HYDERABAD: Describing Talibanisation and fanaticism the biggest challenge facing the country, speakers at a programme on religious extremism held here on Thursday opposed setting up of military courts and termed the decision a failure of the civilian government.

The programme held at the Sindhi Language Authority auditorium was organised by the ‘Core Committee of Bhitshah Declaration Coordination Council (BDCC)’ in collaboration with the South Asia Partnership (SAP)-Pakistan.

The speakers said that religious extremism was on the increase in the country and Taliban were organising themselves in Punjab.

‘Mentors of jihadis themselves now in trouble’

A similar situation is emerging in Sindh, where more seminaries are being established, according to them.

They noted that wall-chalking based on religious hatred was being made by religious organisations in Sindh after Punjab.

Irfan Mufti of the SAP told the audience that disintegration of the USSR had cast serious implications around the world and those who had created jihadis to break that super power were themselves now in trouble. “When the Soviet forces were leaving Afghanistan, Pakistan was cautioned about jihadis,” he said, and sarcastically remarked that Pakistan was quite intelligent to have not only given them [jihadis] shelter, but also allowed them to move to other places freely.

“Punjab witnessed Talibanisation and is now paying the price for that, but Sindh must resist religious extremism at best as a situation similar to the one in Punjab is emerging in this province,” he added.

Zulfiqar Halepoto recalled that the world witnessed many changes in the post-9/11 situation. “Today Taliban and religious extremism are the biggest challenges facing people,” he observed.

He said the people of Thar appeared not worried more about presence of internationally banned outfits in their region than food, due to a drought. He noted that although Thar is a peaceful area, people holding guns could be seen roaming about in vehicles.

He said people were now afraid of celebrating their religious festivals due to the absence of a free environment. In his view, the government had taken the bold initiative of establishing military courts in the wake of the Peshawar tragedy and this was another big challenge facing the country.

Another SAP activist Shabnam Rasheed observed that religious extremism and terrorism was gaining ground in Sindh and deplored that extremists and terrorists were roaming about with complete impunity in the province.

She said that Sindh had a network of seminaries across its soil and that’s why wall-chalking that once appeared in Punjab was now emerging in this province. “This indicates that the Taliban had gained their foothold also in Sindh,” she added.

Referring to the government’s decision to establish military courts, she said such moves always recalled the situation in Balochistan. “Apparently it is a civilian dispensation, but one feels as if martial law is there,” she remarked.

Punhal Sario said that while civil society was protesting over the Peshawar tragedy, military courts were being set up and even social media and the Internet were being placed under restrictions.

In his view, terrorism going out of control was the failure of the state, which had created the Taliban. “It’s time for the people to take a firm stand on this issue,” he said.

BDCC coordinator Shakoor Abbasi condemned dumping of mutilated bodies of youths in Sindh and noted that the people of Sindh were facing such a kind of terrorism in addition to the religious terrorism.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014