ARTICLE 25 of our Constitution says all citizens are entitled to equal protection of law. Defying this document, Pakistan deploys more than 30pc of its entire police force to protect and pamper less than 10,000 rich, influential and spoiled individuals. The rest must fend for themselves. As long as the state remains interested only in protecting the lives of 0.005% of its population, Peshawar and Charsadda will keep on happening.

A government that is still looking for evidence against Lal Masjid, Jamia Hafsa, JeM or LeT, either has a soft corner for militants or is absolutely dysfunctional. Nurturing radical ideologies will only produce more foot-soldiers and facilitators, ever ready to participate in misguided adventures.

There are 20 million guns in the hands of civilians in Pakistan. Unable to protect its citizens, the government has resorted to disbursing yet more weapons. Other than Abdul Sattar Edhi and Malala Yousafzai, not many in this country have taken a public position to demand a complete elimination of guns and the creation of a weapon-free society. The government, the gun-sellers, the licence-makers and the private security agencies all have one common product and one common agenda - to sell fear. ‘Immediate relief’ capsules in the form of Kalashnikovs follow suit.

As long as the state does not understand that peace lies in the elimination and not proliferation of weapons, Peshawar and Charsadda will keep on happening.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2016