Peshawar and Paris.

I don’t know if I am angry or sad about what happened in Peshawar and now in Paris. One was violation of freedom to live and the other violation of freedom of speech/expression. But the common denominator remains the same. Religious Extremism. I won’t go on to say Islam is the religion of terrorists, but I would definitely say that the Muslim world is significantly more intolerant than other religions.

I understand the angst in killing in Paris, for the victims were ‘infidels’. The term, for those who are not Muslims or don’t believe in Islam, popularized by religious clerics at madrasas and by terrorists in camps. For the perpetrators believed that the cartoonists had desecrated the prophet. But what about Peshawar, the victims practiced the same religion, didn’t desecrate the prophet, probably prayed 5 times a day, loved their parents and most importantly were innocent. Why them? They weren’t ‘infidels’.

Paris

Though the act in Paris was carried out by terrorists, but it surely didn’t cringe most Muslims, for they too believed that the cartoonists erred and deserved to be punished. An Indian Muslim leader announced a reward to whoever killed the cartoonists. An Iranian cleric issued a fatwa against these cartoonists. But the entire Muslim world was cast in a pall of gloom after what happened in Peshawar. Because their own brethren had been massacred? Did the same Muslim leader or cleric offer any reward or issue a fatwa against the perpetrators of Peshawar? Because the perpetrators this time were of their own brethren and they were killing in the name of prophet and the fighting for a sharia law.

Is Islam so fundamentally unstable that couple of cartoons can destroy the status of their deity? Is it so unstable that it cannot brush aside these insults and move on with their 5 times a day prayer? Is it so unstable that to prove its point, it kills a Muslim security guard in cold blood and kills over a hundred innocent children? I sure believe it wasn’t, but the interpretations are so fatalist and hard lined. And there lies the problem. The self-proclaimed messengers of prophet’s diktat are killing a religion which probably was only created for prosperity of a certain section and instill discipline.

Even though west may have been insensitive to Islam, but the fact remains they have let Muslims live and prosper in their country and even offered refuge. There could be racist flavors in the west and that exists in every country, but the state has given them equal rights. They have let their land be used for masjids and madrassas. Be it Europe or the Americas. But demanding respect for their religion and specifically Allah is a matter of choice for people from other religion. If the Muslim community places their religious beliefs over quality of life, they should go to an absolute Islamic country and live a religious life, than demand respect for their religion in a Christian or Hindu state.

Would Saudi Arabia let non-Muslims carry religious texts into their country or even let a Church or Hindu temple be built on its land? I don’t think so. Then why do the Muslims demand such things on other’s land. The Muslim community creates a ruckus for the right to wear a hijab in schools in Europe but does object to a woman, from west, wearing a skirt in Saudi Arabia? So it goes on to say” you come to my country and you play by my draconian beliefs, but when I come to yours, I will throw all of your rules out of the window and practice my beliefs”. Classic, isn’t it?

Peshawar

Peshawar was a case of a state failing its citizen and snatching their right to live. For long Pakistan had harbored the fundamentalists, first for the mujahedeen war, then the 1996 toppling of Afghanistan by Taliban and then sheltering them after 9/11. And the same jihadis now targeted what was supposed to be the future of Pakistan. It was too late for Pakistan to differentiate between the good and bad terrorists after the attack. Apart from condemning, there was nothing done as terrorists in Pakistan still enjoy a safe haven.

In November, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan should not target militants who do not threaten the country's security." Why should America's enemies unnecessarily become our enemies," Sartaj Aziz said during an interview with BBC Urdu. I feel sad for any country that has leaders such as this one. This man is okay with militants using his country to launch attacks on other countries, but hates the tradeoff that comes with it. He begs for money from US, but does not want the trouble that the money was supposed to take care of.

Salman Taseer, who vehemently opposed the blasphemy law and pleaded for reforms, was killed in 2011 for his views. And the killer was not only showered with praise but his trial was obstructed too by clerics and their supporters. They don’t spare their own, for religion has the highest pedestal possible in Pakistan or in most Islamic countries. Pakistan would need to dismantle all types of terrorist infrastructure in their country if it hopes to keep its sovereignty intact and not be dictated by clerics and madrassas.