What’s the point of liberals beating their chests now over the tragic death of Governor Salmaan Taseer? He was abandoned by opportunist liberals and his own party when he needed them the most. Instead of showing their support on the street to the cause he stood for, liberals intimidated by the mobilisation capacity of religious extremists and the potential threat to their lives, opted for silence. Those from the civil society who took to the street were criticised for adventurism and their inability to mobilise large numbers. The NGO sector that claims to work for human rights remained reluctant to mobilise people . The leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party, influenced by the likes of Babar Awan, known for his bigotry, backed out because of the mounting pressure from religious parties. Salmaan Taseer had shown unusual courage and boldness and refused to give into threats. Alas! He sacrificed his life at the altar of betrayal, apathy and inactivity of the “secular” political forces of the country.

The death of Salmaan Taseer can become the death of pluralism, tolerance and democratic values, if we do not rise together to resist the forces of darkness and extremism in the country. In the absence of our collective fight, religious militants will keep on eliminating brave individuals one by one. The best way to pay tribute to such men and women is to begin a movement in which all progressive political forces should join hands to liberate Pakistan from the clutches of bigotry and extremism.

The ideological divide between secularists and religious forces that want to turn Pakistan into a theocratic state is not new. This ideological battle has been going on in the country since Independence. Religio-political parties that opposed the creation of Pakistan and called Qauid-e-Azam Kafir-e-Azam became active in the newly established state. They have been working against the vision of the Quaid, who wanted to establish a modern Muslim state where religion would be a personal matter, with no role in the business of the state.

In the absence of popular support (evident from the electoral results of various elections in the country), “religious” forces are still able to thrust their agenda upon people because of their ability to use political violence. They have never been trusted nor elected by the people of Pakistan to rule this country. Some of them managed to enter parliament in the past but they were able to so only through the support of military dictators and the manipulation of electoral results. They have been pampered and have grown with full financial and political support of our civil and military establishment and consequently the monster of extremism is now out to get us all.

To put the genie back into the bottle requires radical cleansing of this extremist mindset from our security forces, educational institutions, media and religious institutions. The government should take a firm stand on the blasphemy law. It must create public awareness through the use of the national media that that Namoos-e-Rasalt and the Blasphemy Law are two different things. The British law of blasphemy that was changed by the military dictator Ziaul Haq is not a sacred or divine law. If the law is being misused against innocent people then it is the responsibility of the state to review or amend it. The Pakistan People’s Party government must take a firm stand to protect innocent people, rather than showing cowardliness and leaving its citizens at the mercy of fanatics.

Another immediate step that the government needs to take is to reverse the trend of radicalisation, by registering FIRs against all those who issued fatwas against Salmaan Taseer. These people had been inciting people to take the law into their hands. This will discourage the trend of issuing fatwas in the country. The structural response to the rising trends of radicalisation demands that the state must provide compulsory and free quality education to all and close such institutions as have become the fortresses of extremism, where thousands of young minds are brainwashed and then used as foot soldiers to promote political agendas in the name of religion. The state must take its responsibility to allow every citizen to develop his/her capacity for critical thinking. Otherwise our youth will become fodder for fanaticism. Also, the government must pursue deweaponisation aggressively so that ordinary citizens feel safe.

Our survival can only be ensured through the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s Pakistan. We must fight together for peace, tolerance and justice for all and should not let Salmaan Taseer’s death go in vain.