Chaudhary Nisar, Please speak for yourself, not for the hate mongers

Chaudhry Nisar, the flamboyant Interior Minister of Pakistan is yet again out there to defend his meeting with the chief of the proscribed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). This organization is notorious for its hatred against its rival sect of the country. It will be a big lie to say that ASWJ is not involved in spreading any kind of sectarian hatred.

My previous article on failure of the National Action Plan (NAP) also pointed towards the same lack of sensitivity on part of the government and its various ministers towards the realization that radicalization and extremism in Pakistan cannot be viewed from the myopic lens of military action only. The extent of extremism in our everyday lives has crossed all limits. A person holding a moderate view about religion is always on the target of extremists.

The interior Minister is either too naive about the use of social media or is being too self-righteous. By simply skimming through the Facebook pages maintained by the proponents of sectarian outfits, one can easily come to the conclusion that they regularly spew out hatred against their rival sects. However, it is also true that this fire of hatred is burning on both sides of the fence. It would be unfair to say that only ASWJ or other like-minded organizations spew out hatred, their rivals also do the same. They are perhaps using different media, but for any reaction there should be an action.

The fact of the matter is that the Interior Minister, Chaudhary Nisar’s meeting with the chief of a proscribed organization; either its Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) or Tehreek e Jafaria (TeJ) cannot be justified. Sectarian organizations on both sides of the fence have specialized cells that conceptualize, create and disseminate hatred through various tools and media to their target audience. This must stop now.

Being a country with one of the largest youth populations in the world, we must start taking action to reduce the effects of this hatred, radicalization and extremism on them. We are already out of time and cannot afford to waste anymore or it. The Interior Minister already has a weak reputation among the media and the people, and I am sure it will deteriorate further, if he will keep on repeating this mistake. He must not, purposely, differentiate between sectarian and extremist organizations. Both these terms are synonymous, at least, in Pakistan’s context. My only message to the interior minister is that Chaudhary Nisar Please speak for yourself, not for the hate mongers.