Jaranwalla: An Eye Opener To Extremism

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: The Jaranwalla incident has rocked the entire nation as vandalism of churches and properties shows how the charged mob was led by a group of people representing religious parties.

The incident depicts many shortfalls, and the nation as a whole is targeted by the international media for being intolerant and extremist.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has condemned the incident and directed the authorities concerned to bring criminals to justice. The incident is aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image, and the incitement to the public is done deliberately to create a scene to divert attention.

The law on these occasions, as always, sidesteps and, most of the time, does a disappearing act and is never seen when it is needed most.

The images show how the police acted when the mob was vandalising the churches one after the other while announcements were made repeatedly to mobilise the crowd.

The announcement from the mosque made Christians run in panic, as they knew what was coming and, fearing for their lives, took shelter where they could get a chance. Many were protected by their Muslim neighbors and friends, who opened their doors and stood up against the infuriated group that was stopping at nothing.

These incidents are done with different motives, and there is a possibility that there is more to them than meets the eye.

Minorities in Pakistan, particularly Christians, have formed small communities, and most are in the low-income segment of society associated with cleaning jobs.They have over the years made their dwelling at places that are considered prime locations, and people harbour ill will towards them as, despite having no facilities, they still make more than others.

There are many applications pending in government offices by these minorities seeking basic amenities of life, which have become a far-fetched dream for many millions in Pakistan.

The laws are there, and arrests have been made, but what happens when people just trample on the law and do as they please? The law of the land is sadly not applied in many cases, and a commoner of Pakistan is a witness to that on many occasions.

People are killed, properties are burned, and years pass for the ‘promised claim’ that never materialises.

The law of the land promises protection for minorities, but incidents in the past have shown how brutal the mob can become under fiery clerics, and even burning people alive doesn’t stop them from thinking that it’s a human life.

The history of blasphemy incidents and real reasons tell a different story all together, but neither religious scholars nor the media make it a part of their sermons as to what actually happened, nor does the media, which knows the facts but fails miserably in educating the masses.

The government has announced that it is rebuilding the Christian colony and, on the whole, has apologised for the gruesome acts involving the desecration of the Bible. The cleaning and rebuilding will start in a few days but will the people be able to settle down at the same place that was burned to punish them? The answer to the query is in the reason for the incident.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

The article is assessment of the writer, and it can be contrary to the editorial policy of the organisation.