Half -hearted measures against the lunatic fringe would not pay

It is heartening to note the resolve reiterated by the Corps Commanders Conference the other day that zero tolerance would continue to be shown against all the terrorist organisations operating in the country and no leniency, whatever, would be observed in the matter. This policy statement , no doubt, is laudable as it is commensurate with the aspirations, expectations and will of the common man of this country but there are some pre-requisites for achieving this objective. In this connection a lot depends on a thorough and correct investigation, collection and proper marshalling of facts and prosecution of criminal cases in the trial courts against the arrested terrorists. Experience of hindsight reveals that nine out of ten cases fail in the courts who have no option but to release the alleged accused by giving them the benefit of the doubt because of flimsy evidence produced in the courts by the Prosecution.
Granted that the Armed forces are doing their part of the job excellently by hitting out at the terrorists and also assisting the civilian law and order enforcing agencies in the matter by pinpointing to them every type of terrorist but the follow up action on the part of Prosecution in many cases, particularly, against those men of the cloth who are spreading sectarianism leaves much to be desired. A case in point is the leniency being shown by the political governments in the country to the clerics who are using pulpit to deliver sectarian speeches against the adherents of the sects not toeing their particular religious school of thought. The same is true of the printing of hate material. Even in Islamabad, right in the heart of the federal capital, there is a mosque whose khateeb is known to have a soft corner for the lunatic fringe among the religious element but the authorities are observing a mysterious silence on his venomous speeches and are afraid to lay their hands on him. Needless to say that all the good work done hitherto by the armed forces would go down the drain if the cases against the alleged terrorists of various hue and stock were not handed down strict punishments.