BERTRAND Russell wrote, “Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.” Mashal Khan, a promising young man with an inquisitive, critical mind, was beaten to death in a university of Pakistan by fellow students while others stood by and filmed.

His father, a humble tradesman of limited means, dressed in a simple shalwar kameez, stood in front of the cameras in his darkest hour and delivered the most eloquent indictment I can recall in recent times, of the threats to life, liberty, and freedom of speech we face in today’s Pakistan - concepts that are lost on many much more privileged and ‘educated’ people in our country.

Listening to him was an honour and a privilege. I fear greatly for the future of a country where young people are being educated and socially conditioned.

If one wonders how ‘ordinary’ people committed extraordinarily heinous acts as operators of gas chambers in Nazi Germany, one has to look no further than the Pakistan of today, a place where bloodshed is normalised by the dogma fed to unfortunate masses.

The motto of my alma mater is “laws without morals are useless.” I cannot think of a more apt warning for today’s Pakistan - where indeed, in the case of the blasphemy laws, they are downright lethal. Leges sine moribus vanae.

Mehar Sultan

London

(2)

MASHAL Khan’s murder over unsubstantiated blasphemy charges speaks volumes of intolerance, vigilantism, and lack of rule of law in every sphere of our society, including educational institutions.

The involvement of some university employees in the brutal killing shows the issue is far beyond the blasphemy charges. The Abdul Wali Khan University has been without a vice-chancellor for the past few weeks and there has been uncertainty in the university.

The murdered student had criticised the university administration in a TV interview. Several political appointments have also been allegedly made in the university by the previous vice-chancellor, ignoring merit. These political appointees patronise student unions, which are affiliated to political parties.

The university administration finds it difficult to resist student demands as they have support from within the administration. The week before, the university registrar was forced to allow students to appear in examinations without clearing their outstanding fees.

Similarly, the Shankar campus students demonstrated at the main campus. They wanted their classes to be shifted from the sub-campus to the main campus. The university administration accepted the demand as the students had resorted to violence.

Such actions confirm that the students can do anything in connivance with the elements within the administration. On the day when Mashal was murdered, the students first ransacked the offices before forcing the university to notify the ban on three students without any proof of blasphemy.

The government must take notice of the black sheep within the university administration and ban student unions.

A profile check of all university employees must be carried out and those found involved inciting the mob must be made to face justice.

Sayyad Alam Khan

Peshawar

(3)

MASHAL Khan’s murder has raised questions about the ulema’s role. Except Javed Ahmed Ghamdi no well-known religious scholar has come forward to talk about the misuse of blasphemy law.

Our ulema, who are supposed to play an active role in explaining such an issue, are silent.

Who will tell people that Islam is a religion of peace and it discourages such barbarism? Who will tell people that Islam teaches tolerance? Who will tell people that Islam does not favour people who do not respect law of the state and kill innocent people?

Muzafar Ali

Ghotki

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2017