Edit in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2023.
The unfortunate and highly condemnable acts of arson against minorities in Faisalabad have shamed us all. The burning of churches by a handful of bigots and misguided people, who literally do not represent or speak for the collective conscience of the nation, is disgusting. It has once again brought to the fore how propaganda, hatred and lack of compassionate feelings in a section of society comes to undermine and embarrass an entire community. The violence and vendetta of the pitiful day must be singled out, and extreme disciplinary lawful action must follow without any compromise.
It is always horrifying to see scenes of religious places being burnt, belongings dragged out mercilessly and men beaten up for the only reason that they belong to a different school of thought and, moreover, blamed for a sacrilegious act that they may not have performed. Even if there is substantial evidence to back the allegation, it is law that should take its course and not vengeance of the mob.
The Jaranwala tehsil carnage must be probed, and no stone left unturned to apprehend each and every culprit. It goes without saying that the response of the law-enforcement agencies and the district administration in such cases is always poor, and absence of timely intervention has often led to going over the brink. There are, of course, societal pressures involved especially if the upheaval pertains to blasphemy, and this has been noticed time and again in Pakistan.
This dilemma is also in need of being addressed, and the local officers alongside peers and community leaders must swing into damage control action instantly. In doing so, the authorities should desist from reading clauses of law and making room for accommodating the berserk elements, and they must be knocked down in no time. This has much to do with the capacity of our police, and this is where perhaps we flunk.
This vituperable act has come close on the heels of similar fanatic acts in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe. This may be an attempt to draw parallels, and disturb communal peace. But, in any case, we all must revisit a lesson in tolerance, and must be reminded that response to any maniac act should not be savagery and brutishness.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2431022/a-pitiful-day
