17 Oct 2012
A
star is born as a symbol of change and a beacon of light for a
progressive and liberal Pakistan of tomorrow. Malala Yousafzai is a
flower which has sprouted from the very grounds where the dark forces
ruled briefly, where religion was presented in its crudest form, where
the doors of education were banged shut.
The 14-year-old has emerged as an icon as courageous as the man who stood alone in front of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989, during the protests and massacre in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Malala has stood against the evil forces which have tarnished the image not only of Pakistan but also of Islam in a way that had never been done since its advent 15 centuries ago. Islam was never endangered by blasphemous attacks like the YouTube documentary Innocence of Muslims, but the universal, benevolent and humanitarian image of Islam has definitely been blotted by the militants and extremists who have been using it to further their nefarious agenda. Islam was never spread by the sword, nor could it be by the gun. Malala Yousafzai has shown the true face of Islam by her love for education and enlightenment, which were the hallmarks of the great civilization of Muslims.
With the Taliban and Al-Qaeda propagating their obscurantist creed, Islam is certainly passing through a dark period. There is no religion in the world that doesn’t advocate love and kindness or champion the cause of the wronged and the suppressed. Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders and their followers have only been propagating an antithesis of Islam, maligning the great religion by staging such barbaric and brutal acts. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to call them anti-Islam agents as their actions have eroded the good name of Islam.
Yet, the militants are fully backed by many religious leaders. Dastardly attacks like that the one on Malala Yousafzai are not boldly condemned by them. Even moderate and liberal political leaders choose not to openly confront militants and pay only lip service by issuing statements of condemnation in the media. Imran Khan didn’t even condemn it lest he should antagonize the Taliban.
The statement and the resolve of the army chief are a positive sign. Malala should be a pathfinder for the establishment, which is primarily responsible for clearing the mess it created in the first place. But events like the downing of a chopper over North Waziristan by a heat-seeking missile fired by the Taliban and compelling Imran Khan not to enter South Waziristan are a broad indication that even the Pakistani army is not ready to take the risk against the Taliban infesting North Waziristan. Keeping in view the ground realities, the targeted drone attacks, despite their negative impact, remain the only powerful weapon to eliminate Taliban leaders.
There is little time left and society is about to lose patience with the situation. Pakistan’s armed forces have already caused inordinate delay. They must clear out all nurseries where extremists are trained and indoctrinated. It’s high time all Pakistani leaders across the political divide put their weight behind the army and gave it a go-ahead signal. The army will be reluctant without such a backing. Pakistani leaders have a history of backtracking and blaming the armed forces usually after the event. This is what they did when Lal Masjid in Islamabad was cleansed. Even after the backing by the national leaders, the army will have to pay a price and make more sacrifices. Let Malala be the game-changer. The enemy within is worse than the enemy at the borders.
Written by M.A.K Lodhi, a writer for News International
The 14-year-old has emerged as an icon as courageous as the man who stood alone in front of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989, during the protests and massacre in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Malala has stood against the evil forces which have tarnished the image not only of Pakistan but also of Islam in a way that had never been done since its advent 15 centuries ago. Islam was never endangered by blasphemous attacks like the YouTube documentary Innocence of Muslims, but the universal, benevolent and humanitarian image of Islam has definitely been blotted by the militants and extremists who have been using it to further their nefarious agenda. Islam was never spread by the sword, nor could it be by the gun. Malala Yousafzai has shown the true face of Islam by her love for education and enlightenment, which were the hallmarks of the great civilization of Muslims.
With the Taliban and Al-Qaeda propagating their obscurantist creed, Islam is certainly passing through a dark period. There is no religion in the world that doesn’t advocate love and kindness or champion the cause of the wronged and the suppressed. Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders and their followers have only been propagating an antithesis of Islam, maligning the great religion by staging such barbaric and brutal acts. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to call them anti-Islam agents as their actions have eroded the good name of Islam.
Yet, the militants are fully backed by many religious leaders. Dastardly attacks like that the one on Malala Yousafzai are not boldly condemned by them. Even moderate and liberal political leaders choose not to openly confront militants and pay only lip service by issuing statements of condemnation in the media. Imran Khan didn’t even condemn it lest he should antagonize the Taliban.
The statement and the resolve of the army chief are a positive sign. Malala should be a pathfinder for the establishment, which is primarily responsible for clearing the mess it created in the first place. But events like the downing of a chopper over North Waziristan by a heat-seeking missile fired by the Taliban and compelling Imran Khan not to enter South Waziristan are a broad indication that even the Pakistani army is not ready to take the risk against the Taliban infesting North Waziristan. Keeping in view the ground realities, the targeted drone attacks, despite their negative impact, remain the only powerful weapon to eliminate Taliban leaders.
There is little time left and society is about to lose patience with the situation. Pakistan’s armed forces have already caused inordinate delay. They must clear out all nurseries where extremists are trained and indoctrinated. It’s high time all Pakistani leaders across the political divide put their weight behind the army and gave it a go-ahead signal. The army will be reluctant without such a backing. Pakistani leaders have a history of backtracking and blaming the armed forces usually after the event. This is what they did when Lal Masjid in Islamabad was cleansed. Even after the backing by the national leaders, the army will have to pay a price and make more sacrifices. Let Malala be the game-changer. The enemy within is worse than the enemy at the borders.
Written by M.A.K Lodhi, a writer for News International
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