Recently, shop-owners in a small town in interior Sindh called Tando Adam were found to be selling sandals that depicted the symbol Om, considered sacred in the Hindu faith. One of the shop-owners was arrested; Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code was implemented — a part of the blasphemy law of Pakistan. However, the arrested shop owner claimed that the sandals were manufactured at and supplied from Lahore.
A thorough investigation must be carried out to nab the troublemakers who are trying to create religious disharmony in an already fragmented and intolerant society where difference of opinion or religion has claimed many lives over the past few decades. Whether it is the persecution of Ahmedis, Hindus, Shias or Christians, intolerance has been on the rise with changing effects on society in recent times. A stark testimony of that phenomenon is witnessed in the exodus of a large number of Hindus to India and other countries. Also, many Ahmedis have settled in other countries, such as the United States and Canada, owing to fear of being persecuted or killed.
The founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, stated in categorical terms that the state of Pakistan would be equal for all its citizens in every aspect. He also proposed Sikhs to become military commanders, and even appointed highly respected Hindu and Ahmedi personages such as Joginder Nath Mandal and Sir Zafarullah Khan as ministers to his cabinet, reiterating the fact that Pakistan would be a secular and democratic state.
The 1980s changed the social fabric of the country when General Zia-ul-Haq proceeded with his so-called “Islamisation” programme for garnering political influence with the help of different religious organisations. The blasphemy laws that were actually enacted by the British Indian Empire in the 19th century for countering religious disharmony became a powerful weapon for the religious far right in subduing and cornering citizens of other religions and sects. Sections 295 A, B and C of the blasphemy laws were the redefined versions of the British laws and Zia’s regime single-handedly redirected them towards the minorities.
However, the good news is that awareness is gradually increasing amongst the educated lot who believe that all minority groups in Pakistan should be treated as equal citizens with no special status. The arrest of the shopkeeper in Tando Adam is a manifestation of changing narratives in society, and perhaps the effect of the National Action Plan.
These are some positive steps being taken by the state but there is still great deal to be done for ensuring true harmony and peace. Furthermore, the blasphemy laws must be repealed or reverted back to the original form for the greater good of society that still has a long way to go in achieving rights for its citizens. The constant misuse of the laws that were made to maintain harmony between people of different faiths has resulted in destruction of lives of countless people, not just of non-Muslims but also of Muslims.http://dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/23-Jun-16/the-sanctity-of-om
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