ON Thursday the Peshawar city circle superintendent of police issued a statement that simply beggared belief. According to him, purveyors of 'vulgar' CDs and DVDs should end their business to avoid attacks by the Taliban. There is more than one thing to consider here. First, 'vulgar' is hard to define even after serious consideration. Still it can be acknowledged that many Pakistanis may find the kind of videos being sold in the open market to be deeply offensive and want the trade shut down. Everyone has a right to his or her own view. But if illegal commerce is going on, it is up to the police to clamp down as per the law and not out of fear of extremists.

The ongoing dread posed by the Taliban is no doubt real, especially in Peshawar. But that does not mean that the police should abdicate its responsibility. Closing down businesses that some believe supply porn or other vulgar videos should have no link to the fear of Taliban retaliation. That should be a matter of policing. Otherwise, moral matters aside, statements and gestures such as those made by the SP come across as a sign of weakness. CDs are just one aspect; the argument can be taken further. Should we shut down schools in the tribal belt just because the Taliban are opposed to their existence and close all barber shops? Must women remain indoors because fanatics don't like seeing them in the street? Caving in like this is not the solution. No doubt, the threat is dire and claiming lives by the day. Even so we must live on as best as we can and not let those who wish to enforce their ideology on others gain the upper hand. Most importantly, it is the law that must be enforced.