May God bless him and give a higher place in heaven.

There is a simple Universal Law regardless of religion
Love and hate will never be your lot.
Hate and it will consume you
In Pak schools from day one, systemetic hate has been taught and encouraged. In addition to justify this hate, Pak masses have been fed Lies upon lies.
To admit all the blunders of the past, it may look like loss of face in the short term but Pak will earn genuine respect from within and outside at the end of the day. Nothing is mighter than Truth. Good luck

FACTS TO THINK ABOUT:

Pakistan needs to be an Islamic state with Sharia as the constitution so that there is no need for groups like Taliban to fight for it. Under the Sharia rights of all muslims and non-muslims are protected. It will rid the evils of: Corruption, feudelism, moral, economic, social corruption at all levels. It will make country crime-free even in places like Karachi where mafia is rampant, no more car-jackings etc.

The idea of democarcy or secularism will further dump the country in gutters. A muslim either follows Islam or rejects it – there is no second option. You are either completely in or out the door.

The nation and the leaders of the country should have some self-esteem as a muslim nation, correctly apply Sharia rules if people do not like Taliban style. Remember that in any form of governance there has to be enforcement else it fails. People should be educated in Govt run Islamic training centers and attendance should be mandated before it is enforced. Ignorance about the correct laws of Sharia can scare most ill-informed people therefore the training should be mandated.

Then focus should be to develop infrastructure and education system at par with advanced nations. Sharia does not bar anyone to learn education that is beneficial to the society.

The leaders should be well-educate in Sharia plus technical education. They should be from no-feudal background.

We should standup to foreign pressure and borrowing from IMF, reduce our dependance on other countries for consumer products. Develop and encourage our own industries through strict quality control standards.

Learn from countries such as North Korea and India who took a firm stand against pleasing western countries or bowing before foriegn pressures.

As Allam Iqbal correctly reminded the nation: Khudee main hay Zindagee (Some thing to that effect).

When the country is facing such an internal war and military is making huge sacrifices, some anti-national or anti-social elements may take undue advantage of the situation to the extent of supporting the enemy also. It is best advisable to declare ‘Emergency’ and deprive the fundamental rights of the people for a short duration in the best interest of the nation.

I agree with Kamran Haider views that Pakistan should contemplate reverting to a SECULAR State. God or Allah created people of many religions to co-exist and practice their faiths peacefully under one roof ie the whole world. Islam is a great religion and the same is not in danger from any sect but those who are indulging in violence or jihad are doing a great dis-service to it. However, India is the beacon to the whole world, where hindus, muslims, sikhs and other religions live together peacefully and is a role model of Secularism for other countries to follow.

Efforts are needed to make Pakistan a secular state so that all Muslims and other religions could perform their religious duties without any fear. Pakistan can only make progress under the secular state. It is a matter of great concern that religious extremism is spreading like a cancer and people’s life are at stake. This menace is derailing Pakistan towards destruction. We need to discourage religious extremism in any form and need to encourage peace and tolerance. These extremists are not serving Islam and the country rather they are creating problems for themselves and the entire world just for nothing..

Janet Ames says:
June 14th, 2009 at 15:54

“Have any of you read “The Prince” by Machiavelli, or “The True Believer” by Eric Hoffer? Together, they will tell you everything you need to know to analyse your government, and yourself.”

–
Abdul Al-Okullah says:
June 15th, 2009 at 3:19

“We don’t need Machiavelli or Hoffer. Our holy book has all the answers if people bother to read it.”

—-

And this is how religious folks sound narrow minded.

‘Dean WA Duniya’ NOT ‘Dean LA Duniya’!

Abdul, I’m sorry, but your dismissive statement perfectly frames the uncritical thought process of Pakistanis and Muslims who simply don’t want to gain any other sort of knowledge and use religion as a literal answer, when it lies elsewhere.

Haven’t the Taliban been claiming to read the Quran? What do you think of how they’ve implemented their understanding of it?

First of all, the Quran is a book of guidance which places moral signs of an event rather than narrating it in details.

It is the word of Allah and our Moral compass without doubt. Some instructions are clear, but some verses we debate on the literal or liberal context, meaning and historical instance. Considering there’s so many different interpretations and opinions from different scholars it would seem nailing that ONE answer to ANY question might be more difficult than originally thought.

On top of it the Quran and our Prophet (SAW) have encouraged all Muslims to seek ‘Ilm’.

If the Quran had all the answers then what was the point of telling Muslims to seek further knowledge apart from itself?

When Janet suggested reading the books she mentioned, why did you shoo it away, when there’s some knowledge to be gained by their psychological and sociological analysis and how it relates to our predicaments?

The Quran is recited everyday in our spiritual lives and practiced in our worldly affairs. But By no means is it a Book that restricts us from acquiring any other knowledge from other sources except on condition that we hold on to our core beliefs, and with this we CAN move forward, explore, debate, AND YES, even find answers for current problems that may lie elsewhere.

The acts of Talibans are brutal and henious. The have defamed the name of our country and Islam. Islam is the name of peace and harmony and it teaches us compasion. Talibans want to push the nation towards the stone age where people should long for a morsel of bread. These elements are the main obstables in the way of the progress of the country. Sensible people need to be united against this menace and the tactics of these stone-age people should be foiled before it is too late….

