Country of horrors

When the authorities fail to bring criminals to book, the nation’s trust in the government begins to fade. In our country, the list of innocent citizens who were killed for a crime they never committed is long. Last April, an aspiring journalism student, Mashal Khan, was brutally murdered inside his college campus. He was falsely accused of blasphemy. The issue was highlighted in the media and the authorities were called out for their incompetency. To this date, the killers of Mashal have not been punished. No action has been taken to save the Mashals of Pakistan from intolerant and extremist elements present in our society.

Who will be held accountable for this inefficiency? The answer is: no one. This is a sad state of our country. Innocent people are killed and their families are left behind waiting for justice. Last month, Naqeebullah Mehsud was killed in a staged encounter. Although the SC took notice of the matter, those responsible for his death are still roaming free. What kind of society is this? Our criminal silence will not help improve the situation. We must raise our voices against this injustice.

Ayesha Sheikh ( Karachi )