Welcome to Naseer Memon's Corner

riters, peace activists, political workers and civil society in Sindh are denouncing extremism. Last week, the streets of Karachi witnessed an unprecedented wave of protests against extremist violence. Hundreds of peace workers from various districts of the province converged at Karachi Press Club to demand justice for Dr Shahnawaz Kumbhar.

Rawadari March, a peace rally, was convened by rights activists Sindhu Nawaz, Alya Bakhshal, Romasa Chandio and others. The rally was organised to protest against custodial killing of the young doctor who was denied the right to a fair trial enshrined in the constitution after allegations of blasphemy were made against him.

The Feb 16 suicide attack on the shrine of Shahbaz Qalandar has sent shockwaves across the country, especially in Sindh which is considered as the last bastion of religious and sectarian harmony in Pakistan.

The shrine is revered by millions of devotees. Its characteristic drumbeat and dhamaal is an icon of spiritual ecstasy.

Sindh, the land of Sufis, has endured traumatic incidents of terrorism during recent years, yet Sindhi society is responding to this challenge with towering spirit and unflinching resolve -- political leadership, civil society, local media and common people will not be cowed by this wave of terrorism.

More than 80 people died in the evening on February 16, yet the following day began with the roar of dhamal when mourners broke all barriers and thronged the shrine to demonstrate their defiance to terrorism.

Events happen in this country in quick succession, often leaving the memory blurred. Incidents are interred under layers of new episodes. Only a few weeks ago, we saw a four-day paralysing sit-in in the capital city by some religious parties, questioning the illusive writ of the state. Yet a senior representative of the Punjab government brazenly claimed that no organised network of terrorists existed in Punjab.

The truth is that while successive regimes have continued to target terrorists and militants in the tribal areas, their factories in the safe haven of Punjab continue churning out fresh products.

There is a justifiable need for a massive purge of such elements from the province, but the ruling party refuses to budge.

While the media is brimming with tall claims of no relaxation to terrorists, three big fish managed to wriggle out of the clamped jaws of law during recent weeks. Simpletons are told that their lawyers were consummate enough to outshine the official mavericks in the court so the jury was constrained to let them walk free.

The case of Mumtaz Qadri is even more intriguing. In a baffling verdict while his death penalty has been maintained, the judges were convinced that the act of killing a sitting governor is not terrorism. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict says that is amazing to note that appellant (Mumtaz Qadri) took protection and rights guaranteed by the constitution, but deprived the deceased (Salman Taseer) of all constitutional guarantees. It is beyond any reasonable doubt that the murder of Salman Taseer at the hands of appellant Mumtaz Qadri was pre-planned, cold blooded and gruesome." However about the charges of terrorism, the court observed that "it was not applicable because the incident did not create panic among the public."

Amnesty International, in its recent annual report, has berated Pakistan for its ignominious record on the rights of minorities. The report laments that "religious minorities continued to face laws and practices that resulted in their discrimination and persecution. Abuses connected with the blasphemy laws occurred regularly during the year as demonstrated in several high profile cases".

Another international human rights body, Human Rights Watch (HRW), also lambasted Pakistan on the same account in its World Report 2015. The report underlined the plight of minorities by saying that "Pakistan’s government did little to stop the rising toll of killings and repression by extremist groups that target religious minorities". 

The Peshawar incident could become a turning point of in history only if the state institutions demonstrate their commitment to change of narrative. Anything less than that would mean moving in circles and waiting for next tragedy.

The government has launched a national plan of action with tall promises and fresh commitment to confront the menace of terrorism. More than a month past, the plan has yielded a number of meetings, press conferences and mounting figures of rounded up suspects. Meanwhile hangings of previously convicted criminals have become more conspicuous, encounters are on rise and it is being repeatedly asserted that the government will not discriminate between good and bad Taliban. This would be a major shift from the past if happens at all.

Sindh has witnessed a series of incidents targeting the Hindu community, like the one on the eve of Holi, the religious and cultural festival of Hindus. A gang of goons assaulted a temple, vandalised deities and torched the community centre in Larkana, following a rumour that a member of the Hindu community had desecrated the Quran.

It was a tormenting night for hundreds of peaceful Hindu families living in Larkana -- a city believed to be the ruling seat of the PPP and the Bhuttos.

While local administration’s usual slackness allowed a lunatic mob to unleash the horror, enlightened citizens including a few saner clerics, political workers and civil society activists intervened to contain the damage.