Taliban are modern day Barbarians

I find it hard to believe that the govt. failed to show the ppl of pakistan real face of talibans aka terrorists. Full legal action should have been taken by the govt when Benazir was killed in 12/07. For unknown reasons these ppl were protected and hidden by unknown elements for so long. And worse yet the ppl of pakistan were in love with these socalled protectors of religion. No wonder the country is burning.

Good effort by Pakistan to reid itself of Taliban. A country can only develop if it removes dogmatism ruling over sensibility. Just a Obama’s entry has drawn out the voice of moderation and peace in the US, ad Congress party similarly so in India, we are hoping Zardari will stand firm in Pakistan’s commitment to justice to itself and its citizens.

As long as the fundamentalist islamists killing others like shias, hindus, christians, this much shouting has not erupted. But now the educated minds shout and say ‘islam is a religion of peace’, no muslim will kill a fellow muslim’, the taliban is uneducated bigots, mob, rough and tough etc. These educated opportunists are more dangerous to the nation than the uneducated masses because they can be taught what is good or bad.

Everyone knows that Pakistan today faces the worst crisis of its history but nobody seems to recognise that it also has a great opportunity. Now, we can discard the faulty tribal policy we inherited from the British. We should have long abolished FATA and FR and integrated them fully in the country.
Let the brave Ghazis of our Army and PAF make short work of this criminal Baitulla Mehsud and his gang. Let them break this false myth of tribal invincibility.

saf,

I agree with you. The crimes committed against our shia brothers and against qadianis were no less heinous. But just because those mistakes were made, does not mean that we let another schism develop in the Sunni community which has historically remained homogenous and united. This mischief if nipped in the bud will weaken Pakistan much more than any previous mistake did.

The killing of a noble cleric who was opposing suicide killings, blasts in mosques and violence by Taleban is a henious crime. However the silver lining is that majority of people in Pakistan support military action which according to my opinion is the real JIHAD against killers of innocent people who want to impose their un-Islamic ideology by force. As Srilanka has got rid of LTTE, it is sincerly hoped that Pakistan who has a superior army would eliminate Taleban soon.

WE tend not to say the facts.Till now we have not understood the facts. If someone wants to prove oneself right or thinks right, then he or she should talk on the basis of knowledge and not just kill another person.If Taliban think they are right they should have discussed it with DR Naeemi.When someone doesnt have knowledge they do things like taliban.Taliban is basically a wahabi group and because of lack of knowledge they just kill anyone who does not agree with their opinion.

Dear Jameel Afridi,

The people who think that all this terrorism started after the Musharraf’s decision to join America’s led war on terror, either have short memory or they are bised. Extremism and Terrorism started in our country well before Musharraf came in power. It was in full swing in 1990s in the form of target killings and bomb blasts. Thousands of people were killed in the act of terrorism in the above period. In case you were not that old at that time or your memory does not help you then please consult archive of this esteem newspaper.

In fact, during the above period the nature of terrorism was so, that many people did not find themselves a probable target, that’s why selfishly they think everything was alright during that era. Anyhow, after Pakistan’s decision to join war on terror and resist the so called Jihadise within Pakistan than the terrorism took a new turn, it became indiscriminate and more lethal. The Taliban terrorists started suicide bombing on security forces, police, shia mosques and on public places as well to stop government action against them. They are resisting to continue their anti Islam and anti Pakistan agenda.

Please, don’t substantiate your argument with the assumed killing of 300 girls student in Lal masjid. What verification you have for this number? In case these girls students were inside the mosque then why they chose to remained within the armed conflict zone? The question is why these girls students were inside the mosque when they were given 3 – 4 days to leave. Their parents as well as women members of Jamat-e-Islami went inside the mosque to insist that each and every girl and children should come out. As a matter of fact, whoever, was killed inside Lal masjid, either asked for it by himself/ herself or Ghazi brothers stopped them by force to use them as human shield. Then why to blame government? Why so much hue and cry on it? Why so much petty politics on it?

the fact is that we want islam but we wont practice it. we all don’t want the Taliban in our midst .we must support our GOVT and army .. but this is not the ultimate solution ! there is a need of talks at political as well as religious level. which minister so far went there in Swat ????

Wasit says:
June 14th, 2009 at 13:21
comment-top

This is one of the most heinous crime committed by the Taliban to sow the seeds of a sectrarian hatred within the Sunni community and must not go unavenged.

—-

Thanks for waking up, Wasit. But tell me…were there not heinous crimes happening against Shia Muslim community since the 80’s to sow the seeds of a sectarian hatred within the entire Muslim community? Masjid, Imambargah,Funeral and Julus bombings that averaged like 20 lost lives? Did the pain not occur then and the thought avenging those senseless murders for fellow Pakistanis?

How about the Qadiyani’s since the 70’s till now and discrimination against these patriotic Pakistanis like Abdus Salam?

How about the Hindus in the North and interior provinces, kidnapped for ransom but if they couldn’t pay up were killed because they were Kafirs anyway?

And the Christians and their churches?

Strange how the main article writer has only gone to mention upto the Sufi shrines and no further.

This goes DITTO for all of you posters who seem NOW outraged…

I’m sorry to say, but the majority Sunni Muslim community totally failed to heed M.A.Jinnah’s wish in protecting the lives of minorities. If it wasn’t the majority lives at stake, it didn’t matter. Even worse some ex-moderate Sunnis went further by joining these Wahabi/Salafi/Deobandi inspired Kharjite beliefs and thought alls well with it by nodding with approval to hate speech.

