Bracing for Muharram (in)security
As the year 2012 nears its end, the holy month of Muharram has commenced. Having already being targeted in sectarian and terror attacks, as pointed out in a recent report, one expected an improvement in the security situation given the importance and reverence of the holy month. However, this has not been the case and just three days into Muharram a bomb went off near an Imambargah in Abbas Town locality of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi, on Sunday evening. At least two people were killed and over a dozen others injured.
Is there no one listening to the cries of the unfortunate and innocent who seek spiritual guidance during the month? Why can’t the culprits for once leave them alone when not only the city of Karachi but in fact the whole nation is undergoing trauma and hardships due to terror from outside and within, economic problems, and fear of being caught in the line of fire?
The same report states, “Despite extensive security measures taken in the city to avert incidents of terrorism, the assailant succeeded to park an explosives-laden motorcycle near the Imambargah where a Muharram Majlis was to be held.” What is this so called level of “extensive security measures”? How come even in the year 2012, such barbaric acts in the month of Muharram continue to be repeated?
The report says further, “The IED-rigged motorcycle had been parked just before the Majlis was to begin, IG Sindh Fayyaz Leghari said. Additional IG of Karachi Iqbal Mehmood told a private TV channel that police had recommended a ban on motorcycle riding during Ashura in the city.
“Initial reports suggest the IED (improvised explosive device) weighing three to four kilogram had been rigged in the motorcycle,” DIG East Shahid Hayat told Dawn.” Considering the whole ‘Parliament-Rehman Malik’ fiasco on the first day of Muharram, do you think the ban on motorcycles should be re-considered? Or can the authorities be expected to come up with wiser solutions with regards to vehicle checking as well as body searches in sensitive areas of all cities? Would such bans be effective in controlling the menace of terrorism and sectarian violence that has been gripping the nation for years?
I am speechless for all that is happening in Pakistan but we have to hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided . Trust and Love each other . Sunni should respect Shia and vise versa . We are one and we have to show it to the world. We are strong when we are together and we are nothing if remained divided. Choice is our how we wish to live .
Unfortunately neither press and nor leadership is honest. Such religious activities in public places that harm the interests of people, engaged in their earnings and other daily lives, should not be allowed. Such undue religious freedom is harmful and disturbs peace of the country. Government, Bar Councils and other civilized groups should come ahead and act justly to address the root causes and solution. Newspapers too do not address root causes and neither submitting just solutions in the light of prevailing situation. Neither extremists religious scholars realizing.
The one and only way to get a handle on this disease of violent extremeism is to elect an honest patriotic leadership that will have the interests of Pakistan at heart rather than their own petty corrupt personal one’s. And even then it will take atleast a generation to put this genie back into the bottle so to speak.
I ask all Taliban and hardcore Muslim why they follow Islam when they hate the prophets family especially Hassan and Hussein. Move on , go and become atheist or anything else but a muslim.
There is no question to hate prophets family. You have narrow conception. All those who passed thousand years ago or above they all are the common ancestors of men of modern age. We should respect to all, their deeds will be taken care by God, no public decide anyones fate. There is need to teach the truth to all, open the research in Islamic History to harness truth about religion and the deeds of earlier people of Islam.
Today its religion, tomorrow it will be sectarian, day after something else. Killing innocent people in any name is not right. If Pakistan or Arab world had even one honest leader, situation would be different. Lack of education and powerty is a disease which eats up any society. How many schools/universities/colleges does Pakistan and the Arab work have? What is the quality of education being provided in the few that they have? Are there schools in every area of the country? What is the education budget compared to arms and other budgets? Do they have good quality teachers colleges? Solutions lie in these questions, history has shown.
The most peaceful Muharram happens in Hindustan. There have been no violent incident reported during Muharram in last ten years barring minor scuffles between warring shia and sunni. I am proud of my grandfather who chose Indian over islamic state Pakistan.
Pakistanis please wake up and forget the basic differences in Shia and Sunni fiqah. Talibaan are created by evil and they are evil themselves. Haven’t you heard about Dajjal? Prophet PBUH has warned us about this in many Hadiths. We need to unite as Muslims brothers and sisters and challenge these criminal minded people. I keep on hearing comments and it seems that everyone is trying to blame others. Insiders or outsiders they are committing these atrocities and destroying our homeland Pakistan. If today’s Sunni muslim thinks that he is safe and they are only attacking Shias, please think again. Talibaans have no religion, they are criminals and only want their ideology to be implemented. Have you forgotten what happened in Swat Valley? Unite in the name of Allah and defeat the devil.
i agree with FAB’s comment. It is time government decides where it is heading. If they dont put an end to this now, these nut-jobs will march on to take control of this place. Since external forces are funding these groups, it exactly what they want. They are not going to go on war against Pakistan head-on. They are eating up Pakistan from the inside, like termite to make it weak and fragile. Religion or not, all they intend is to destroy Pakistan!
