THE killing of a bank manager in the Punjab town of Khushab once again underscores how murder is so easily ‘justified’ on the basis of mere accusations and whipped-up public sentiment. However, this time we also saw a rare example of people coming together to foil an attempt to hastily lend a religious colour to an alleged crime. According to initial reports, the bank manager was shot by an irate security guard after an altercation over alleged blasphemy and the attacker was now celebrating his actions. Then it was said that the attack was sectarian; this was followed by strong rumours suggesting that both the victim and the attacker belonged to the same school of thought. Inevitably, a long session on social media ensued in which everyone was reminded of how difficult it was for anyone to feel safe. It was ruled that there was no escape so long as there was a desire to physically eliminate another person, and that the laws were found wanting when it came to killing in the name of faith.

The example of people not prepared to accept mere allegations of blasphemy could have been uplifting had it not been for the manager’s murder in the background. He was apparently well connected socially, and his uncle dismissed the allegations of blasphemy levelled at him by the security guard who had reportedly been pulled up for his laxity while on the job. In the past, clerics have refused to lead funeral prayers for people who have simply provided legal aid to clients who have denied the charges of blasphemy registered against them. In the Khushab case, the footage shows that a prayer leader stood in front of those who had gathered to offer the funeral prayers and said that the dead man was innocent. Not just that, he discouraged the gathering from indulging in violence on the basis of religious differences. That’s one message worth many editions in today’s charged atmosphere.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2020