No political comments. My heart just weeping over the death of Naeemi Sahib. Now this is the time for the nation to wake up. Please wake up. And say no to terror, injustice.
Be united
Be careful
Be Human.

Underlying theme is still the same. You have still roaming Taliban and dangerous views in the educated Pakistanis too.Taliban is one part of the cube what will you do to other three faces??? There are nations with future inspite of current debacle-like North Korea and even Somalia. BUT this nation has to be saved by God only.

We don’t need Machiavelli or Hoffer. Our holy book has all the answers if people bother to read it.

It is a Civil War, you have to face it and tackle. It is upto you society what we want. Either go in the terrorist heaven or establish your society. We should face it with courage and power, distinguish who wants to destroy our society. There are no doubt some problems in our society, we have to solve those problems why some elements are against it. Treat it PAKISTAN FIRST concept and go for PAKISTAN FIRST

It is realy sad that such a great religious scholar and pious muslim has been targeted by TALIBAN. AS AN OUTSIDER, I AM NOT ABLE TO COMPREHEND the ideology of talibans!do they realy have a muslim leader? earlier pakistan drive them out of thier land ,better for the region!
g.k.natarajan,chennai,india

Has any ulema from Deobandi sect or any leader of the Tableeghi Jamaat condemned this heinous murder? Has anyone ready any such statement? I have not seen any.

Janet Ames:

Shouldn’t we be also discussing the moral corruption in your country. Clergy abusing alter boys in the Church, or shouldn’t we be discussing the use of women as an advertising commondity in the west where semi-naked women are used in all the bill-boards and advertisements to sell products??
Is this freedom of women in the west that people in your country boast about?? How about the brutal treatment of detainees in this so called war on terror??

The list goes on and on.

The advice given to those in such situations which you may well remember is: GO CLEAN YOUR OWN BACKYARD FIRST BEFORE COMPLAINING OR ADVISING OTHERS…..

All I can say is that the nation of Pakistan has to rise against the Taliban atrocities and brutality. The nation must unite and show solidarity despite any differences which may persist. Talibans are nothing but parasites against the great religion of Islam. We really have no choice but to defeat them once for all.

The extremists think they have eliminated the shining symbol of the true Islamic scholarship in a modern Pakistan — to be replaced with their version of Islam — but they have not — in reality they have dug their own grave for all times to come on that very fateful day.

Talibanism as the modern version of Islamic dispensation in today’s Pakistan committed suicide — the day the scholar Dr. Naeemi died at the hands of a brainwashed ignorant suicide bomber.

Well for all practical purposes Talibanisation is dead in Pakistan.

Have any of you read “The Prince” by Machiavelli, or “The True Believer” by Eric Hoffer? Together, they will tell you everything you need to know to analyse your government, and yourself.

I am appalled at what’s happening in Pakistan. Things look as if they are nose diving into abyss. It’s shocking to see Muslims killing Muslims; what kind of people are they who kill a pious loving man Dr Sarfraz Naeemin who preached peace and harmony. Are they barbarians to indulge in this???

Time Pakistan looks inward disbands its negative policies and gets going on eliminating them. Time terror groups are eliminated and education system purged of its bias since that is what poisoning the minds of your youth. Hatred leads to only destruction. As an Indian Muslim, this is my fervent appeal else the cycle of violence in your country will go on.

This is one of the most heinous crime committed by the Taliban to sow the seeds of a sectrarian hatred within the Sunni community and must not go unavenged. Sri Lanka is the only country that ever defeated an insurgency and Pakistan needs to follow the same ruthless but highly effective model. Divide the Wazirs and Mehsuds, the two heads of the same serpent and use one against the other as Sri Lanka used Karuna against Parbhakaran and do not differentiate between terrorists and those that shelter and feed them. Deal with both of them ruthlessly.

I just like to comment people should learn from Christian minority who lives in pakistan without creating any problem to muslims or any other religion. If those people can do it you people can do it. God Bless Pakistan and Pakistani people

Pakistan has been hostage to religious clerics for a long time. The religious extremism goes back to early fifties when ferocious movements were started in the name of Islam. It was then the political set should have taken a more sensible approach to solve the problems. Pakistan was not created to be a state in the name of religion and nor Quaid-e-Azam would have ever wished religious extremism to flourish. It is unfortunate that the history of Pakistan is involved in intrigues, international or internal. Politicians have been succumbing and becoming hostage to vested interests, internal and external.
When the war in Afghanistan ended the internal intriguers took a good chance by infusing their ideologies in the armed forces which generated this menace of extremism. It was Gen. Musharraf who under extreme external pressure started purging army of such elements but then drifted away and had his own political agenda that caused him loss of his Govt. Setting aside what has happened in the past, I think this high time to purge such elements from our society and create a healthy Pakistan. The rise of Taliban in the tribal zones of Pakistan is the failure of local tribal systems and customs – it is infact the failure of jirga spirit which does not seem to carry any more. The tribal elders themselves have their own selfish motives – of which the drugs business is one of most important which has grown into a menace of the tribal belt and this should be mercilessly tackled. This is one of the major source of income for the arming of Taliban.

