AhlulBayt News Agency: Pakistan is the second largest country in the Muslim world in terms of population and the majority of its citizens are Sunnis.
While the number of citizens of Shiite religion is also very high. The Shiite are by no means small in number and are not ineffective.
The number of followers of Shia religion in Pakistan is in millions. This is such a large number that the total population of the largest Arab country, except Egypt, is not more than the Shia citizens of Pakistan, which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman, their total population is around 50m, while in our country more than 60.5m citizens belong to the Shia religion.
No power in the world can destroy them or force them to migrate. They belong to the school of Karbala and Imam Hussain (peace be upon them), they can never accept a life of humiliation.
These are the people always facing injustice. Such a large number cannot be deprived off their rights. Making them feel deprived is actually putting more than 30pc of the population of this country under the deprivation. Such a mindset can be a dangerous game and a conspiracy.
There are two arms of Islam, Shia and Sunni, to kill or paralyze one arm is to cripple the Islamic body in this country.
This has been the tradition of our elders and they have always taught that do not leave your religion and do not interfere in the religion of others.
It is also a historical fact that both Shia and Sunni are ancient religions. While they have a lot in common, there are also differences between them in certain ideas, beliefs and rulings of Sharia.
Those who are the supporter of unity, they find commonalities and promote the spirit of tolerance to resolve conflicting issues, because our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said that
أُمِرْتُ بِمُدَارَاةِ النَّاسِ كَمَا أُمِرْتُ بِتَبْلِيغِ الرِّسَالَةِ
That I have been ordered to treat people with tolerance while preaching.
And those elements are against this thought and thinking whose agenda is sedition, they would have fueled some of the conflicting ideas and thoughts and beliefs and rulings found between the Shias and the Sunnis.
Whether they belong to the Sunni religion or the Shia religion, in fact they are consciously or unconsciously the tools of the enemies.
In the past, religious differences were expressed through our rostra, books and magazines, speeches and debates and sermons and tabligh (preach).
Scholars and intellectuals used to present arguments and each one freely promoted his own thoughts and ideas.
If the role of the state or government was not the mouthpiece of any particular religion, these issues not pose a threat to national security.
Since some decades, there is an attempt to make a special religion of the state. For the last four decades, after the arrival of extremist people in the power and influence, these things are being done under the auspices of the state machinery, and now with the force of law, the followers of a certain religious sect are suppressed.
Individuals and groups with the mindset of religious supremacy are continuously engaged in making conspiracies against their opposing religion and creed and fomenting temptations.
On the one hand, the country is suffering from the worst economic and political crisis in history and on the other hand, these extremists are bent on further damaging the atmosphere of peace and order.
Unfortunately, due to the incompetence of the rulers, some foreign elements are allowed to do every black-and-white business in our country.
Important decisions of our country are being made in Washington, London and Riyadh instead of Islamabad.
The interests of the United States and its allies have been prioritized by our ruling class by putting the national interests on the back burner.
As a result of political imbalance and wars in the region, terrorism and religious extremism have been strengthened in our country under the patronage of the national and international establishment.
All the citizens of this country have equal right to Pakistan. Whatever their religion, creed and religion. The followers of Shia religion played a very key role in Tehreek Pakistan and it is also a fact that the founder of Pakistan was also related to Shia religion.
This country was acquired for the rule of Islam and it was agreed that here the followers of every religion would have complete freedom and no particular religion or creed would have the right to impose.
The Constitution of Pakistan also guarantees the same thing. Imposing the thought of supremacy of a a specific religion and sect on all citizens is tantamount to inviting civil war in the country, which can cause irreparable damage to the country.
The war between the minority and the majority in Pakistan is the agenda of anti-state forces. This dangerous thinking has been embedded for the last four decades.
Whatever legislations have been and will be in this country, there is currently no threat to the numerical majority religion, as they are present in large numbers on every forum.
But the fear and threat has always been to the followers of the minority religion in terms of numbers, that religious extremists and narrow-minded elements may infiltrate or reach the houses of power to impose their poisonous ideas and thoughts.
A recent example of this is the Controversial Sahaba Bill. The experience of the last three decades of implementation such laws shows that these laws have always sought to oppress a numerical minority.
Historical religious differences have been spread in the guise of such bills. Fake and false cases in the name of blasphemy is a game, against which religious minorities have been protesting for a long time.
The story of killings in the name of blasphemy is not hidden from anyone, in such a case, the constitution of Pakistan without providing a solid guarantee for the protection of human freedoms is tantamount to opening a new chapter of the amendment of the laws and more strictness.
In a society with many and diverse thoughts, ideas and religions, the beginning of implementing the Shari’a interpretation of a particular religion can become a precursor to a terrible civil war.
The people sitting in the Parliament should be smart and not provide more fuel to religious extremism by making such reprehensible religious laws. Such laws are always rejected by every sensible citizen.
