A Pakistani governor has been assassinated by his own body guard. The killer surrendered immediately after the killing by raising his hands dropping the gun. He bragged to his fellow body guards that he has killed an enemy of Islam because the late governor Mr.Salmaan Taseer was an outspoken critic of Pakistan's infamous blasphemy laws. This behavior of the killer shows the extent of his fundamentalist indoctrination. The culture of political and common assassinations in Pakistan in the name of peaceful Islam is nothing new. Pakistan in fact is facing genocide in the name of Islam. The nation was created in the name of Islam and sustained in the name of Islam and the consequences of such an absurd philosophy based on faith are in front of the world today. But this killing is a meaningful one in many ways. The poison of religious extremism has extended its tentacles every where in the country, even the most trusted ones are not trustworthy anymore. Nobody is safe now in Pakistan, the most dangerous place in the entire world. Pakistan has become the global terrorist churning factory, a mortal danger to the entire world. The situation in Pakistan is not a matter of sudden development. Since 1947 the vested interests drugged people with religious fanaticism to solidify their power and position. Whenever their interests were challenged they cried foul' Islam khatrey mein hain'.
The Pakistani ruling cliques from day one to this day nurtured, encouraged, cultivated and nourished religious fanaticism in such a calculative way that it has now become a Frankenstein for them. The danger and proliferation of Islamic extremism has dwarfed Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Yemen. The extremists are determined to capture Pakistan to start a global war in the name of Islam.
The draconian and barbaric blasphemy laws are the most inhuman form of medieval edicts to crush liberty and human dignity. These Islamic fools will never understand that they can't force others to respect their faith. Any law that shows disrespect to life and honor are not sustainable in the modern times. But unfortunately Pakistan will not be able to repeal these so called laws because the extremists will not allow this to happen.
The killer of the Punjab governor Salman Taseer was greeted with roses when he came out of a court in Islamabad. For many in the Islamic world the age of enlightenment has come to an end. They are now trying ignorance. This is disgusting to see that a killer gets flowers and the law shows its inability to do anything. The government of Pakistan is nothing but a helpless spectator of the entire medieval drama unfolding before its eyes because the extremists is keeping the administration a hostage by their diabolic practice of annihilating anyone who goes against them. This gathering of darkness is an ominous sign of degeneration which will lead to catastrophic consequences and will destroy all the modern achievements mankind has made so far. This is a reign of terror unparalleled in our times when reason and law seems to be ineffective, helpless and useless.
But the silver lining is that if man can come out from their primitive caves to build skyscrapers, from stone throwing to satellite launching, this era of darkness will also eventually evaporate. The inherent human spirit will defeat this power of evil and a new era of success beyond the cages of religious dogmatism will usher. The only need is that a few shall stand tall against these dark forces with hope and determination to defeat them.
Akbar Hussain
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