We speak and act differently, we have to come as one voice against this brutality and madness.
Untill we don’t bring change within our self and implement it quickly, I do not see our life’s and sadly our country progressing forward.
Some body once told me that if allah resend prophet muhhammad (PBUH)to Pakistan, these Mullaha’s will kill him to in suicide bombing and their arguments will be his not a good practicing mulsim.
So I hope my arguments here will not start a new debate but bring a change and attitude within society which will push us towards some stability.
This is the time we forcefully denounce these fanatics, children of hate and murder.
Try establish more schools, educate and give oppourtunity equally to every one person to educate and learn( the first message of allah and prophet PBUH).
I hope Pakistani’s will realise that in order to succseed in this world and progress forawrd with dignity and respect is to bring the change.
I hope that every one across the board raise their voices against current mennace.
No wonder why we don’t change our current day Pakistan to Jinnah’s Pakistan which he dreamt of more then sixty years ago.
Long live Pakistan, long live People of Pakistan.

Pakistan needs to do the following(part2):

7. All mosques in the country should be controlled centrally at the provincial level ( at least). All the Friday sermons should be approved and provided by council of scholars who have authenticated degrees on Islamic Studies. These sermons should be communicated to each and every mosque in the country and delivered by government-employed imam. Other than Friday sermons mosques SHOULD not be allowed to use for any kind of speech including preaching, yes preaching. Shia and Sunni sects should be accommodated in this arrangement.

With corrections:

The Taliban are very clear about their goals and given a choice will stop at nothing to achieve them.
The astounding part of this is that in spite of their ownership of these heinous acts and repeated statements warning all sections of society, the Pakistani press and a large percentage of people choose to lay blame on ‘outside forces’
This only strengthens these people. How can we target an enemy whom we choose to ignore even while they live, breath and kill and maim us while they live amongst us? This is akin to delusional thinking. Violent movements eventually die their own natural deaths, but unfortunately result in the destruction of innumerable innocents before this happens.
This vicious and violent ideology is NOT my Islam and we as a nation should stop being apologists for these beasts and recognize them for what they are, mass murderers and terrorists.

Sarfaraz Naeemi was saying things which Taliban did not like and he was killed. Our governement has laws such as blasphemy laws to kill those who say things that the majority does not like. Solution is a culture of freedom of speech which should sart by repealing these black laws.

we are all looking one side of the picture… if you see other side or beyond this war. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE for ALL THIS. If you want to put off jungle fire you have to cut down some trees in the line of fire so it could not spread more or in case of fire at plane/car you have to spray fire extinguisher i.e. you have to cut the oxygen supply (extinguisher)or restrict fire at one location.
From where these anti Pakistan peoples are getting huge supply of ammunition/money and new recruits? First we have to cut the supply of oxygen that is arms, ammunition and money they automatically destroyed, defeated and vanished. If US can attack on Iraq and drone attack are done inside of Pakistan territory then WHY don’t we do Pre-emptive strike on the other side of border to cut the supply line. it is for the safety of Pakistan and to eradicate of these unhumane mad people.

It’s about time that Pakistanis understand the Fitna of Taliban. These people have to prove their humanity first before they argue about Islam.

It is the battle for the heart and soul of Islam. People of bring bad name to Allah’s Deen must be fought. Our Ulemas are giving their lives for the sake of the one and true interpretation of Islam. Their sacrifices must be acknowledged and their mission must be accomplised by forcefully eliminating the Taliban.

May Allah curse the Taliban and rid Pakistan and the world of Islam of this fitna.

Before I begin, I want to clarify that I do not at all belong to any “extremist religious party or group”. Whatever I am about to say is totally a personal opinion of a very moderate Pakistani and I respect others’ viewpoints as well. I am totally against Taliban’s version because their practices are anti-human and anti-Islamic.

The problem with the majority of us (Pakistanis) is this that we have never ever tried to study our religion in its true spirit. I don’t understand as to why we are so allergic and hesitant to talk about Islam and politics, Islam or democracy, Islam as a system of governance??? Why do we talk about separation of state from religion…. If we study Islam, the system of governance is there and that is where we say, Islam is different from other (with due respect) religions. It is Deen- a way of life wherein every aspect of our life is a part of our Deen, be it economy, politics or society. Our lack of interest in our own religion and blind acceptance of political definitions given by the West, has failed us.

Today, Islam may have different interpretations but the fundamentals, the Emaniyaat are the same, on which all the Muslims agrree. The chaos Pakistan is beset with today is because of our failure to formulate a proper Islamic system in the country which believe you me, was and is very much possible to achieve, despite different interpretations of Islam. The problem started with General Zia’s self imposed policy of “islamizing” Pakistan, which indeed, in the ensuing decades was left with nothing but moth eaten version of Islam. His policies killed the spirit of Ijtehad. The education policy was flawed and remained so.

The following governments also did never try to incorporate courses in the national curriculum on inter-faith studies, interpretations of Islam by different Islamic historians and modern Islamic scholars that would have provided the students an in depth understanding of different explanations of Islam, Islamic law of governance and jurisprudence. This kind of policy (with all modern subjects inclusive) would have produced very different results. Those who would have qualified or specialized in inter-faith studies, interpretative Islamic studies, could have then been picked up by the concerned authorities and then assigned with the task of making a draft of an Islamic system wherein pluralism is celebrated, not seperated. The draft could have been deliberated and debated upon in the parliament for approval or disapproval. The process of reformation is extremely vital for the creation of a tolerant and just society. However, it seems as if our rulers are scared to introduce such an education policy that could lead to a truly tolerant, plural Islamic state that all the Pakistanis could be proud of.

