Dear Readers,
It seems we are just not ready to learn any lessons from past mistakes, we continue repeating them again and again and keep hoping for different results but each time we get the same result and life goes on. Demanding the expulsion of the French Ambassador to Pakistan against publication of blasphemous images in that country, the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) launched protests from April 11 that soon turned violent. 5 policemen were killed, one after being brutally tortured, many others injured while public and private property was destroyed. In Lahore TLP workers took five policemen, among them a deputy superintendent of police hostage after storming a police station. Taking the law in their hands is how the TLP has operated starting from its November 2017 Faizabad sit-in. Its leaders have openly incited hate and made abusive threats that led to violence and a complete breakdown of law and order, with major cities coming to a standstill for days. Every time this organisation has used mob violence, challenging the writ of the State which was content to sign “agreements” and backed away. No wonder the TLP is emboldened after every such event. After watching the unfolding mayhem for days the government finally moved, banning the TLP under the Terrorism Act 1997. The question now remains, how will the authorities prevent it not resurfacing under a new name as many organisations have done in the past? While the ban is an assertive step, it must not be allowed to fall prey to inaction and apathy. Given the violent manner in which TLP has been operating, it can pose great danger to the State, every measure must be taken to complete the process of removing it from the national narrative. It is the State’s responsibility to protect its own. My article “France A Real Friend in Need” is reproduced below for the benefit of readers:
“Pakistan is looking another major home-made calamity in the face. Known for provocative anti-religious writing and picturing French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” suffered a deadly jihadist attack in Paris in 2015 for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They republished the same cartoons in September last year. Comments by French President Macron in October in support of the magazine’s right to publish the cartoons triggered anger across the Muslim world, with tens of thousands in Pakistan, neighbouring Iran and other Muslim countries, flooding the streets and organising anti-French boycotts. State secularism (laïcité) is central to the country’s national identity; in France freedom of expression in schools and other public spaces being part of that, curbing it to protect the feelings of a particular religion is seen as undermining national unity. Their secularism includes rejection of all religions, including but not limited to Islam.
Following the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri in 2016,the murderer of former Governor Salman Taseer, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) rose to fame. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) being the centre piece of their belief, the Tehrik demands that Sharia law be established as the fundamental law in Pakistan. All Muslims without exception believe in the Prophet-hood of Muhammad (PBUH) and its finality. Most TLP members belong to the Barelvi school of Islam comprising of upto two-thirds of Pakistani Muslims. With strong relations to Sufism this Barelvi brand used to be regarded as peaceful, but during the last decade they have turned to violence, attempting to counter the spread of Islamophobia in the West and the growing globalization that brings such western sentiments fast into focus of traditional Muslim societies.
Street protests organized by TLP broke out against the publication of the Prophet’s (PBUH) caricatures in April, it is still not clear why six months after the actual re-print? After about three weeks new protests were organized, this time in the big cities of Pakistan. Violent clashes took place between the protesters and the police. To prevent the protests from continuing are solution was presented in Parliament on 20th April demanding to expel the French Ambassador. That would certainly lead to 27 other EU ambassadors going with him seriously damaging Pakistani relations with Europe.
