The incident in Punjab that has resulted in the deaths and displacement of Christians is a disgrace perpetrated by thugs that place their vested interests above the good of their country. President Zardari’s immediate reaction against these acts is the proper response of the nation’s leader.
Muslims and non-muslims living together in peace and with mutual respect is nothing new. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) established Dustur al-Madinah which established the rights of minority groups living in the Islamic state of Medina.
Article 227 of the Constitution clearly states that “All existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, in this Part referred to as the Injunctions of Islam, and no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to such Injunctions.”
Clearly, a groundbreaking lesson of Sunnah is that minority groups will be protected in an Islamic state. What does this mean for Pakistan’s minorities? It means that they shall be protected as the minorities were protected by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Medina.
The authorities, who said the Koran accusation was spurious, filed criminal charges in the case late Sunday and apprehended at least 12 people. Officials said a banned Sunni militant group, Sipah-e-Sohaba, was among those responsible for the attacks, the third convulsion of anti-Christian mob violence in the region in the past four weeks.
If militants are attacking minorities in attempt to start a civil war, how is this not a crime not only against the minorities, but against Pakistan? By their actions, militants show that they are not guided by Sunnah or any laws, but only by their own lust for power.
Thankfully, President Zardari immediately dispatched Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister of Minority Affairs, to Punjab to address the situation and ensure the Christian community that they will be protected from such scoundrels.
Zardari said the state must protect civilians under attack from a handful of vengeful and armed groups, APP reported, citing presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar. A judicial inquiry will be held into the incident that will “give some comfort to the victims that the state is not biased,” the president said.
Others have already noted that President Zardari has responded well and deserves praise for his reaction.
The much cursed president Asif Ali Zardari took notice of the violence and ordered immediate end to violence. The minister of minorities has been ordered to visit the area. Zardari has always maintained a clear secular stand from the start. He has expressed it many times from his opposition to sharia laws to his opposition to Swat deal till the end despite Army’s pressure. His action to save Christians when 99% of Pakistanis are not even aware of the incident confirms his secular inclinations. The much cursed man acted better than many. Well Done Zardari
President Zardari’s swift reaction is absolutely correct, and demonstrates to militants and the world community that Pakistan will not be threatened, coerced, or tricked into turning its back on its people. Whether or not they are minorities, Pakistanis must feel safe in their homes. They must know that their families will not be targeted by radicals who seek to use them as pawns in a game to overthrow the state.