Bomb blast happening every Muharram is an indication of Govt. being glove-in-hand with terrorists or inept administration. In both cases Govt. should be taken to task… Why can’t the Supreme Court take a suo-moto notice of these happenings and direct the Govt. to take stringent measures to avoid this tragedy being repeated.
Do people even know what muharram is about. It seems the Taliban is less about Islam and more about getting a free lane to export drugs for money to buy guns to wage continuous war.
Pakistan needs one psychiatrist for every three people in order to prevent war.
“When the Abbasids overcame the Umayyads, they covered the bodies of the dead with rugs and held a feast over the bodies in a display of vengeance. When Caliph Al-Ma’mun defeated his brother Al-Amin, he flayed him like a lamb. This scene recurs throughout our history. Political Power is the pivotal value in Arab culture. In our age, there have been recurrent military coups in the Arab world, in a struggle for power, but not in an attempt to bring about a change for the better.”
(Ibrahim Buleihi)
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Is Pakistan so different? Is half of the country not more of an Arab Culture than an Anglo Indian Culture?
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Arab history, with the exception of the period of the rightly-guided Caliphs, was dominated by politics. When the Fatimids took over Egypt and North Africa, these areas became Shiite, and when Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyubi [i.e. Saladin] put an end to the Fatimids, he drove out everything that had any relation to Shiism. The same happened when the Safavids converted Iran to Shiism, which then led the Ottomans to act the same way [in imposing Sunnism]. Thus Arab history, or Islamic history, in the wider sense, is the outcome of political ups and downs….”
(Ibrahim Buleihi)
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After the Rightly Guided Caliphs the train left the tracks. Are not Pakistani Muslims plagued with the same sectarian in fighting, intrigues and power plays?
Those men who are rightly guided do not murder each other left and right whether they claim to be Muslims or not. Kill today, stone the devil tomorrow.
Although the Shias of Pakistan are a religious minority in Pakistan, but their protection is guaranteed by the Constitution of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, like for all Citizens, and Minority Citizens of Pakistan, irrespective of their, religion, creed, belief, culture and traits: ‘Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed;’
So it is their elected Government that has ‘derailed’, and has failed to protect them, and honor the Constitution of Pakistan…
why court is against the ban on motor cycle for few days??? if this action is helping to control the situation then why they are opposing?? This decision is for the betterment of the people, who will be responsible if something goes wrong or some terrorist activity happen due to the usage of this motor cycle? I request people to be calm and relax, shia people are busy in their muharram activities, security situation is very high, everyone has a fear of unknown that what will happen. They are banning motor cycle because they have intelligence report. It is work of court to intercept the activities of security agencies??? I know people are very poor here, motor cycle is the last and only cheap option to travel but you people can’t bear just ONE DAY OFF of your bike just for the sake of our innocent people??? if not then it is the point of shame on us… just relax guys…
Banning motor cycle riding is no solution, what is missing is will to caught and punish the terrorist, who are roaming around freely. This is the time Government should decide the path they want to go, it can’t be in middle.
dear.. u cant understand… it not that easy as you are saying… why court is against the ban on motor cycle for few days??? if this action is helping to control the situation then why they are opposing?? This decision is for the betterment of the people, who will be responsible if something goes wrong or some terrorist activity happen due to the usage of this motor cycle? I request people to be calm and relax, shia people are busy in their muharram activities, security situation is very high, everyone has a fear of unknown that what will happen. They are banning motor cycle because they have intelligence report. It is work of court to intercept the activities of security agencies??? I know people are very poor here, motor cycle is the last and only cheap option to travel but you people can’t bear just ONE DAY OFF of your bike just for the sake of our innocent people??? if not then it is the point of shame on us… just relax guys…
It is shocking that so many people just feel that it is ok to not say anything. I urge our pakistani sunni brethren to please protest against this injustice as this is not only wrong but it is what Husain (AS) taught us. That you should stand up for the right of others, even if that situation does not apply to you.
This is exactly the problem. Whether a person is a Shia or Sunni, each is for him or herself first. Next comes the immediate family, and then his or her religious and ethnic group. Thats it. No one else matters.
Dear Zehra, Not only Sunnis (like myself) need to come out but make sure every Sunni who utters a word against any other sect of Islam (or for that matter our Pakistani brothers and sisters belonging to other religions) is thrown out of the family. Also, EVERY Sunni Molana needs to say in no uncertain terms that THIS SHOULD STOP NOW. What kind of people are these who are throwing bombs in mosques. I am ashamed to be a Sunni and ashamed to call Pakistan my homeland. No other country in the world has people like Pakistanis. Shame shame shame….
true!!