The curse of Talibanization is on a rampage. The demon is Insha-Allah only a decline in Swat and will be handled soon in other parts of country. But we as a nation has to stand firm and united against these actions from the extremists.
The actions by extremists cannot undermine the strength of people of Pakistan and we should also comeout to help our brothern IDP who are unwillingly caught up in the fight against this menance. I will also recommend that the civic society and its members should remain in touch with each other and ensure the right course of action is adopted by the Govt. We neither can afford extremism nor bad governance. Army is here for a savier but once their role is finished (with a sucessful compaign against saboteurs), they should go back to their barracks.
One of the reasons of this debacle is bad-governance and social injustice for which all but specially military govts are responsible and we should not repeat the mistake again.

Its matter of great solace for me that even in these difficult times of massive confusions, there are some people, who can really understand the real danger which TALIBANISATION poses to this country and nation.To me the most impotant thing is that we should be very much clear about this menace of TALIBANIZATION.And every citizen of Pakistan should stand up to fight this ugliest evil of our times. May Allah help us all.

A nice article, keep it up.

In response to a few comments by some ’sick-ulars’: It is not religion itself which causes such events, but its severe misinterpretation. No other evidence is required as to the sickness of secularists, who leave no stone unfurled in exploiting such saddening situations to project their false ideologies.

Let us not throw the baby away with the bath water.

If you loose wealth, little thing is lost. If you loose health, something is lost. If you loose religion, nothing is lost.

I appeal from my Pakistani fellows (Shias, Sunni, brelvi etc). Please be unite and defeat these Demons (Taliban) InsyaAllah you people will see that all these Taliban have been flushed out which Pak Army is doing very soon. Dnt destroy your own future (country).

Pakistan is our future where we and our successors can preach Islam, freely practicing Islam. It is not a peace of Land but indeed it is our Mosque. So please be unite and Defeat them. These suicide bombers are illiterate teenager boys which The Taliban forced to kill innocent People. Shame on them. Paksitan Zindabad Payendabad

Any killing in Islam is not a justification
for any sect or following.
However, sadly there are many sect in Pakistan but very few following the correct path of Islam. Most of them are treditional
reather then follower of the Quran and Suunah.
the only way forward is true Islam, not the society is as it is now.

We are all deeply saddened by the Shahadat of Allama Sarfraz Naeemi. He was an institution in his own right, and a great asset to the nation.

Lets step back and evaluate how did we end up with a massive violent insurgency on our hands, thats threatening our national integrity, with more than 60% of the landmass on Pakistan as a combat zone (includes Balochistan, FATA, Swat).

It all began when the Musharraf Government decided to use Pakistan Army against Pakistani citizens on Pakistani soil; with the sole aim of staying in power with the US support and to spin ion some raw cash in the bargain.

Our present Political and Military leadership is towing along the Musharraf policies, at great cost to Pushtoon and Baloch people. The “draconian menace” of Taliban is a logical reaction against the rapacious misuse of our national Armed forces on our own soil.

Swat went up in flames after more than 300 girl students were burnt alive in the Lal Masjid tragedy. Taliban provided a rallying point for those who suffered as a result of this atrocity. Now after the displacement of more than 2.5 M pushtoons in Swat as a result of Army operations they find no shortage of fresh recruits. Massive use of Armor, Artillery and PAF jets has not helped either.

The only solution is for the Government / Army / Nation to tell the USA that we are sick and tired of fighting your proxy war on in our country.

Talibani mindset is getting support from some local people and idology.Without it they cann’t survice and can be easily eliminated. First look in your city, they have some like minded people base in each city. We must recognise these people and organisations who supports extremist ideology because these are the moral boosters for taliban. Strike forcefully on them in battlegrounds, eradicate or shut down there soft or hard support in each city in pakistan, spread secular ideology in school and college curriculam, use eloctronic media aggresively against extremism AND see the result. Wishing you a peaceful and prosperous pakistan. (An Indian Brother)

Its a great loss for the Muslim Ummah and for Pakistan,Dr.Sarfaraz naemi was the iconic figure for building an image of true Islam.. His efforts for interfaith HArmony and for Ideology of True Islamic values will always be remembered.

Govt must provide concrete security to Ulama Haq.

Can we take this dreadful time as an opportunity to do something great? Can the government of Pakistan organise sharp minds to come together and invent a technology that will scan a radius of say 20 KM for any thing that sniffs belts with ammunition. Once developed – install it on all the sensitive areas. This may sound a bit childish but come on people – unless we kill them before they complete their mission we will always be suffering. We need a strategy that produces results. These people are not ready to talk, listen or surrender. If we can be nuclear power – we should also resolve invent something. Pakistan and its people are great and losing this great country like this because of these heartless people is very agonising.

This is an eye opener for those who get emotional in the name of religion. These so called champions of Islam known as Taliban should have been crushed in the first place when they started their activities many years ago. Instead, our people always supported them because they were using religion to channel their activities.

In Pakistan – unfortunately – anyone with a beard and ankle height shalwar/trouser is considered a saint. If this is the yardstick, I don’t think anything can change in Pakistan.

We may still have some time. We must try to build society based on secular values rather than loving the religion with a devastating wrong ideology.

