When I say change in this post, I am not
talking about a common Pakistani’s outlook; but about Pakistan government’s view.
It’s not that overnight, Pakistan’s government become a white horse. No, that
is not the case. But I believe that, there is a genuine desire for change at
Islamabad; this desire may break if Rawalpindi resists.
Pakistan government’s willingness to act on
certain occasions is an indication that, they are ready to change. First case
in point is the hanging of Mumtaz Quadri.
Hanging Quadri
Quadri was a police bodyguard for
then Panjab governor Salman Taseer. However, Quadri turned out to be the
assassin of Taseer rather than a protector. What irritated him and other
hardliners is the fact that, Taseer pushed forward a presidential pardon to a Christian
woman who was sentenced to death on blasphemy
charges. This is an accusation for which producing proof will repeat the blasphemy.
Government could have sat on the decision to
execute him for a very long time. Not taking any decision made sense, as hanging
him may result in law and order problems. However, government went ahead with
hanging (though administration had to order broadcasters to downplay the even
and block news about his funeral).
Hindu Marriage
Bill
The National
Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Monday passed the final draft
of Hindu Marriage Bill 2015, where five Hindu lawmakers were specially
invited...The Bill will now be tabled in the National Assembly where it has
fair chances of being passed as the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
party is supporting it. - The Hindu
Honor Killings
After the documentary
– A Girl in the River - was nominated for Oscar’s in January “but before it
being screened nationally, the film caught the attention of Pakistani Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif who vowed to tackle a deeply rooted tradition in the
country that sanctions killing women who disobey male elders in matters of love
and marriage”. - WSJ
Criminalizing Violence against women
The new law
criminalizes all forms of violence against women, whether domestic,
psychological or sexual, and calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse
reporting hot line and the establishment of shelters.
It might be
the recent high profile extremist attacks in Pakistan’s own territory - including
the one at school on December 2014 (killed more than 130 students) - made a
major opinion change about extremism in civilian government (probably among top
brass at Rawalpindi as well). Certainly this is not enough; Pakistan has to
seriously act against extremists which regularly blew up minorities spiritual
places and extremists focused and obsessed with the idea of destroying India.
Looks like
government is willing for a change, will they take the first step and walk all
the way to free South Asia from extremists? Or is it too big to ask from
Current Pakistan government?
Sajeev
References
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