Sunday, September 2, 2012

Rising Tide of Intolerance Threatens Pakistan's Existence

A spate of incidents targeting various minorities including Christians and Hindus as well as members of the Muslim Shia community have raised serious concerns in Pakistan.

 This situation brings back echoes of the events preceding the rise of Nazis in Germany that led to the killing of millions of innocent people including a large number of European Jews. A German pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) wrote a poem at the time lamenting the silence of many in the face of massive atrocities committed by Adolf Hitler.

Here's how I express my fears about the current crisis of intolerance in Pakistan by paraphrasing what Niemöller said in 1930s:

First they came for Ahmedis, and I did not speak out
-- Because I was not an Ahmedi.

-- Because I was not a Christian.

Then they came for the Hindus, and I did not speak out
-- Because I was not a Hindu.

-- Because I was not a Shia.


I urge all sane Pakistanis to speak out against all agents of intolerance and work diligently to defeat them before it's too late. 

Here are two videos of  recent TV discussions I participated in on the subject:

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Fighting Agents of Intolerance in Pakistan

Muslim Scholars Must Fight Hate in Pakistan

South Asian Christians Celebrate Christmas in Fear

Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's Vision

Pakistan Must Defeat Agents of Intolerance 

Celebrating Quaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah's Birthday


Mayraj said...

You have the order wrong and the severity I think. They came first for the Shias and attack Shias far more than any other group.
It is the Wahhabi influence and Govt is too dependent on Saudis (oil) and Qataris (gas) to do anything meaningful it seem to me. [And western coddling of these two evil sources doesn't help.] And they have now come against "us" as they are now attacking the Barelvis. people need to speak up about root of the problem not beat around the bush.

Riaz Haq said...

Mayraj: "They came first for the Shias and attack Shias far more than any other group."

I mentioned Ahmadis as the first target of hate because of the laws passed to exclude them from the fold of Islam, followed by "wajib-ul-qatl" fatwas. Even the Shia ulema participated in promoting violence against Ahmedi minority when TV host Aamer Liaquat's inflammatory rhetoric led to the killing of several Ahmadis a few years ago.

Mayraj said...

And now Sunni vs Sunni
The first bloody attack on a Sufi mazar, or shrine, was a suicidal assault on Imam Bari.With Kabul in Deoband hands, JUI gained a new political leverage in Pakistan. That JUI has been part of every government since 1990 reflects influence it enjoys in the echelons of power

Sabuhi said...

Very good discussion, thanks for sharing

Mayraj said...

Ahmedis are to Islam what Mormons are to Christianity and since they say they are within fold while traditions groups say otherwise there is the problem. But anyway, attacks against them are not in same league as attacks against Shias and now increasingly the Barelvis.
WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists
Wikileaks: Saudi Arabia, UAE funded extremist networks in Pakistan

Ahmedis are under attack in other Muslim countries as well. Other Muslim countries are not seeking attacks like Pakistanis is seeing against Shia's and Barelvis. It is really sad to see what is happening in Malaysia and Indonesia as they had a more seculr strain of islam also reflected in Kerala (linked to the SEA because of trade ties). What this demonstrates is the Wahhabi influences' spread. They have been using oil and now gas income to spread their beliefs amongst Sunnis around the world. As Congressional testimony reveals Saudis have spent over 70 billion dollars since the 1970s (coincidentally after the oil Embargo and petrodollar deal)

Suhail said...

The roots of intolerance in Pakistan lead to Jamiat/ Jamaatis. Before their time, the Pakistani society was very tolerant to opposing groups be they religious or on moral grounds. Eg, rioting to close down liquor shops, thunder squads in universities and such moves were all started by Jamaatis; these had nothing to do with religious sects.

I know a lot of Jamaatis of our university days who have left Jamaat. But then they had become immaterial and of no use to Jamaat even if they had remained there. In the late 60s and early 70s, Jamaat had not gained roots in the country and was a very vulnerable entity. The numerous Jamaatis of that time, particularly of Jamiat at the educational institutions, were a key factor in sustaining Jamaat through that period. Most of these ex-Jamaatis I know did not have intolerant views even then, but were naive enough not to realize what Jamaat stood for. So I think ex-Jamaatis should realize that they have had a role and share some responsibility for what is happening in the country, for their naivete if not for their extremist views.

Jamaat used to be mohajir dominated at that time but then was taken over by Punjabis, and now Pathans are as important in it as the Punjabis.

Anonymous said...

We need to go back to what our founding Father Jinnah said.
Keep it up!

Safdar said...

Your family name is "HAQ" so you will talk about justice all the time. I know when we use to slaughter a sheep at EID and butcher want other animals to move away from the site so that they want seen it. Our Prophet( SAS ) has always preached us about peace and humanity that why he is called "Rahmat_ ull_ Allumeen". Even during Haj we are trained not to kill an insect . Now the so called Muslims they are beheading humans in front other humans not in Pakistan but Syria and other parts of the Muslim world. The people who are killed don't get a chance to get buried as their funerals also bombed.

