For decades religious intolerance and violence have created havoc in Pakistan. On June 11, an extremist group, the All Pakistan Students Khatam-e-Nabuwat Federation, handed out pamphlets in the country's third largest city, Faisalabad, inciting people to kill hundreds of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, thus fulfilling their religious duty and cleansing the place of infidels.
The pamphlets included a hit list with names and addresses of industrialists, teachers and doctors. The Pakistani government has chosen to look the other way.
Ahmadi Muslims believe in the Messiah. They condemn religious violence and compulsion, promote universal human rights and practice universal social justice, regardless of race, religion or gender.
Other faith communities have also been targeted by the extremists. The minister for religious minorities, a Christian, was killed earlier this year. The Muslim governor of the Punjab province was assassinated for supporting the release of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman imprisoned for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad and criticizing Pakistan's blasphemy law. The Draconian law is open not only to misinterpretation, but to every kind of abuse. It is often used to settle personal scores.
The United States cannot turn a blind eye to the increasing religious extremism and intolerance in Pakistan, its ally in war on terror. It should pressure Pakistan to put an end to the state-sponsored terror and repeal the blasphemy law.
Samin Khan
Albany
Earlier: napaki.tumblr.com
Twitter handle: @napaki
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