What must be repeated endlessly, for as long as what remains of Jinnah's Pakistan exists, and bear repetition ad infinitum is one well known sentence from Mohammad Ali Jinnah's momentous speech - his creed - delivered on August 11, 1947: "The first duty of a government is to maintain law and order so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state."

Now, we all know the famous section in the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 295 (c). In 1986, the Criminal Law (Amendment Act, III) was passed by the hand-picked pious members of champion-of-Islam General Zia-ul-Haq's Majlis-i-Shoora headed by Mohammed Khan Junejo and it added Section 295(C) to Section 295 of the PPC.

This is a weapon designed to be used for personal vengeance, a weapon with which scores can be settled, a weapon to be employed for personal gain. It reads: "Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace by upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall be liable to fine."

In April 2000, Chief Executive (as he then simply was) General Pervez Musharraf instructed National Security Council member Attiya Inayatullah to organize a seminar on human rights. He very correctly there made a reference to the blasphemy laws, realizing the criminal abuse they arouse and in an effort to prevent such abuse he announced his intention of amending the laws so that prior to the registration of an FIR, a deputy commissioner (now a Nazim) would be required to make investigations as to the veracity of the charge - a mere token change in the law but nevertheless a step in the right direction approved by the external world and by the sane and balanced internally. Some days later, for no good reason other than fear, he retreated and told the nation that such an amendment was not possible. Now, fortunately for the nation and the country, he and his officers have far less fear of the bigots and the religion-manipulating mischief makers. We are progressing.

Many of us know how our textile mills are harassed. They print designs sent by their buyers abroad - Japanese, French, Chinese, Taiwanese, American, Irish, and many others - and the mischief making manipulators when they wish to not only extort but to make wicked mischief manage to perceive in any design they may choose to set their eyes upon a squiggle or a line which they interpret as 'Allah' or 'Mohammad'. They then literally terrorize the mill owners with threats of exposure, reports to the police, the mullahs, the authorities, etc., unless substantial sums are paid up. These terrorists also recruit and bribe the more irresponsible inexperienced members of our press who are wont to print alarming reports intended to instigate and arouse the public. Remember how some time ago, one of these 'religious' extortionists even managed to read the word 'Allah' in the 'Nike' sign, which is plastered all over what is worn by a large number of our public, and shown on our hoardings and television advertisements.

The latest mill victim is Yunus Textile Mills of Landhi, owned and managed by the brothers Yunus, their family, and shareholders. The group owns many industries and is counted as one of the top exporters of Pakistan.

The owners are deeply and truly religious, followers of Islam in its correct and original form, and their philanthropy is well known.

On October 23, Nazim Mohammad Shahid of Landhi sent a written complaint to the senior superintendent of police of the Malir and also informed the local Urdu press that he had heard that Yunus Textile Mills was printing cloth with a design in which can be detected the words 'Allah' and 'Mohammad'. According to his report to the police, this had caused much resentment in the area and consequent unrest among the locals. He asked that preventative measures be immediately taken to quell the alleged but imaginary discontent.

The Nazim then telephoned the mill and asked the manager to come to his office and give his explanation to members of the press who had gathered there. Before the manager could leave the mill a team of four reporters and a photographer arrived in his office from a local Urdu daily. They had been informed by the Nazim that defamatory material had been printed by the mill, and that he had made efforts to contact the mill management without success. They alleged that the entire locality was up in arms against the outrage and that the law and order situation was getting out of hand.

The manager told them that no such inflammatory material had ever been printed in his mill, and that he, his workers and the owners were God-fearing Muslims who, knowing the current trend, strictly and conscientiously avoid printing any material which could be deemed to be even vaguely objectionable or hurt anyone's feelings. The press team declared they were satisfied.

As soon as they left, the representatives of the mill management went to see the Landhi Nazim and told him what they had told the press. The Nazim assured them that he too was satisfied and would see that a clarification of the matter was printed in the press.

The next day, October 24, the same newspaper whose reporters had earlier visited the mill manager's statement and also printed the original version of the Nazim together with his photograph and photographs of the samples of two pieces of cloth which he had given them. The report was most provocative and was obviously made inflammatory with intent.

On October 25, Abdul Qadir Mandokhel of Quetta claiming to be an advocate and the chairman of the 'Mandokhel Welfare Organization' went to see City Nazim at the KMC head office and complained to him that Yunus Textile Mills had printed objectionable material.

Nazim Naimatullah asked Mandokhel to lodge his complaint with the executive district officer, Syed Mahmood Shah. He did so. Mahmood Shah, who is in charge of the promotion of industry in this city, then organised a raiding party comprising Mandokhel, Dr Laeeq, a medical doctor in charge of medicine quality control, Mubarak Shah, Laeeq's deputy, Ahsan Mirza, the assistant district officer, Inspector Sabir Sipra, the Station House Officer of the KMC police station in charge of encroachment removals, three 'police constables, Amir Jalai of a Urdu daily newspaper, and his photographer, and Hafiz Abdul Rais, the Sindh representative of Mandokhel's office. They forcibly entered the mill premises and one of the godowns. The mill security staff resisted but were taken care of by the uniformed policemen.

The management raised objections against the unnecessarily stronghanded behaviour of the raiding team and suggested they sit down and discuss the matter. The mill administrator made it quite clear that in the contentious design there was no possible way that the words 'Allah' or 'Mohammad' could be perceived, even by the most twisted mind, and he gave them a sample of the cloth. The raiders left saying they would investigate further.

During the discussions, the man Mandokhel threatened to have the mill sealed, the culprits charged with blasphemy, and then hanged.

On October 26, Mandokhel filed FIR 390/01 in the Qaidabad police station, on which is noted in Urdu, loosely translated here: I, Duty Officer, Sub Inspector Zulfikar Haider, confirm that I have a written word for word report regarding crimes which have been committed under Sections 295 (b) and 295 (c). Therefore a case has been filed against the mill owner of Yunus Textile Mills, Mohammad Ali, and Director Technical Tanvir Ahmad Siddiqui and all other persons involved in the FIR lodged for further investigation by SHO Shujaat Hussain.

President General Musharraf and the nation have gone to war against the world of terrorism. Must we suffer this evil at home?