Possibly in response to the barrage of criticism the Punjab government has faced since the attack on Ahmedi places of worship in Lahore at the end of May, the PML-N chief, somewhat belatedly, has said that the Ahmedis were "our brothers and sisters" and deserved protection as citizens of Pakistan.
It is a pity this realisation had not dawned earlier. Had this happened, we might not have seen the massacre that resulted in such tremendous loss and such immense suffering. Till now, the PML-N has taken a somewhat ambiguous view on the question of extremism. In 1998, under the government of Shahbaz Sharif, the town of Rabwah, home to some 70,000 Ahmedis, was renamed Chenabnagar against the wishes of the majority of its residents. The move followed a resolution in the Punjab Assembly that stated the word 'Rabwah' should not be used for a place which was a centre of 'Qadianiyat'. More recently, Ahmedi leaders, given a voice by the media, have pointed out that one of the militants hospitalised after the terrorist attacks was permitted by authorities to use his mobile phone and even meet his family.
The PML-N has repeatedly condemned terrorism and suicide bombings but has been less vocal in speaking out against the Taliban or Al Qaeda as groups that promote such violence. While the attempts by the interior minister and the Punjab governor to make political capital from the Ahmedi attacks is unfortunate, it is a fact, as they have vociferously pointed out, that groups based in southern Punjab have been allowed to operate freely. What Rehman Malik does not say, however, is whether any effort is being made at the central level to undo the 1974 law, written onto the statute books by a PPP government, that instantly converted the Ahmedis into 'non-Muslims'.
As things stand, only three mainstream parties have taken an unambiguous position against militant outfits. The PPP, the MQM and the ANP are joined in this by a few smaller groups, but many others, like the PML-N, have been reluctant to unequivocally state their position or to condemn the Taliban and the groups affiliated with them.
Mian Nawaz Sharif, by speaking of the citizens of Pakistan, has suggested that he may be willing to make amends for the past. We need to return to a time when all people living within the territory of the country as its nationals were regarded as equal before the law. The reversal of this basic understanding of citizenship has had a dramatic impact on the nature of our state.
Pakistan, a nation created essentially on the basis of discrimination against a religious minority, has become one of the worst persecutors of the minorities that live on its soil. It is worth noting no other country has taken it upon itself to declare the Ahmedis 'non-Muslim'. The precedent set is a terrifying one given the number of sects and sub-sects which exist in the country.
What is to be seen now is if the PML-N chief's words will be backed by a more ardent demonstration of commitment to the cause of change. This could begin by greater effort to go after southern Punjab groups. There is no doubt, after the audacious siege at Jinnah Hospital where a bid was made to either take away or kill a militant regarded as a key leader of the Taliban in Punjab, that extremist organisations have bases there. There is also evidence that they operate in others parts of the province too. Intolerance indeed has no home; it lurks everywhere.
This Friday, as in the past, pamphlets distributed at mosques demanded death for those behind the Facebook drawing competition. We appear to see violence as the only means to deal with disagreement or a difference in belief.
One way to challenge this mindset is to encourage more open debate and discussion from as many forums as can be found. The issue of extremism is not alone on the list of matters that need to be spoken out on. Reforms in jails, capital punishment, the examination system, curriculums, religious education at schools, corporal punishment and a whole host of other topics need to be spoken about far more frequently.
Despite the many shortcomings of the electronic media, all of which – much like their Indian counterparts – seem to have swung towards all-out tabloidisation of the worst kind, the presence of a free media does offer advantages. Even though most of the channels and the hosts they hire stand decisively to the right of the political spectrum, people speaking out against the oppression of minorities have received airtime. Ahmedis too have gained some space. This would have been inconceivable a decade ago. The pressures exerted by those pressing for an all-out battle against extremism have certainly played a part in persuading Mian Nawaz Sharif to make a statement that surprised even some of his closest aides.
From this point on, the Punjab government must rise above the petty gamesmanship seen recently and lead the effort to tackle extremism. Denial that militancy exists in the province is quite obviously absurd. It is important, however, that this not be turned into an issue of pride. The views expressed by Mr Sharif have forced many to think and consider their opinions. We must remember that the many who hold fiercely anti-Ahmedi beliefs, or hold the opinion that non-Muslims are in some way inferior to mainstream Muslims, are themselves victims of a system. It is this system that has churned out the extremism we now live with. Even in elite schools children are inculcated into a culture that teaches them to regard minorities as unequal citizens. It is this system then that must be challenged.
As part of its initiative to offer people god governance, Punjab must set out the paving stones that can lead towards a changed order and demonstrate it, as a province, is genuinely committed to creating a society of equals.
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