed. They said that this policy should stop now, and instead, a process of dialogue should be started to promote a tolerant and pluralistic society.

They demanded strict punishment for the factors behind the Jaranwala incident, and the rehabilitation of the affected people. They also asked purging the textbooks of hate material and banning extremist religious organisations.

The speakers said that all discriminatory laws should be abolished. Forced conversion of Hindu girls should be stopped, and those involved in this crime should be punished, they added.

Speakers at a one-day seminar entitled ‘Sectarian Violence: Violation of Human Rights’ that was organised by the Faculty of Law at the School of Law Auditorium, HH Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Building, University of Karachi, recently also voiced concerns over the Jaranwala incident.

They said that the human rights violations in Pakistan, particularly in relation to the burning of a church in Jaranwala, are a matter that concerns us all, and that regardless of our geographical location or background, it is our duty as global citizens to advocate for justice and equality.

They also said that the burning of the church is a stark reality of the urgent need to address human rights violations around the world, adding that we must not remain silent in the face of such atrocities, and should stand together for justice, equality, and freedom of religious rights of citizens and monitories in Pakistan.

On this occasion, former Sindh Assembly member Sharmila Faruqui said that the first sectarian violence in the country took place in 1963, and we are talking about the same issue in 2023. She observed that as a nation we have not learned anything from the past.

She mentioned that after the establishment of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said that everyone has religious freedom in Pakistan, but, unfortunately, it has not been implemented to date.

Sharmila said that we all know that Islam is a peaceful religion that teaches patience and tolerance, but this is so unfortunate that religious freedom and human rights are violated in Pakistan.

Justice (retd) Nazar Akbar said that minorities have equal rights in the constitution and law, and complete protection of minorities can be ensured if we follow the constitution and law.

He informed the participants about the laws related to the rights of minorities in the Pakistani constitution, and urged them to study the constitution and law so that they could know more about their rights.

Senator Shahadat Awan said that our country is the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and we should follow the Quran and Sunnah. In 1963 the first sectarian violence happened in Khairpur, on which the Supreme Court gave a decision, he said.

He mentioned that it is necessary to voice concerns against violence and human rights, saying that we need to take practical steps to eradicate sectarian violence and violation of human rights from the country. He observed that unfortunately, people resort to violence to achieve their goals, which is not good for a nation and country.

Former law minister Barrister Shahida Jameel said that in the last sermon of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), there was a message for Muslims that all are one race. “What are we doing in the name of Islam? Are we not violating the last sermon of our beloved Holy Prophet (PBUH)?”

Renowned journalist Mazhar Abbas said that sectarian violence is also a violation of human rights. He said that every citizen in Pakistan, regardless of what school of thought they belong to, or if they are in the minority or in the majority, has full freedom to live according to their religion.

Dr Muhammad Hassan Auj said that the tragedy of Jaranwala is a question mark for all of us. “We talk about faith in general, but we need to think about how much we follow it.”

He said that there is a need to eliminate terrorists as well as their hideouts so that terrorism can be completely eradicated from this country. Ethics should be made a compulsory subject in our schools, colleges and universities, he added.

KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that the Jaranwala incident is not an isolated event, but rather a symptom of a larger problem. He shared that discrimination against religious minorities has been an ongoing issue in the country.

“Reports of forced conversions, blasphemy laws being misused and attacks on religious sites are, sadly, not uncommon. These actions not only violate the rights of individuals but also erode the social fabric of a diverse society.”

He mentioned that as we discuss human rights violations, it is crucial to remember that Pakistan is a signatory to numerous international agreements and treaties that guarantee the protection of human rights.

He said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, enshrines the rights and freedoms that every human being should enjoy, regardless of their background or beliefs.

He also said that by disregarding these commitments, a nation undermines its credibility globally. “The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are primarily outlined in sections 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code. These sections address different aspects of blasphemy and its consequences, including fines and imprisonment.”

However, he added, the laws have been criticised for being vague and prone to misuse, leading to incidents where individuals have been falsely accused, resulting in social ostracism, violence and even death.

Dr Iraqi said we can also consider Article 22 of the constitution that pertains to safeguarding minorities’ rights. It is a fundamental rights provision that is aimed at ensuring the protection of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in the country, he added.

“This article emphasises the protection of individuals’ rights to practise their own religion, and prohibits the imposition of religious instruction, ceremonies or worship that are not in accordance with a person’s own beliefs. It underscores the principle of religious freedom, and respects the diverse religious landscape of Pakistan.”