SURPRISINGLY, the horrendous killings of Kohistan have not evoked the kind of condemnation they warranted from the rulers or the religious parties. Also, these killings did not attract as much media attention as they deserved.

That shows the state of mind of the rulers, the media and probably the people as well who have started taking such killings as a routine matter.

Not a day passes by when there is not a bomb blast or suicidal attack in Pakistan, killing and maiming several innocent people.

A perfunctory, run-of-the-mill statement by the interior minister usually says ‘we shall not be demoralised by the terrorists and shall fight them to the last man, etc’. It is more of a joke than something serious.

Such hollow threats have no effect on the terrorists for they know that not a single terrorist has been hanged till date. Look at Mumtaz Qadri who killed the governor of the ruling party in broad daylight and was garlanded by lawyers themselves for such a dastardly act.

Why is he not being hanged even after a year of the court having pronounced a death sentence for him?

Does it not speak volumes about the inability of the government in maintaining law and order in the country and ensuring the safety of the life and property of its people?

COL (Rtd) RIAZ JAFRI Rawalpindi

Growing intolerance

GUNMEN in military uniforms forced passengers travelling in four buses on the Karakoram Highway from Rawalpindi to Gilgit.

The militants hauled off passengers from buses and after checking their identities, killed 16 who were found to be Shias.

According to foreign news agencies, the spokesman for the Jandullah faction of the Taliban claimed responsibility for the gruesome murders. The militants, who called themselves Mujahideen, are also killing Shias in Balochistan. Shias throughout the country have staged protests against this horrendous crime. One fails to understand that why our intelligence agencies failed to prevent such incidents? Why have they not been able to find out who are the members of Jandullah group and who is funding their activities such as killing the peaceful citizens of Pakistan?

It is the prime responsibility of the government to protect lives and properties of the citizens. But it seems that the civilian government has no political will and ability to stop the prevailing violence in the country.

The Pakistan Army is believed by the majority of the people as the custodian and guardian of Pakistan’s internal and external security.

Why has the group of religious forces which has formed Difa-i-Pakistan Council not condemned sectarian killings? Why is the council not playing its role to save the country from enemies working within it before saving it from foreign enemies?

It is painful for a common Pakistani that in the country which was created in the name of Islam, one sect is killing the people of other sects and where minorities are considered second-class citizens. How long can a country survive with such intolerance and religious bigotry?

S. T. HUSSAIN Lahore