WITH Pakistan being sucked into a vortex of militancy since the past decade or so, the fallout is all too evident: tens of thousands of lives lost, massive damage to infrastructure and a state administration left wobbling. But these are far from the only disservices that the amorphous groupings of militants, terrorists and religious extremists have done us. Of arguably greater significance, though perhaps less apparent, are other unpleasant realities such as an emotionally battered populace, and a societal narrative that has been twisted so grotesquely that it is easy to spot and identify apologists for those who kill and maim. It is with reference to this last evil that a convention convened by the Pakistan Ulema Council deserves strong appreciation. In Karachi on Wednesday, representatives of more than 30 political and religious parties joined hands with citizens to denounce violence unleashed in the name of religion, and called upon the government to deal with the terrorists with an iron hand. A joint communiqué read out by Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, the head of the PUC, appealed to all political and religious parties, and people belonging to all religions and sects, to respect each others’ views. It sought to remind the public that all citizens have equal rights, and any kind of injustice in the name of religion was against the Constitution. We can add that the greatest victim of this particular tactic is religion itself, which has been grossly misused.

It is a sad reflection on Pakistani society that something which is self-evident in more mature societies — ie the use of faith to justify violence increases divisions — needs to be spelt out here. Sadder is the fact that voices that say this are all too few and far between. A battle over ideologies is under way, and Pakistan is at the heart of it. If the side that desires tolerance, plurality and peace is to win, we need more people — particularly those affiliated with religious parties and organisations — to take a stand against violence masqueraded as part of religious belief. The militants’ success lies in having turned what is actually a power struggle into a religious debate. This needs to be urgently countered.