What is meant by a progressive, modern, liberal, and tolerant Islamic State?
Abdul Rasheed phoned me last evening, and said, “Gumrah has agreed to talk to you tonight after midnight.”
Abdul Rasheed, a chum from college days, is SHO. He has always been instrumental in the realization of most of my idiosyncrasies. With Rasheed’s clandestine assistance I have entered into dialogue with murderers, gangsters, extortionists, thieves, thugs, and hardcore criminals locked up in his police station. After their arrest, they are produced within 24 hours before the relevant judge for necessary action. The judge either remands them to the police custody for a specific period for further interrogation, or they are sent to jail on judicial remand. Thus, while facilitating me to talk to the captives, the element of time remains crucial for both of us.
When Rasheed apprehended Gumrah for blasphemy on the complaint of the pious, the news was prominently reflected in the newspapers. It confirmed beyond any shadow of doubt that Pakistan is an Islamic State. The infuriated noble souls took out rallies and processions, and demanded the alleged blasphemer’s execution in public. Some of the pious demanded chopping-off of his head with a sword, and some of them demanded he be stoned to death at a public place after Juma prayers.
I contacted Rasheed, and said, “I don’t think they would let the blasphemer live for long. Can I talk to him for a few minutes?”
“It is not possible.” Rasheed said, “He refuses to talk to any one.”
Naturally, I was disappointed. I headed for Gymkhana, and swam vigorously for an hour to overcome my disappointment. It was there that Rasheed surprised me with his phone call. He said, “Gumrah has agreed to talk to you tonight after midnight.”
After midnight I sneaked into Rasheed’s police station. He immediately took me to an isolated cell, and said, “You will talk to Gumrah exactly for seven minutes, not a second more.” I agreed. He unlocked the cell. As I stepped into the cell, Rasheed said, “The countdown begins.”
His head sunk between the knees, the blasphemer was sitting on the floor. I am a chronic patient of arthritis. I couldn’t fold my legs to sit in front of him on the filthy floor. I leaned over him, and asked, “Sir, what have you done?”
He raised his head, and looked at me, but did not respond. He appeared to be in his late 40s. By profession he was a teacher, and taught Comparative Religion at postgraduate level.
“Sir, I am running short of time.” I looked at my watch, and asked, “What have you done?”
He coolly replied, “I defined one of the undefined statements of the rulers of Pakistan.”
I couldn’t fathom what was he talking about! We have been listening to the undefined, ambiguous statements from the rulers for over half-a-century. They have been constantly telling us that Pakistan was passing through most critical period in its history! Sovereignty of Pakistan was threatened! National integrity was at lowest ebb! The enemy was knocking at our door! Every ruler claimed he was indispensable for Pakistan!
I have often wondered if time has come to stand still in Pakistan! The rulers have repeatedly played back the same recording of the dubious statements rerecorded from time to time since coming into being of Pakistan in 1947. They never have defined why Pakistan was continuously passing through critical period? Why sovereignty of Pakistan was threatened? Why national integrity was at its lowest ebb? Why the infamous hidden hand was always busy trying to destabilize democratic institutions in the country, paving the way for our very own dictators to take over the country?
I went a step closer to Gumrah, and asked, “Sir, what did you define that landed you in trouble?”
Gumrah said, “The students asked me to define a progressive, modern, liberal, and a tolerant Islamic State.”
“What did you tell them?” I asked.
Gumrah visibly trembled. Fear peeped through his eyes.
“Did you tell something obnoxious to the students?” I asked.
He literally coiled, and sunk his head between the knees. I failed to make out what definition he could have given to the rulers’ modern, progressive, liberal and tolerant Islamic State! Suddenly, an awful thought crossed my mind. I asked, “Did you venture to tell them that a Muslim State that tolerates pubs, brothels, obscenity, vulgarity, and exposure of women for pleasure in public is a liberal, modern, and a progressive Islamic country?”
He shook his head, and whispered, “No.”
“Then, what did you tell them?” I asked.
He trembled again.
“I am hardly left with a few seconds of my stay with you,” I implored. “How did you define a liberal, tolerant, progressive and a modern Islamic State?”
“I told them there is no such thing as liberal, tolerant, progressive and a modern Islamic State.” He looked at the heavens, sighed, and said, “Either you have an Islamic State, or you do not have an Islamic State.”
At that juncture I heard Abdul Rasheed say, “You have consumed the allotted time of seven minutes.”
