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Tradition of Sectarian Violence in Pakistan Continues: Sign of no End Part-3 The infighting between Sunni terrorists Vs Shia ultras
in Pakistan shows no sign of ending. Though the ratio of Sunni-Shia attacks on
each other is not one to one, Shias are not as weak as Christians and
Quadiyanis in Pakistan or as weak as Hindus-Christians-Ahmediyas in
Bangladesh. Shias are quite determined to fight back in Pakistan, though they
may not be numerically as strong as Sunnis. Shias constitute about 20 % of the
population of Pakistan. Ban
imposed on religious processions on the streets and any assembly in mosques
other than namaz by the central and local governments has not improved the
tense situation of terror stricken Pakistan. And there is no sign of easing
the tense situation. Communalism, Fundamentalism, Terrorism, Fanaticism, and
Obscurantism – thy name is Pakistan. Thank God, we East Bengalis severed
from that ugly Pakistan, though we had to pay a heavy price, and still paying. No
doubt, apparently General Pervez Musharraf in his own style is trying to
constrain to limit the Islamic extremism of Sunnism. But no visible effect is
felt yet. The Pakistani society is basically an obscurantist & religiously
fanatic society. Liberal modernism has not penetrated into the society.
Anglo-Mohammedanism Movement of early nineteenth century of Sir Sayed Ahmed is
a total failure- it did not succeed to usher a new liberal minded Muslim
middleclass bent in freethinking & open intellectualism. Aligarh College,
later a University failed to generate a spirit of modernism with broad outlook
among the Muslim community, with few exceptions. Instead it produced a
sectarian Muslim elite, which gave intellectual support to Jinna’s
non-practical Pakistan movement. BBC’s
Zaffar Abbas (11-10-04) reported that ‘some had hoped that Pakistan’s
crackdown on Islamic extremists would herald a period of religious harmony.’
But government’s peace-keeping agencies’ hope had dashed away by the
recent happening of consecutive bomb blasts in Shia mosques and assembly of
Sunni sympathizers of an unlawful Islamic Terrorist organization. Once
again on 10th October a Shia mosque at historic city of Lahore was
the target of attack of terrorism. A bomb was blasted at the entrance of the
Husaina Hall mosque when a suicidal bomber detonated a device as people had
gathered for evening prayer. The report says that a man with a brief case
tried to force his way into the mosque. When the security guards stopped him,
he opened fire and blew himself up. The incident killed two security guards
and four others including a boy of 13 years old—six in total. This month
alone no less than 70 musullis on both sides of Shias and Sunnis were killed
in a series of terrorist attacks on the mosques. BBC informs that ‘a mood of
anger inside the Shia mosque, (exists), with Shia Muslims who worship there,
refusing to let police enter the premise.‘ The
people of Lahore is rather astonished as Lahore, relatively a peaceful city,
has been free of sectarian and communal frenzies so far. Lahorites felt that
this is a result of upsurge of old cycle of violence perpetuated by extremists
from Sunnis and Shias, two main sects of Islam. No Islamic extremist group or
individual has claimed for carrying on the attack so far. The
government of Punjub as well as central government had put Police and the army
on high alert nationwide particularly for Friday congregations. For the last
few months here are some major sectarian violence: 10th October (Lahore): 6
killed in mosque (Shia) attack 7th October (Multan): 40
killed in a Sunni gathering 1st October (Sialkot):
30 killed in a Shia mosque 31st May (Karachi): 20
killed inside a Shia mosque 30th May (Karachi): An
elderly Sunni cleric Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai shot dead 14th May (Lahore):
6 members of a Shia family shot dead 7th May (Karach0): 15 devotees killed inside a Shia mosque
Whatever might be the reason of Shia-Sunni conflict in Pakistan lying in history of Islam, the fact is that Pakistan as a modern state is a failure. It has failed to build itself as a state of equal rights for all its citizens irrespective of their sectarian beliefs and religious faiths. Instead it has declared itself an ‘Islamic Republic’ thus banning rights to non-Muslim communities in Pakistan. Sunnis thought that by the term ‘Islamic’ it meant the Sunni variant of Islam, as Pakistan constitution bars to frame any laws which go against the basic principles of Islam and Sunnism. Other Muslims belonging to other tariqas have no place in the republic with rights equal to Sunnis. So history of Pakistan is the history terrorism, communal and sectarian riots, killings, and autocracy under the patronage of militarism. Pakistan military is one of the most fanatic institutions in the world whose tradition our BD army unfortunately inherited, although it claimed that the BD army grew out of our great war of liberation. But it is an irony of fate, it did not inherit the spirit of liberation war- the liberalism, tolerance to all, and secularism, in stead our army draws inspiration from Islamic spirit whatever that means. The result of schisms between various group of Islamic doctrines, the inter religion hatred and riots had taken many innocent lives in Pakistan since its birth. Only because of Shia-Sunni hatred and conflict since 1980, more than 4,000 people have lost their lives. What answers the followers of Islam would give on the day of judgment (the day of Kiyamot) ? A Sunni Imam killed at Karachi
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