Razaullah Khan
In the recent terrorist attacks across the country 200 peoples were brutally killed and 300 were critically injured in two weeks. The fresh terror wave showed, that Taliban are still able to target any place at any time across the country despite claims that their back has been broken. But after few days of the terrorist attacks, Punjab government has issued a pamphlet which stinks of racial bias against Pashtun. The stinking pamphlet has polluted the political air of the whole country.
The Punjab Police’s anti-Pashtun disposition was embodied by a well circulated notorious pamphlet issued by the Mandi Bahaudin police. The following are the few words from that pamphlet. “The circular asks the public to be extra vigilant and to keep an eye on any persons appearing to be of Pashtun or Afghan heritage”. It goes on to describe how these suspicious characters could be found working as tea & dry fruit vendors, and as salesman of children’s toys or household items. The above devilish sentences show that Punjab police has set a new low for itself.
It seems that abusing and harassing Pashtuns is ordained by an SOP for Punjab police as every attack, before anything else, is followed by action against Pashtuns. Investigation and inquiry comes later. Action against Lashkar Jahngvi, Jammut Dawa or Jaish Muhammad is not even considered. Why? Because, they are political allies of the party in power. But why Pashtuns are persecuted? Why? Are Pashtuns not the citizens of Pakistan? Have Pashtuns not the same rights as rest of the citizens? For the last ten years, Pashtun are brutally killed in terrorist attacks but KP and Baluchistan governments never issued such kinds of pamphlets against citizens of Punjab or any other ethnic group. These kinds of pamphlets create hatred among citizens. So, Punjab government must stop to issue such kinds of pamphlets which create hatred among citizens.
Similarly, many photos are viral on social media in which it can be clearly seen that Pashtuns are arrested from different parts of the country without any inquiry or investigation. They are brutally beaten by security personals without any kinds of proof. In Punjab Pashtuns are collectively punished for the crime which they have not committed.
Such an insanity will inadvertently create hatred against Punjab. But I would call upon my Pashtun brothers not to be furious against Punjab or Punjabies. Ordinary Punjabi would never like it happen. It is the machination of the corrupted minds like that of the moustached Rana Sanaullah. He has exposed his real face.
Terrorism is the common problem of Pakistan. Discriminatory action against one particular community will create hatred among their citizens. So, government and other security agencies must treat all the citizens equally. We are all citizens of Pakistan and terrorist are our common enemy and we must unite against them in order to defeat them.
The writer is a third semester Law student at Islamia College University, Peshawar. He can be reached at [email protected].
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are those of the author and Balochistan Voices not necessarily agrees with them.
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