AN unfortunate communal incident in Faisalabad on Thursday highlights the fact that if we are to build a ‘new’ Pakistan, deep changes are required both at the state and societal levels. As reported, at least 18 people were injured in a riot that occurred over a trivial issue in the Punjab city involving members of the Ahmadi and Muslim communities. Apparently, someone knocked down a rooster belonging to an individual of one community and what followed was a series of ugly incidents. In the aftermath of the riot, in which gunfire was exchanged, an Ahmadi place of worship was attacked. Over 200 people have been booked under charges of terrorism following the riot. This is of course not the first incident of its kind, and while the attack on the worship place is worthy of strong condemnation, it is a relief that no lives were lost.

The federal information minister has said that the riot should not be given a religious colour. While he may be correct, the fact is that there have been far too many incidents of violence targeting minorities, and it is the state’s lack of action over decades that has mainly emboldened extremists and rabble rousers. For example, an Ahmadi worship place was demolished in Sialkot in May; those responsible for that incident have yet to be punished. If a new Pakistan is to be made, then tolerance and equality must be built into its foundations. On the state level, those involved in violence and perpetrating hate speech against minorities must be punished as per the law. On the societal level, communal bridges must be built and mechanisms at the local level must be formed so that minor issues don’t explode into full-blown communal flare-ups. This will of course be difficult because for years — especially since the Ziaul Haq era — the state has tended to encourage obscurantist trends in society. Promoting tolerance and rights for all citizens must, however, be on the top of the new government’s agenda.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2018