Declan Walsh provides superb background on the social and religious inequities, marginalisation and oppression historically suffered by Pakistan’s Ahmadi community.
He presses home a point that I made here. On the complete silence that followed the massacre of more than 100 Ahmadi worshippers in 2 mosques in Lahore, in contrast to the “tsunami of outrage” of the Israeli flotilla attack.
The apathy and reticence displayed by Pakistan’s so-called “liberal elites” shows a lack of humanity that is downright repugnant. But given their silence, Walsh makes a valid point about their numbers. It raises the question, based on a famous ethical conundrum: If 100+ Ahmadi muslims are murdered in cold blood and Pakistan’s liberals do not make a noise, are there any liberals in Pakistan to speak of, at all?
It makes one realise how small the constituency of true liberals is in Pakistan – not Pervez Musharraf-style liberals, who drink whisky and attend fashion shows, but people who believe the state should cherish all citizens equally. That, after all, was the publicly expressed desire of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, 63 years ago. Today it lies in tatters.
7 Comments
faisal,
what’s your opinion of nawaz sharif’s declaration that sunny reported on at PP? hot news or hot air?
b’shalom
bananabrain
Largely hot air, I suspect. Given the fact that Nawaz Shariff’s party, Pakistan Muslim Leagure-Nawaz (PML-N), is known to have deep links with the groups associated with the “Punjab Taliban”, the very same perps behind the atrocity!
Largely hot air, I suspect.
Almost certain. Mistranslation may also be in the picture if Nawaz spoke in Urdu or Punjabi.
[...] are there any liberals in Pakistan to speak of, at all?
There are a few, but none to speak of. Even if one does find outrage in the English media – which is about the only place where one could even expect to find a liberal voice – that doesn’t count for much anyway. The vernacular media are far more important and influential.
Our self-proclaimed demagogues
http://tribune.com.pk/story/20271/our-self-proclaimed-demagogues/
That’s brilliant. Thank you John.
Another tree falling?