Is there any doubt in any one's mind that Multan was an outcome of Sialkot vendetta? A continuation of the sectarian feud?
'Feud' is too small a word for it- it is a full-scale war with no holds barred.
Could the perpetrators of such heinous crimes be called the followers of Islam by any stretch of imagination? People are anguished and questioning as to how and when such wanton killing of the innocent Muslims by the Muslims will come to an end? Who will put this fire out which has been kindled in the name of Islam? Can government alone do it? Imposing sanctions on such sectarian organisations either send them underground or make them operate under new names.
To my mind there are two ways for controlling the menace. One, the government comes down with a real heavy hand and bans all religious political parties in the country which give rise to sectarianism in any manner. The party leadership must be held responsible for even a single sectarian killing and hanged in public.
But does the government have the guts, gumption or the will to do it? Will the people - particularly the naïve brain-washed youth - co-operate with the government in unearthing such underground organisations or will they offer them the required protection?
Two, let's pull out the religion out of our domestic politics and as a first step rename the Islam Republic of Pakistan as simply Pakistan. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is exploiting Islam for his/their own nefarious ends. And in the process they are not only giving false hopes and promises to the poor and simpletons but also inciting them against the government, the West and each other, inadvertently fanning sectarianism.
Ever since, Nau Sitarays introduced Nizam-e-Mustafa in our politics, and later on Zia brought in his brand of Islam with Lashkars, Jashes, Sipahas and Harkats we have had not a day of rest in Pakistan It is time that we stood up and asked for doing away with all these in the name of Pakistan.
It is time that we raised our voice to be left alone to live and let live in peace and harmony. It is time we rejected enforcement of various brands of Islam by these so-called custodians of Islam. It is time we 'killed' such sectarian killings.