It is certainly very sad. But the moderates should use this incident to mobilize people against taliban. There is no way taliban can survive without public support.

The roots of all problems in Pakistan are social and economic injustices.Even in such circumstances, the ministers, army officers and bureaucrats are maintaining a lavish lifestyle and on the other hand the common person is facing the menace of inflation, and improper health and education facilities.If such a common poor person holds a gun, he not only creates awe in the hearts of “Haves”, but his economic conditions also improve.What’s the better option then? To be a HAVE NOT and a SLUM DOG or to be a HAVE and a BULLY?

The people who used to keep positive views about taliban and have changed them recently must repent on their flowed analysis and weak observation. They must compensate for the damage done by speaking loud and clear against them. In the present circumstances, whoever is quiet or suggesting a solution which may provide a safe passage to taliban is a traitor of Islam and Pakistan.
We need to understand that raising voice against these hooligans is an imperative to demoralize and corner them. It is our religious and national responsibility to do so. As a common citizen of Pakistan what else we will contribute if we don’t raise our voice against these oppressors and killers. These misguided people will not be able to survive long without the moral and political support they are getting from a biased and brand washed minority within the country. May Allah guide and give wisdom to all taliban’s supporters, specially to Jamat-e- Isami, Imran khan and to Fazal-ur-Rehman to think beyond their political interests and condemn Taliban, the way they deserve it.

We solute our brave army for their action agaisnt taliban and value their sacrifices.

Very good article.What Pakistan needs is
modern broadminded education which teaches
children to respect plurality and accept the world as it exists.Keep your religion to yourself and you are not obliged to spread Gods message as you deem fit to all and sundry.

All values of islam, can be justified by logics. and these values can be promoted in secular country also.
i mean to love, peace,equility, human rights etc. can be justified without Islam also.
so there is no danger to Islam in secular country. i can say Islam is in more danger in Pakistan than India.
in India Muslims are not following Taliban type of Islam. becasue our system is not justified by any religion, but not against the Islam as well.

Bohat afsoos ki baat hai aise jayyad ulama-e-karam jinho ne apne clear views diye aur Islam ko naam le kar islam ko badnaaam karne walo ko benaqab kiya aaj un ki jaan bhi mehfooz nahi, yaha security sirft siyasi leaders, MNA, minister, PM, President ya un logo ko milti ho jo apna leader par hamla hone ki soorat me poora city ko band karwa sakte hain aur bank jala sakte hain, public properties ko nuqsan pohcha sakte hain, lekin ahl-e-haq jo in sab chizo ko na-jaiz samajhte hain unko security nahi milti kiyo ko wo log pur aman hain. ALLAH ZALIM HUKMURANO AUR TALIBAN SE NIJAT ATA FARMAI. AMEEN

I fervently hope that at leat this time, the army, inspite of heavy sacrifices it is making and the uprooting of millions of men, women and children who hve lost their hearth and home, the Government of Pakistan and people are serious about uprooting the Taliban menace once for all. It is no use treating good Talibans when they cross the border in Kashmir separately, and bad Talibans when they kill the people within the country.Again, Muslims in Pakistan have to be united,not target poor shias, and the minorities. The whole country has be united and determined to destroy this menace. Unless it is done there is no hope for Pakistan, which God knows deserves better.

Vienna,13-06-2009
Do the condolences help? Does guidance help
if not followed up? Every individual has
own brains,he or she should use them.
All we can pray is “Allah Ishvara tere naam
sabko sanmati de Allahavan”, the essence
being different names are for the same god,
oh god, give every one some sanity.

-Kulamarva Balakrishna

We Pakistani should be united against the wave of terror introduced by so called Taliban defaming the image of Islam and threat for the integration of our country.
Its fall out of our blunders done by our ruling elites of civilian and military leaders who have formulated our foreign policy for short vision and later we all Pakistani people are paying price for their follies.
I urged our TV anchors to be stopped airing TV interviews of so called supporters of Taliban and should support army and the government to root the Taliban from our country and to move towards Jinnah Pakistan.
So called Taliban’s are barbarian and their agenda is not imposing Sharia but to break up the country and divided the people of country assassinated our political leaders, religious clerics and killing innocent peoples.
They don’t know even ABC of Islam they are thugs and their only aim is to make Pakistan another Afghanistan and imposed their agenda.

many things are being mixed here- and no wonder Imran Khan said it rightly in APC at Islamabad that he is utterly confused at the situation, and wants specific answers to his very specific Questions.

If we call ourselves Muslims, then Secularism has nothing to do with us. Deen, which we regularly refer to as a Religion,gives us a complete code of life- ranging from business of state to normal life.

When true Islam was practiced, these fanatics were non existent. But this only happened when first true welfare state was established and then the punishments ordained in Deen were enforced- (Note that later is only effective when former is enforced)
May Allah guide us to the true path- Amen

We should immediately secularize our education system as one generation of this country has already been thrown into the dark alleys of Madressahs and if we do not change minds of children today then our tomorrow is also doomed.

Our army should learn from Sri Lankan example. How they were able to crush decades old militancy waged by the organization which was more technically advanced then the TTP. Though TTP ideology is more religious based, Tigers were motivated by nationalism.

However, I am convinced that TTP’s distorted religious idelogy can also be defeated with will and some smart planning. We, as a nation have invested lot of our very precious resources in our Military Forces. Its time for them to deliver. Remember Tigers were defeated with weapons provided by our very own country.

