Mohammad Jamil
According to ISPR release, at least seven terrorists were killed on Tuesday after the Pakistan Army repulsed a cross-border attack on a border post in North Waziristan tribal district. Though Mullah Fazlullah head of the banned TTP was killed in a drone attack in Afghanistan, militants of the group are ensconced in Kunar who have liaison with NDS and RAW, and conduct attacks on Pakistan. The 214th Corps Commanders Conference was held at GHQ presided by COAS on Monday, which reviewed geo-strategic environment and security situation of the country including progress of ongoing stability operations under Operation Raddul Fasaad. The people of KP have borne the major brunt of terrorists’ attacks, as in addition to destruction of hundreds of schools, more than 50 Sufi Shrines were targeted by the militants in the Province, showing utter disregard to teachings of Islam and contrary to Pashtun traditions.
The terrorists perpetrated many attacks on the shrines of Sufi saints and grand scholars of Islam, who played major role in preaching Islam in the subcontinent. Al-Qaeda, DAISH and Taliban have conducted more than 70 attacks on the shrines of revered Sufi saints in Pakistan. Suicide bombers were used in the most of the attacks and hundreds of Muslims were killed by the terrorists. The suicide attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar on 16 February, 2017 had martyred more than 70 devotees including innocent women and children, which is reflective of the ignorance and extreme hate against himanity. In one of the worst attacks on Sufi mosque and shrine on 1st July, 2010, two suicide bombers targeted the shrine of Data Ganj Baksh who had converted many non-Muslims due to his generosity and kindness. At least 42 people were killed and 172 were injured in the attack.
On 8th October 2010, at least eight people were killed and more than 65 people injured after bombs exploded at the Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mazaar at Clifton Karachi. The shrine of Baba Farid at Pakpattan was also attacked on 26th October 2010 in which 6 persons were killed and 12 injured. On April 3, 2011, at least 51 persons were killed and more than 100 were injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the shrine of Sufi Saint Ahmed Sultan, popularly known as Sakhi Sarwar at Dera Ghazi Khan. In Khuzdar, Balochistan, the suicide attack at the Shrine of Shah Noorani resulted in 60 deaths, and more than 100 people were injured on 12th November, 2016.
Quaid-i-Azam had envisioned Pakistan to be a modern progressive state, rooted in the eternal values of our religion, and at the same time responsive to the imperatives of constant change. In his address before the Constituent Assembly on 11th August 1947, the most remarkable part of this speech was his assurance to the people of Pakistan including minorities that their fundamental rights, liberties and freedom would be well-protected. Before the Constituent Assembly he declared: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples; you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State”. The people of Pakistan, being proud inheritors of traditions of great Sufis and Saints who fostered the message of peace and brotherhood over the centuries, wish to establish a tolerant society.
Fortunately, the social contract of Pakistan and its cultural foundations blended with the characteristics of Sufism tend to accommodate the dissenting thoughts and opposing beliefs. The main strength of revered Sufis was their passion for interfaith harmony and readiness to engage in dialogue, and hold followers of other religions in high esteem. They approached the opposing faiths with an urge to learn and understand the rationale of that belief system/faith and the path of reaching the God. And they treated other religious communities kindly and gently. In order to fight the growing menace of religious extremism and sectarian divide leading to violent killings and ethnic and sectarian intolerance in Pakistan, it is imperative to highlight the teachings of great Sufi saints. Of course, more of music and cultural festivals should be held so that people are mellowed with the message of peace by the Sufi poets.