It is unthinkable that Pakistan’s foreign policy should be decided by the mob in the streets of Islamabad or Karachi. A break-up of relations with France would not only severely damage our international standing which has been recently on the upswing given our successful policy to help peace in Afghanistan, it would certainly impact our economic relations with the EU and the West. When we were faced with sanctions after 1965 and then again in 1990 when we struggled to make a credible military deterrent against India, other than China only France withstood pressure from the US and other western countries, thus ensuring critical supplies of aircraft’s and missiles, submarines, electronic equipment, etc. Imran Khan warned that more than half of the Pakistani exports goes to the EU having both adverse economic and political consequences particularly in the middle of the ongoing pandemic. Our detractors have taken this opportunity to smear our image. The EU Parliament has overwhelming adopted (with 681 in favour out of 705, 3 against and 9 abstaining)a Resolution that calls for the review of the GSP+ status of Pakistan. Because of an “alarming” increase in the use of blasphemy accusations in the country as well as rising number of online and offline attacks on journalists and civil society organisations, the EU resolution also calls on the Government of Pakistan to “unequivocally condemn” incitement to violence and discrimination against religious minorities in the country, and expresses “deep concern” at the prevailing anti-French sentiment in Pakistan! Citing various incidents of members of religious minorities killed or imprisoned in Pakistan over accusations of blasphemy Member of European Parliament (MEP) Charlie Weimers of Sweden, who co-authored the Resolution in his remarks said, “Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, rather than defend his citizens’ human rights against false accusers, equated denial of the Holocaust and genocide to criticism of Islam’s Prophet (PBUH)”. Blasphemy law was unknown in South Asia till brought in by the British in 1860.
Consider the criminalizing of “Denial of Holocaust” in EU, certainly the EU countries have a right to frame their own laws. Similarly, Muslims have a right to criminalise blasphemy against the Prophet (PBUH). While the two cannot be equated, it is the principle of each country having the right to frame laws according to its own particular requirements. There are serious reservations about the implementation of the Blasphemy Law and the manner and mode it is grossly misused in Pakistan, these certainly need rectification. To quote my article “Misusing Religion” of Nov 1, 2018, “to end manipulating the laws by false accusation, which seems to happen more often than not, the accusers should face the same penalty that would be imposed on those they accuse if their accusation is proven to be false”, unquote. It is very good that the govt will engage with the EU to address both the GSP Plus status and the blasphemy laws. Pakistan should neither yield to pressure of TLP nor to that of the West but must do the right thing.
Despite a tremendously successful campaign against the TTP by the Pakistan Army and the PAF, and de-escalation measures for former militants, the home-grown militancy has been left unopposed and untackled. The right step of banning the TLP cannot be the end. The state and the law enforcing institutions need to regain control over militant organizations and militant people. One can disagree on political issues but violence is not the way to solve problems. Malcontents presently out in the cold will join the fray to regain their nuisance value, no surprise that Maulana Fazlur Rahman quickly lined up behind TLP. Most French nationals cautioned by their Embassy to leave the country stayed, clearly indicating thus showing trust in Pakistanis and the Pakistani state to do the right thing. We should honour their trust.
On April 9, 1948, Leon Marchal, the first French Ambassador to Pakistan, presented his credentials to the Quaid. Consider extracts from the Quaid’s speech on the occasion, “The magnificent history of your great country and its achievements are well-known to the world. In common with other nations, we in Pakistan have admired the high principles of democracy that form five basic principles of your great State. The cry of Liberty, Fraternity and Equality, which was raised during your Great Revolution and officially adopted by your great Republic, had its repercussion throughout the world, as is known to buoying up the hopes of many downtrodden nations”, adding, “With knowledge of our brother Muslim countries, you (France) inaugurate a new era which, I hope, will lead to inaugurate a new era between France and Pakistan”, unquote. The Founder of the Nation further told the Ambassador, “The people of France and Pakistan are not strangers to one another. Pakistan will give you our support and co-operation which you may require in promoting relationship of goodwill and friendship between our two countries”, unquote. Addressing the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on April 28, 1948, the Quaid pointed out that given our urgent need to be connected with the world as soon as possible. France was one of the first few countries that helped Pakistan to immediately establish our Civil Aviation.
Seventy three years later both countries have become hostage to those on the extremist fringes. Do we want to expel the French Ambassador when President Macron’s off-the-cuff comment really does not reflect the feelings of the vast majority of the French population, a growing part of whom is muslim? (A defence and security analyst the writer is Chairman Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR) and Vice Chairman Board of Management Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Institute of Nation Building).”
“The opinions/views expressed in Defence Journal are entirely those of the writers and cannot be construed to reflect the official views of Defence Journal”.
