My two bits: Those calling for a ‘revolution’ in Pakistan to get rid of the current government and especially President Zardari might consider that THE reason Pakistan has been unable to move forward is that the political process is never allowed to continue. People tolerate military regimes for a decade or more, but get impatient with an elected government within months and don’t want to give it five years to complete its term and let the next be duly elected.
I endorse CFD’s one-point agenda – get religion out of politics.
Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: Pakistan, revolution |
Journeys to democracy 
[…] Revolution? […]
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What else, in the first place, can be more horrible and disgusting than a murder of a ‘Halfy-muslim’ governor of a state of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in a broad day light by a paid and uniformed servant of the state, employed on the security of his person in a treacherous vigilante fashion! And worse of the worst is the fact that the very process of prosecution and justice connected with the trial of this most heinous of the crimes is under threat.
Is it not the ‘bolo-ram’ (end) of justice in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Where has gone the CJ who swings his ‘danda’ of suo motu even on such paltry issues as ‘kite-flying’ and Mukhtaran Mai’s scandal? The fundamental question now is; whether murder by lynching in vigilante fashion of any person by accusing him of blasphemy has a legal immunity? What else, in the first place, can be more horrible and disgusting than a murder of a ‘Halfy-muslim’ governor of a state of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in a broad day light by a paid and uniformed servant of the state, employed on the security of his person in a treacherous vigilante fashion! And worse of the worst is the fact that the very process of prosecution and justice connected with the trial of this most heinous of the crimes is under threat.
Is it not the ‘bolo-ram’ (end) of justice in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Where has gone the CJ who swings his ‘danda’ of suo motu even on such paltry issues as ‘kite-flying’ and Mukhtaran Mai’s scandal? The fundamental question now is; whether murder by lynching in vigilante fashion of any person by accusing him of blasphemy has a legal immunity?
If so, can’t one go to the International court of Justice to seek justice against this veritable crime against humanity?
As regards CFD’s ‘One point agenda to get religion out of politics, I think it is impracticable as the term ‘religion’ is as ambiguous as the ‘blasphemy lynching cult’.
I may here point out that that the real Islamic thinkers believe that Islam is actually not a religion (mazhab), but a ‘Deen’, meaning a moral and just culture of socialism.
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17:70 We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation.
Al-Isra [17:70]
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً
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RL has already asked this. I too would love to know how religion can be kept out of politics!!!
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First, do away with laws enacted in the name of religion – most of them are discriminatory and were imposed by military dictators, though elected governments have done their bit too, like declaring Ahmadis non-Muslim (something that should be reversed – no one has the right to declare anyone a Muslim or non-Muslim).
Secondly, bar political parties from conducting politics in the name of religion or using religious symbols (as the Bangladesh Supreme Court recently ruled).
Third, take strict action against those putting up banners and posters declaring this or that sect non-Muslim and inciting violence.
Fourth, remove the discriminatory and unnecessary insertions in documents like ‘Declaration in case of Muslims’ (thank you Gen. Zia) when applying for a Pakistani passport (Maniza Naqvi provides details of this in her article for Shame on us in 3QuarksDaily).
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So you mean that religion should not be allowed to do any thing with the business of the state as envisioned by Quaide Azam in his speech of 11/8. But what to do when the very state has practically become a religion as the ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistan’?
Btw, Bernard Shaw had termed the very state as an organized worship.
And Iqbal had called the very concept of ‘watan’ (country) as antithetical to religion when he says:
“In taaza khudaon mein barha sab se watan he
Jo is ka he peirahin woh mazhab ka kafan he”
And what our National Anthem says about this ‘Watan’ business:
“saayiea Khuda-e-Zuljalaal’
But the very ‘Khuda’, a home-grown secular deity of our land has been replaced now in the state business by ‘Allah’, an Arabic deity festooned with petro-dollars.
And this inspite of what the ‘Hakimul-Ummat’, Iqbal, had said:
“Buton se tum ko ummidein Khuda se nowmiidi
Bata to sahi aur kaafri kia he”
Sorry for the rambling, but what can we do when our land has become as Mir had described:
“Yih tawaham ka kaarkhna he
Yaan woh hi he jo ehtibaar kia”
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