Anyone who still believe in dialogue with the Taliban is either thier agent or the agent of the forces supporting them to destabilize Pakistan. If need be we should use extreme measures in these extreme times i.e. tactical nuclear weapons in Meshud/Orkzi lands.

Also, its time for the Pashtuns to think where as a ethnic group their destiny lies?

What has our govt been doing for past 10 years? These attacks on ulemas have been going on in the name of Islam for some time now. Now we have a new cause which requires “Moderate Ulemas” to be eliminated by Talibans. Why can’t govt provide proper security to them? We need them to speak against people tarnishing the image of islam with serious lack of knowledge and education about Islam.

We must take the fight to the enemy if we want to survive. The real nest of this snake is in the two Waziristan agencies. Until each of these beasts thriving there are hunted down, Pakistan will never see peace.

Islam is a pretext. This is nothing but an invasion from the Northwest that we have always faced throughout our history. Taliban were invoking the name of Islam in 1990s too when they unleashed their brutalities against fellow Muslims of Tajik and Uzbek ethnicity.

The establishment should not differentiate between the good and the bad Taliban and kick them both.
Muslim Khan has now started threating to blow the Shias Imambaragahs starting a major civil war in Pakistan. What is happening to my country.

I am completely amazed! Not one of you has said that it is the religion itself that has caused it.

If you don’t secularise and tell people that religion is your own business and not that of the State and begin to look at your book as the product of the 1st millenium not the third you will have this monkey around your neck forever.

Let people read and think critically and publically.

Educate then eradicate!

imaam-e-masjid of Lawarance Garden Lahore mosque is a big supporter of taliban and preach accordingly in his khutbas. Government should take notice of it.

If we look at Islamic History and compare the likes of people who call themselves Taliban or Al Qaeda, we find a striking resemblence in their ideologies and practices and the Kharjites. And we have to fight against these barbarians the same way the Kharjites were originally dealt with.

Take religion out of governance otherwise we will keep suffering. A state or a government can not not have a religion. It has to protect all citizens, nurture them to actulize their potential and be useful to society. Justice ,equity and a level playing field does not come through scriptures but through governance and by man made laws.

Its really sad,Dr Sarfraz Naeemi was really great in his views and idea and true face of Islam , really great loss to this all who look forward toward peace and true Islam

Death of Dr Sarfraz Naeemi is a big loss for Muslim Ummah.

Permit me to express myself openly and in a candid manner. I find it really astounding that after the brutalities and atrocities perpetrated against the helpless non-combatants in Afghanistan, no voice was raised to condemn it. Today, as the Taliban are menacingly poised to materialize the PAN-ISLAMIC dreams (whose starting point has now become Pakistan) of their mentors, we have writers who say that it is fight for Islam. Where was this battle for the survival of true Islam up until 2007 when the same terrorists capture and behead the people of Orakzai and Kurram agencies? Just because a few voices have finally raised against the beasts at this stage, and the individuals daring to oppose Taliban are targeted, there is a realization that how lethal these people have become. I hope that the gullible nation understands that these self-declared champions of Islam are the real enemy of Pakistan. And I hope the nation will never get confused by the Taliban apologists both in media and in form of political parties.

This is the time to stand up and shout against Taliban in hordes and rallies and scream for their eradication. Look at the lashker in buneer, after the bomb blast in the mosque, they gathered up and attacked Taliban. They are not scared of Taliban. We in Lahore shouldn’t be scared of them either. We can’t go to jummah prayer in masjid without the fear of being blown up by a suicide bomber anyway, or any other crowded place, we’re half dead anyway, let’s at least live the other half life brave enough and attack taliban.

The repair must begin by Pakistanis first admitting that the version of Islam they are practicing indeed encourages extremism and violence. Shallow slogans like ‘Islam is a religion of peace’ and ‘no Muslim can kill another’ simply hides the infection deep within the system.

Our interpretation of Islam needs a major reformation today and this cannot be carried by the same orthodox clergy that has got us here in the first place.

Laeeq ,Perfect Remark and very true,
the only thing we should do now, try to make difference between right and wrong,irrespective of religious believe , race and our ego

This is sad day for ISLAM, peace what ISLAM says, “Taliban” no such place for them in Pakistan neither there in ISLAM. Maulana Naeemi (Shaheed) will one of the solider who laid down his life for the protection of PAKISTAN and we will also stand by from his example to step up and fight these elements with courage.

It’s a shame

Pakistan is at war! The Pakistani people should not just sit around and expect the army and police to solve this problem. People need to stand up and be counted. We need to create defense committees for each neighborhood; these should be armed and be in close contact with the local army units. People need to open their eyes and report any suspicious activity. This does not mean that we stupidly target all Pushtuns as Taliban; this is exactly what some ethnic political parties is doing and is not only immoral but is very stupid because we play right into the hands of the Taliban. All of Pakistan needs to fight this war which means that the areas that are not affected should help out the effected people in every way possible. This is a fight for our survival and anyone or party whose behavior undermines the war effort needs to be marginalized.

Stand up and be killed rather than remain silent and be living dead.

I am very clear on the subject.

