EDITORIAL: The fangs of religious extremism that have played an all too crucial role in leaving deep scars on the country’s social fabric, inciting hatred and violence, and fostering division and intolerance, have now ensnared the superior judiciary as the latest victim of this out-of-control menace.
The uproar created by certain political and religious parties, and some sections of the media and citizenry following the ruling given by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa in a case pertaining to the dissemination of proscribed religious literature is not just highly unfortunate, it is downright dangerous as those who are targeting the chief justice with their threatening rhetoric know the kind of adverse consequences they are inviting by indulging in their ominous propaganda. This was brought into sharp focus when even the banned TTP came out with a statement against the apex court’s ruling.
To give a brief summary of the chain of events in question, earlier in the month the chief justice had ordered the release of a petitioner after listening to his appeal against a Lahore High Court order. The accused had been charged with distributing a proscribed book, which according to the prosecution was an offence under the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) (Amendment) Act that came into effect in 2021. However, according to the FIR filed against the accused, the alleged incident had occurred in 2019 when the distribution of the proscribed book was not yet a criminal offence.
It goes without saying that applying laws retrospectively fails to meet the demands of justice, as it undermines the principle of fairness and infringes upon the rights of individuals. In addition, as the chief justice also pointed out in his ruling, the accused was not treated in accordance with the law as he ended up being imprisoned for a period far longer than what he could have been sentenced to had he been found guilty of breaking the law in question.
This simple application of law was turned on its head and a barrage of highly inflammatory rhetoric against the chief justice unleashed, with calls being made for the “controversial” order to be withdrawn. Provocative falsehoods were propagated creating the impression that the superior judiciary, in its ruling, denied the validity of the Second Amendment or called for doing away with laws in our statute books that pertain to crimes against religion, something which the Supreme Court has vociferously denied.
Given Pakistan’s morbid history of religious intolerance and how similar allegations in the past have led to loss of innocent lives, it is difficult to dispel the disturbing impression that this slanderous campaign is meant to cause physical harm. Those participating in it need to realise that they are actually on the same page as the TTP, a terror outfit with the blood of countless Pakistanis on its hands. That just goes to show the lack of substance in their self-righteous rage as well as a complete absence of scruples.
Be that as it may, evidence of religious tolerance can be found in every country or society as well as evidence of religious intolerance. There are many shades of religious intolerance and the rhetoric on display in Pakistan is nothing but an abominable shade of intolerance. However, the best revenge for toxic people is to ignore them.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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