While the number of citizens of Shiite religion is also very high. The Shiite are by no means small in number and are not ineffective.
The number of followers of Shia religion in Pakistan is in millions. This is such a large number that the total population of the largest Arab country, except Egypt, is not more than the Shia citizens of Pakistan, which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman, their total population is around 50m, while in our country more than 60.5m citizens belong to the Shia religion.
No power in the world can destroy them or force them to migrate. They belong to the school of Karbala and Imam Hussain (peace be upon them), they can never accept a life of humiliation.
These are the people always facing injustice. Such a large number cannot be deprived off their rights. Making them feel deprived is actually putting more than 30pc of the population of this country under the deprivation. Such a mindset can be a dangerous game and a conspiracy.
There are two arms of Islam, Shia and Sunni, to kill or paralyze one arm is to cripple the Islamic body in this country.
This has been the tradition of our elders and they have always taught that do not leave your religion and do not interfere in the religion of others.
It is also a historical fact that both Shia and Sunni are ancient religions. While they have a lot in common, there are also differences between them in certain ideas, beliefs and rulings of Sharia.
Those who are the supporter of unity, they find commonalities and promote the spirit of tolerance to resolve conflicting issues, because our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said that
أُمِرْتُ بِمُدَارَاةِ النَّاسِ كَمَا أُمِرْتُ بِتَبْلِيغِ الرِّسَالَةِ
That I have been ordered to treat people with tolerance while preaching.
And those elements are against this thought and thinking whose agenda is sedition, they would have fueled some of the conflicting ideas and thoughts and beliefs and rulings found between the Shias and the Sunnis.
Whether they belong to the Sunni religion or the Shia religion, in fact they are consciously or unconsciously the tools of the enemies.
In the past, religious differences were expressed through our rostra, books and magazines, speeches and debates and sermons and tabligh (preach).
Scholars and intellectuals used to present arguments and each one freely promoted his own thoughts and ideas.
If the role of the state or government was not the mouthpiece of any particular religion, these issues not pose a threat to national security.
Since some decades, there is an attempt to make a special religion of the state. For the last four decades, after the arrival of extremist people in the power and influence, these things are being done under the auspices of the state machinery, and now with the force of law, the followers of a certain religious sect are suppressed.
Individuals and groups with the mindset of religious supremacy are continuously engaged in making conspiracies against their opposing religion and creed and fomenting temptations.
On the one hand, the country is suffering from the worst economic and political crisis in history and on the other hand, these extremists are bent on further damaging the atmosphere of peace and order.
Unfortunately, due to the incompetence of the rulers, some foreign elements are allowed to do every black-and-white business in our country.
Important decisions of our country are being made in Washington, London and Riyadh instead of Islamabad.
The interests of the United States and its allies have been prioritized by our ruling class by putting the national interests on the back burner.
As a result of political imbalance and wars in the region, terrorism and religious extremism have been strengthened in our country under the patronage of the national and international establishment.
All the citizens of this country have equal right to Pakistan. Whatever their religion, creed and religion. The followers of Shia religion played a very key role in Tehreek Pakistan and it is also a fact that the founder of Pakistan was also related to Shia religion.
This country was acquired for the rule of Islam and it was agreed that here the followers of every religion would have complete freedom and no particular religion or creed would have the right to impose.
The Constitution of Pakistan also guarantees the same thing. Imposing the thought of supremacy of a a specific religion and sect on all citizens is tantamount to inviting civil war in the country, which can cause irreparable damage to the country.
The war between the minority and the majority in Pakistan is the agenda of anti-state forces. This dangerous thinking has been embedded for the last four decades.
Whatever legislations have been and will be in this country, there is currently no threat to the numerical majority religion, as they are present in large numbers on every forum.
But the fear and threat has always been to the followers of the minority religion in terms of numbers, that religious extremists and narrow-minded elements may infiltrate or reach the houses of power to impose their poisonous ideas and thoughts.
A recent example of this is the Controversial Sahaba Bill. The experience of the last three decades of implementation such laws shows that these laws have always sought to oppress a numerical minority.
Historical religious differences have been spread in the guise of such bills. Fake and false cases in the name of blasphemy is a game, against which religious minorities have been protesting for a long time.
The story of killings in the name of blasphemy is not hidden from anyone, in such a case, the constitution of Pakistan without providing a solid guarantee for the protection of human freedoms is tantamount to opening a new chapter of the amendment of the laws and more strictness.
In a society with many and diverse thoughts, ideas and religions, the beginning of implementing the Shari’a interpretation of a particular religion can become a precursor to a terrible civil war.
The people sitting in the Parliament should be smart and not provide more fuel to religious extremism by making such reprehensible religious laws. Such laws are always rejected by every sensible citizen.
Commentary: Dr. Shafqat Hussain Sherazi
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