Live like a lion even it is for one day, Truth must prevail, evil has to go, no place in my beautiful Pakistan for yahoos, May Allah blessed us again as He blessed once(PAKISTAN)

Why do we blame everything on taliban? it culd also be various agencies.. so tht there is greater unrest and ppl are more resolved to fight against taliban… one thing i’ve learned from media.. never to trust each and everything they blurt out

We need to have an ideological response to these terrorists and their ideology. Our religious leaders like Maulana Naeemi (Shaheed) should rise and giude the nation in formulating an ideological response to these people. Attack on mosques and ulema is not Islam, Then whose orders they are following? Thank you

It was too late for this Maulana to oppose the Talibans. He should have opposed them when they were armed by US to defend Afghanistan under the Zia’s regime. Thse seed of Jhihadis are sowed by these Mullahs and now they are reaping the benifits. This Jinni is out of bottle and will takes much more before it can put back in to the bottle. Remember, religion is not spread by violence, it can only spread by love and hormony.

It’s sad to read above article. But one point is crystal clear that its not an act of Taliban or any Muslim who can go to such extend.

I still unable to understand what our government is doing.

I really pray that Allah guide all Muslims and people of Pakistan to do s.thing to save our beloved country.

I submit that it would not have come to killing each other if Pakistan’s ruling elites, about 5000 families would have not criminally exploited the country’s resources through land-grab and moneylaundering. During the last 60 years the elected and the autocratic rulers both have failed to make laws to reform abusive land holdings by the big landlords and their foreign bank accounts that siphon off Pakistan’s assets as well as American aid. During the last few months Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s hearings have established that Pakistan government is corrupt to the core and no more than one third of American aid ever leaves the US.Senator Kerry and Corker have openly accused Pakistan rulers for bribery and corruption. Pakistan’s legislative assembly has repeatedly ignored to make laws as per their own constitution. They continue to cover up their inaction by accusing those who have never held power in Pakistan. Weeds grow where you would not cultivate.Pakistan suffers from 70 percent unemployment and a dire poverty particularly in the north. One solution might work. No official of Pakistan government should be allowed a foreign bank account. Why would he need one or a house in the US or London??

It’s a pity when a religion of peace is high jacked by those who would use it for their own purposes. The Westernpress gets a perverted view of Islam, when all that is reported is violence against their own people.
It is difficult to represent Islam as a religion of peace, when there is so much internal strife.

Looking forward to a day — to wake up in the morning and open the newspaper and read something other than the following

” N Killed in a Bomb Blast in XYZ City”.

There is no hope — is there ?

Simply an act from stoneage!!

I wonder what logic they have for killing innocent people.

I have written many times that Pakistan admonistration and its citizens shall have to change the state from an Islamic one to a Secular one.Religion can not and must not be used in affairs of the administration and state.Whatever you can say about Indian scenario- even with its weak and expensive jurisprudence the Indian nation is alive- and the only reason is the strenght of secular democracy.Religious parties do not carry very strong relevance- you can see the results.

now at least pakistani public should wake up at least.
is there any other red boundries left which these murderous taliban have not crossed.im so surprised why on the earth still pakistani politicians and public also is not as critical of these thugs..
a shameful situation

To change the ideology or the thinking or the beliefs of the Taliban to that of the mainstream civil society in Pakistan, the ideology or the thinking or the beliefs of the mainstream civil society has to be changed. Today religion is mixed in all day to day dos and donts of the Pakistan society, which needs to be undone. The society as a whole has to open up not in urban areas but in semi-urban and rural areas. The only key to all this is EDUCATION and AWARNESS. But this will not happen. So GOD BLESS US.

Good analysis but the writer perhaps neglected the target killing of the shias living in the country. The barbaric and cowardly act of today has become a routine for the shia community. Everyday there is a tarkget killing or a grenade hurled at a shop of a shia or now and then there is a suicide bombing at the mosque. The angle which the writer wants to give is already prevalent and practised by the Taliban. They want to implement their interpretation of Islam by force.

I think the govt has to take concrete steps for the security of Ulemas otherwise the Taliban will not stop there barbarism & will try to assasinate more personalities.

If we remain silent, they will take over the country. If we stand up and shout against them, we will be killed. What are we to do?

This is yet another reminder for the people of Pakistan in general and the Ulema in particular to make it abundantly clear that where their sympathies lie. A major section of organised religious setup (Ahle-hadith, Deobandi etc) has been bent in accusing our miltary and the government for all sort of things, yet they do not find the courage to challenge their fellow ‘believers’ for their atrocities. Our media will need to scrutinise the funding of these jehadi establishment more, especially within the country where prominent traders collect money for these people in different guise.
Dr. Naeemi’s matyordom is also a signal for the society that we must not look other way when challenge knocks at our door steps. We must not allow these people to roam freely among our midst, just because they wears their religion on sleeves. The early we challenge, the better it is (we have already lost 30 years by looking other way).

good and thought provoking article. Lets not underestimate the wisdom of Pakistanis. We will not give in to Blackmail and threats.We will stay united and struggle and regain our society. Majority of us are peace loving and moderate and we should remember the shaheeds and continue our struggle.
Targeted killings happened in Iraq, to the Palestinians and in other muslim countries–who is behind these ???

I am a Muslim for Kashmir and am apalled at the daily happenings in Pakistan. How does the air force identify the militants from the civilians. If you continue doing that, u r likely to kill both good and bad Muslims. So please desist from using the air force in unnecessary killings.
This is a tough fight and the army will have to get more boots on the ground. No need to increase civilian casualities.