One to must search his sole and see who is preaching them and which countries are funding them. Please take a moment and review the history and see if such things have happened in the past and whose family has sacrificed his life to save Islam.

Shia said...

Can anyone answer why it is a coincidence that the rise of religion in Pakistan in public sphere also coincided with anti minorities hatred.

Maryam said...

i agree with you 100% we have to fight together for any injustice , i will be forwarding your videos to my friends .

shant said...

i have been a reader of your blog since last 2-3 years. and i have seen a changecreeping into your personality.
earlier, you used datas to show how pakistan is in trouble, but india is in even bigger mess. that did irk me back then, but yes, you were the first person to on internet to tell me about the reality of my country. and many thanks for that.

ABOUT the change i was talking about in you, it was that your recent posts are all about pakitan, and their comparison with indis is missing.
now, you seem to be more worried about your country.
however, i must say, that pakistan is an unfortunate country, where experienced and knowledgeable enterpreneurs like you have to waste time in this manner, while the young generation is getting killed in cold-blood.

Anonymous said...

what kind of intolerance is this?

Riaz Haq said...

Anon: "what kind of intolerance is this?"

It's very unfortunate.

It's the same kind of intolerance that has cause parents to kill many an Indian girls who have dared to defy tradition by marrying against the family's will.

It's the same kind of intolerance that makes Pakistani Hindu parents mad at times when their daughters elope with Muslim young men to marry them.

Riaz Haq said...







Riaz Haq said...

Here's NY Times on derogatory film "Innocence of Muslims" mocking Prophet Muhammad:





mpany said, “Facebook’s policy prohibits content that threatens or organizes violence, or praises violent organizations.”


Anonymous said...

Riaz there are plenty of derogatory movies against Christians 'Nuns on the run' and Hindus 'The Guru' why is it they never go ape the way muslims do?

kahani said...

Traffic Wardens are not good then can not control traffic .

Riaz Haq said...

Here's a Guardian Op Ed on blasphemy laws in Pakistan as "imitating and copying aspects of western thought":



Anonymous said...

Very well summed-up Haq! I'm glad someone in Pakistan is speaking out against religious intolerance!

My compliments!

Riaz Haq said...










Riaz Haq said...

Here's an NPR report on Pakistan's "patriot Act":





Already A Common Practice






Riaz Haq said...

Here's Global Post on witness protection in Pakistan:






The confession, though, meant little to Pakistan’s courts.








Riaz Haq said...






Riaz Haq said...

Here's Pankaj Mishra in Bloomberg on atrocities against shias in Indonesia and Pakistan:












Riaz Haq said...





Faraz said...

hmmm not sure why PK is blue. I'm sure PK would rank low in religious tolerance.

Riaz Haq said...

Faraz: " hmmm not sure why PK is blue. I'm sure PK would rank low in religious tolerance."

It appears that there is a small but militant minority in Pakistan that is highly intolerant. Here's what the report says: Pakistan, remarkably tolerant, also an outlier. Although the country has a number of factors that coincide with racial intolerance – sectarian violence, its location in the least-tolerant region of the world, low economic and human development indices – only 6.5 percent of Pakistanis objected to a neighbor of a different race. This would appear to suggest Pakistanis are more racially tolerant than even the Germans or the Dutch.

Riaz Haq said...

Here's a TOI story on religious discrimination in India:







Riaz Haq said...



Riaz Haq said...

A moment comes, which comes seldom in one's life, when staying silent and uncritical is tantamount to suicide. That moment for us is here, now. Today, instead of telling a few light hearted stories of our innocent days at Dow, with jokes and poetry, I want to take the road less traveled by, and speak about the painful truth piercing at the heart of every one of us....... Need I name I Am Malala, Raza Rumi, Hamid Mir? Therefore, it is inaccurate and dishonest to present this as some sort of a sectarian issue. This is the systematic murder of targeted individuals by a small murderous group. But the state whose job it is to protect the people is complicit through its inaction. How many more doctors and lawyers, women and children have to be gunned down without a single individual being apprehended for these barbaric crimes? There is no controversy about who is responsible for these killings. The perpetrators proclaim it proudly from the rooftops. What level of genocide is needed for us to wake up to reality, six million? When are we going to realize that we are ALL guilty of being Neros playing the fiddle while Pakistan burns? - See more at:

Riaz Haq said...


Riaz Haq said...


Well-educated militants behind high-profile terror attacks: CM








Riaz Haq said...

How One #Pakistan Town in #Sindh Mastered Religious Tolerance via HuffPost Religion​










Riaz Haq said...

Comic book 'Guardians' to steer young Pakistanis away from extremism

ISLAMABAD: When Taliban militants stormed a school in Peshawar last December, killing 150 people, mainly children, in the country's deadliest terror attack, comic book creators Mustafa Hasnain, Gauhar Aftab and Yahya Ehsan decided it was time to act.

