ALONG the Golden Hillock Road in Birmingham, UK, a huge procession celebrating the birthday of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is taken out every year.

It wends its way through a mainly Muslim area which, as can be expected, includes people from diverse sects just as can be found in Pakistan.

However, unlike in Pakistan, where there are risks associated with attending any religious gathering, you will not see any security provided by the state.

In fact, in the UK, the police will, normally, not provide security if it is over and above their usual duties. Providing police security for such religious gatherings is considered unnecessary. The reason for this is simple; any act of violence is plainly not tolerated and the ‘extremists’ in the UK understand that perfectly.

Despite all their differences, adherents of one Muslim sect would never dare to hurl abuse and stones at another. No one will cause harm to processions making their way through a street or place barriers in an attempt to stop them from passing through an area where they are in the majority. During my 11 years in the UK, I have never heard of a serious incident which smacked of a sectarian motive. That is the case in respect of Shia processions or gatherings of other sects and religions.

Bigots in Pakistan are on their best behaviour in the UK.

It is an ironic state of affairs though that the very same bigots who show intolerance towards others in Pakistan will be on their best behaviour in the UK. They will take a ‘proactive approach’ in making sure they do not give succour to sectarianism — a startling transformation in the behaviour of ‘extremist’ Muslims.

The worst they would probably do is whisper in a corner of the mosque which is out of public sight.

Here in Pakistan, the followers of any sect should be perfectly aware, after a number of faith-based massacres, that any steps to declare another sect non-Muslim or kafir has not made them ‘better’ Muslims; rather, such measures have been a constant source of sustenance to unscrupulous preachers. This has been at the cost of precious lives, at the cost of killing someone’s beloved or a family’s sole breadwinner.

The reason why sectarianism is a heinous act of terrorism is that it attempts to justify violence on the basis of differences ancillary to the basic tenets of Islam. While economic reasons can probably be cited as one of the underlying issues, they are in no way an excuse for the carnage of our fellow countrymen.

The intolerance that we see today in Pakistan is unheard of in the Islam that the Prophet taught.

It has become almost an axiomatic argument that the failure of the law-enforcement authorities is one of the main reasons behind this continued and appalling state of affairs. The issue is rooted in the superfluity of Pakistani policing. The police have been protecting various interests of the ruling parties rather than concentrating upon the law and order situation on the ground.

My opinion might be countered by some with the argument, ‘are you comparing the situation in the United Kingdom with that of Pakistan?’ However, I strongly believe that this question is nothing more than an expression of disappointment in what we can achieve in Pakistan. A case in point is the significant improvement that can be seen in the law and order situation in KP. All we need is sincerity and resolve to root out this monster.

Any efforts by the leading institutions, no matter how well-intentioned they are, time and again have proven to be insufficient and toothless. It is yet to be seen whether the Council of Islamic Ideology’s proposed 14-point code of conduct for religious organisations to curb sectarian violence, which is reportedly to be further discussed in the council’s next meeting, is implemented in letter and spirit.

The restrictions imposed by the government on the use of loudspeakers have seemingly discouraged provocative speeches being ‘imposed upon’ the wider audience and also resulted in a more peaceful environment in cities and villages. The government needs to send out a clear message that sectarianism is terrorism and will not be tolerated in any form. Any promoters of sectarianism and hate speech must be dealt with strictly within the parameters of the law of the land. The government must also take decisive steps to make sure that any funding, local or foreign, to different religious factions is strictly regulated and constant checks are in place to monitor the use of those funds.

Borrowing from David Cameron’s words from his recent speech on extremism delivered in July this year at the Ninestiles School in Birmingham; “We will defeat the extremists and build a stronger and more cohesive [Pakistan], for our children, our grandchildren and for every generation to come.”

The writer is a lawyer.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2015