Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday held out assurances to Pakistani religious minorities, especially Hindus, that it was his duty to safeguard their interests in the country. Addressing an especially arranged Diwali gathering at a hotel in the city, Sharif said he was the prime minister of all communities in the country.“It is my Farz, it is my duty that I must help that Hindu who is victimised by a tyrant. And if the tyrant is a Muslim, I will take sterner action against him,” the prime minister said in his address. He said his religion taught him that one must not side the tyrant against the victim, instead it was mandatory to help the victim against a tyrant.“We are a single nation, we are the residents of one country regardless of what we are communally,” he said. The prime minister further said people should be helpful to each other and “we as Muslims” should cherish Hindus — and the two groups should cheer up Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and other communities. He appreciated the role of minorities in the education and health sectors of the country, and Hindus’ contribution before the partition of the subcontinent. He referred to the Ganga Ram Hospital and other educational and medical institutions set up by the Hindu philanthropists in this region. The speech has been hailed by various minority leaders, even if most belong to the N-League, as a moral boost to minorities. One has to recognise the importance of the participation and speech by the PM, since many public figures in Pakistan are unfortunately virulently attacked and lambasted as un-Islamic by the forces of bigotry. However, it will be facile to overpraise the assurances made by the PM. A cynic would suggest that this entire endeavour was a calculated photo op designed to show up Modi’s India, which is in the grips of anti-minority violence and hate campaigns, and hence lacking in sincerity. At best, this speech and attendance at a Divali function represents the bare minimum. Pleasing speeches and self-congratulatory events will do little to ameliorate the incredibly dismal social reality that besets the minorities of Pakistan. The Hindus of Pakistan, so lavishly praised by the PM in his speech, will find no solace in the words of Nawaz Sharif when they are hounded at all corners and the women of the community are kidnapped and forcibly converted with heartbreaking regularity. Simply saying that the PM will stand up to injustices meted out to the minorities has no significance when no efforts are being made to reform the blasphemy law, which upends lives and entire communities on the basis of false testimonies. If the PM is serious in his intent, he will not stop at making well received speeches; he has to follow his words with meaningful action and mobilise his government to take meaningful action to ensure all citizens, regardless of religion. pk.shafaqna.com
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