The trio had already been working on a series to raise awareness about the corruption that plagues Pakistan — an economically-underperforming Muslim giant of 200 million people.

But they quickly decided to shift their focus to violent extremism — and felt holding candle-light vigils was not the best way to effect change.

Read: Militant siege of Peshawar school ends, 141 killed


He explained: “It was a huge watershed moment for us. I got together with Gauhar and I said 'We really have to do something about this'.


The result was “Paasban” — or “Guardian” — a three-part series featuring a group of close friends at college who begin to worry when one of them drops out to join a religious student group that is ostensibly working for charitable causes. Some in the group however, suspect it may have darker aims.

Fifteen thousand of the books are set to be distributed for free from June 1 at schools in Lahore, Multan and Lodhran while some copies will be made available in book stores.


Personal journey
For English-language script writer Aftab, the pathway from disillusionment to signing up to carry a gun and fight the so-called enemies of Islam was not just something he had read about in the news, — it was a choice he had almost made as a child.




Also read: Pakistan joins the 3G club

The app is optimised to work on the low-end smartphones available from about $70 that have flooded the Pakistani market since the advent of 3G data connections last year, with some estimates placing smartphone penetration at 20 per cent of the country's estimated 80 million mobile users.


Aftab, the writer, said he hoped other writers and artists would follow their lead and use the app to encourage a debate on what he calls the “real “Islam of peace which he discovered once out of the clutches of his former teacher.


Riaz Haq said...









Riaz Haq said...

#Pakistan mosque imam gets 10-year jail for hate speech

BAHAWALPUR: Anti-terrorism court judge Khalid Arshad on Friday awarded 10-year and four months jail term to the prayer leader of a mosque at Qaimpur Town near Hasilpur, about 90km from here, for delivering hate speech. He was also awarded Rs0.7m fine.

The convict, Maulana Abdul Ghani, was arrested by the Qaimpur police after he delivered the speech against a sect about two months back.



RAINWATER: Several dried-up open ponds, locally called tobas, in Cholistan were filled up with rainwater after the recent heavy rain.

According to Cholistan Development Authority’s director livestock Asghar Ramay, the rainwater in the ponds would meet the needs of both humans and cattle in the vast desert area.

He said the areas of Bijnot, Maujgarh, Dingarh, Salmsar and others received heavy rains while there was a drizzle in the parts of Derawar and Nawankot.

Mr Ramay expressed hope there would be grass and increase in natural pastures for animals after rain in the desert.

Riaz Haq said...

Nadeem Farooq Paracha in Dawn:


My view: Regardless of whether Ahmadis are Muslims or non-Muslims, the persecution of the Ahmadiya community is absolutely wrong. It must end

Riaz Haq said...

Two of #Pakistan's top #Muslim clerics fight at CII meeting over status of #Ahmadi minority. #Apostacy #Islam

Two Pakistani clerics have come to blows at a meeting of the religious establishment over the fraught issue of the status of Ahmadis, a Muslim sect that hardliners want declared apostates.

A scuffle broke out on Tuesday between the two at a gathering of Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) when the chairman, Mohammad Khan Sherani, called on the group to consider whether Ahmadis, who are declared non-Muslims by the constitution, should be considered murtads that have rejected Islam.

A declaration of apostasy by the constitutional body charged with advising parliament on lawmaking would likely put Ahmadis in even greater peril, given that many interpretations of Islamic law prescribe death for people who quit the religion.

Tahir Ashrafi, a liberal-minded voice on the CII, strongly opposed any discussion of the incendiary issue, prompting a furious confrontation with Sherani, who is also an elected member of parliament.

Ashrafi, who heads the Pakistan Ulema Council, said discussion of the Ahmadi issue would have been dangerous. “Even if five members of the council agree they are murtads it will be a big problem, it will create violence across the country,” he said.

Ashrafi said any attacks on the Ahmadi, also known as the Ahmadiyya, community would likely be worse than riots in previous decades, given the current strength of extremist groups. “We have made a lot of effort for interfaith harmony and then [Sherani] puts himself at the head of the extremists,” he said.


In recent months, a mob burned down an Ahmadi-owned factory in the city of Jhelum and hundreds of people protested against police after they removed anti-Ahmadi signs from a shop window in Lahore.

The CII regularly makes headlines with its suggestions for strengthening the role of sharia law in Pakistan, which in recent years has included a ruling that girls as young as nine should be able to marry if they have reached puberty.

Another controversial ruling said DNA could not be used as primary evidence in rape cases as Islamic law required four witnesses to determine whether a rape has taken place.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Sherani also attempted to force a discussion on whether millions of non-Muslims in Pakistan should be subject to the medieval practice of paying a jizya tax, despite enjoying equal rights under the constitution.

Ashrafi said the grip of Sherani and other hardliners over the council had been weakened after the Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, appointed nine relatively moderate new members.