Huff Post: The execution in Pakistan of Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri — the bodyguard who in 2011, under influence of religious zealots, killed secular Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer — has strategically coincided with the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue taking place in Washington DC. Given Pakistan’s history of embracing Islamist extremism, the decision to finally execute a fanatic for murder is being cited by some as a sign of Pakistan’s willingness to confront its Islamist extremists.
Describing various events over the years as a moment of major change in Pakistan occurs with remarkable regularity. I am amongst those who are not convinced that Qadri’s execution represents a decisive shift in Pakistan’s direction. It is a symbolic gesture that Pakistanis who are attending the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue will be able to cite to their advantage.
Qadri was the personal bodyguard of the then governor of Pakistan’s largest province Punjab, Mr Salmaan Taseer. On January 4, 2011, Qadri shot Mr Taseer 27 times with an AK-47 assault rifle at a busy marketplace in Islamabad. Qadri accused Taseer of blasphemy alleging that the latter’s calls for changes in Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, one of the worst such laws in any country in the world, were akin to blasphemy.
Unlike what is being portrayed in the media, the Qadri case is not tied to extremism. Murder and extreme religious belief may coincide but there is a difference religious extremism and religious vigilantism and Qadri’s case is the latter.
Qadri did not belong to any radical jihadi group. He belonged to the Sunni Barelvi School that is traditionally associated in the South Asian region with Sufism. Radical parties like Jamaat e Islami have tried to adopt him but his core supporters fought for him – and in some cases strew rose petals in his path – because they believe that the blasphemy law should stay as is on Pakistan’s statutes.
Qadri’s murder of Taseer hit the headlines because here was a bodyguard who assassinated the person he was supposed to protect. This event led to panic within Pakistan’s elite and many of them started to fear their own bodyguards. The elite were worried that a stray or random comment by them may become the basis for action. Hence, a lesson had to be taught to prevent future Qadris.
This is not to say that there has been no change in Pakistan. Elements of Pakistani society, especially the civil society, have started to push back against the rising radicalization and extremism within Pakistan. Pakistanis who have become used to virtually no action being taken against hardline religious elements have expressed relief at this execution but it may be misplaced.
The fundamentals in Pakistan have not yet changed. The real change would be if and when the state ended its support for extremism which has yet to happen.
Categories: Anti Islam act by Muslims, Human Rights, Pakistan, The Muslim Times
It is the tragedy of Pakistani people that because of the government’s policy , they are unaware of that Islam which stops fundamentalism , radicalization and extremism . To stop the emergence of Qaderi. – like people , it is necessary that people must have that literature which says that love to huzoor SAW does mean in the following of his path , not in the killing ; which expects from a Muslim ” momin is he from whose hands and tongue , others are safe ” ; which warns ” murder one innocent is like the murder of entire humanity ” ; which validates the best moral values of religions and accepts religious diversity ” etc. Muslims must know that religion is not a fairy tale that let hazrat Isa and Mehdi come , the will not only make the world Free from Kafirs but will also make the Muslims , master of the world . Pakistani government should lift ban from the ahmadiyya literature , ahmadies should allow to organize their functions , seminars and symposiums if Muslim youths are to be saved from becoming another Qaderi.