Is Pakistan rapidly degenerating into a Jurassic Park? Consider
the following events :
On 7.5.2014 an eminent lawyer and human rights activist,
Rashid Rehman Khan, was shot dead by some assailants while he was sitting in
his lawyer's office. He was evidently killed because he was representing a
University teacher, Junaid Hafeez, in a blasphemy case. During the trial
proceedings he was threatened in open court by some lawyers that unless he
withdraws from the case he will be killed.
In Pakistan lawyers and witnesses for the defence in
blasphemy cases are almost invariably threatened that if they do not withdraw
they will be assassinated. Many judges are scared to hear such cases or to
acquit the accused even if there is no credible evidence against him.
Rashid Rehman Khan was a very active human rights worker in
Pakistan, and was a coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan..
Whenever a person died in custody he would take up his case. If a woman's face
was burnt with acid, he would rush to get her medical help. He fought against
'honour killing' of young girls. He trekked the most backward area of Dera
Ghazi Khan, a tribal area, and documented the misery of people living there. He
went to that part of Rahim Yar Khan where low caste Hindus live without any
rights, and reported their plight.. He was the first to take up Mukhtaran Mai's
case. He fought Sherry Rehman's persecutors upto the High Court level. He had
special interest in the welfare of peasants, and demanded land reforms and
tenants' rights ( in much of Pakistan landlordism still prevails).
Despite all this, consider what followed his murder :
1. Journalists in his home town Multan did not dare to write about
his murder.
2. Judges in Lahore High Court are avoiding hearing Aisa Bibi's appeal
3. Multan police is not seriously investigating the murder.
4. There have been no serious protests against this dastardly
crime, and most Pakistanis remain mum, obviously out of fear.
On 12.05.2014 Dr. Faisal Manzoor, a prominent Shia medical
practitioner, was gunned down outside his hospital in Hasanabdad. Dr. Faizal,
after getting his medical degree, could have gone to America or England, like
many other doctors and earned a lot of money there, but instead he chose to go
to his small home town to serve the people there, where he built a modern
hospital. When an earthquake struck North Pakistan he loaded a truck with
medicines, food, blankets and tents, and headed north, where he camped and
distributed help to the needy. Why was he killed? because he was a prominent
Shia.
Similarly Dr. Ali Haider, an eye surgeon, along with his son were
shot dead in Lahore. Dr. Babar, Dr. Faizal's cousin, was also shot dead. What
were their cimes? That they were Shias. Many other such examples can be given.
On 28.5.2014 a pregnant woman, Farzana Parveen, was stoned to
death in midday outside the Lahore High Court in a busy thoroughfare as an
'honour killing' for marrying a man against the wishes of her parents. Her
father, brothers, and cousins were among the assailants. One family member tied
her neck with a cloth, while others smashed her skull with bricks. All this was
done in the public gaze. Her father later said he killed his daughter because she
had dishonoured the family, and he had no regrets.
According to reports, about 1000 girls are victims of 'honour
killings' every year. 83% Pakistanis support stoning to death for adultery. One
couple killed their daughter for 'dishonoring' them by throwing acid on her
face.
On 26.5.2014 Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar, a Canadian citizen since the early 90s, was gunned down in front of his wife and child in the town of Chenab Nagar in Pakistan. He had travelled from Canada to Pakistan to train local doctors at Tahir Heart Institute for 3 weeks. He was shot dead by fanatics because he belonged to the Ahmedi sect. Two men on motorbikes shot him in the back, and when he turned, fired 10 more rounds into his chest. He was the youngest of 7 brothers and sisters, all of whom had migrated to North America out of fear of religious persecution.
On 26.5.2014 Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar, a Canadian citizen since the early 90s, was gunned down in front of his wife and child in the town of Chenab Nagar in Pakistan. He had travelled from Canada to Pakistan to train local doctors at Tahir Heart Institute for 3 weeks. He was shot dead by fanatics because he belonged to the Ahmedi sect. Two men on motorbikes shot him in the back, and when he turned, fired 10 more rounds into his chest. He was the youngest of 7 brothers and sisters, all of whom had migrated to North America out of fear of religious persecution.
Minorities in Pakistan (Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Ahmedis, and
Shias) live in a state of fear, and are particularly vulnerable .
This is the inevitable consequence of declaring Pakistan as an Islamic state.
This is the inevitable consequence of declaring Pakistan as an Islamic state.
