Pakistan's top Catholic leader, Archbishop Lawrence J. Saldanha of
Lahore, says it is time for the "silent majority" to speak out against
the growing influence of radical Islam, particularly among Pakistan's
youth.
“We face a dark future, if the radicals take over power and impose
their brand of the Islamic way of life,” the archbishop told CNA.
“It is
time for the 'silent majority' to wake up and take action. Otherwise,
they will be pushed back into the dark shadows of medieval times.”
The archbishop offered his reflections while preparing for a national
“Day of Prayer, Fasting and Penance” that took place on Jan. 30.
Pakistan's bishops sponsored the inter-religious event in hopes of
bringing peace, unity, and progress to their country, which has been in
turmoil since the the Jan. 4 assassination of Punjab governor Salman
Taseer.
He was allegedly killed by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, for
opposing the “blasphemy law” used to silence Christian evangelism and
critics of Islam.
In a troubling sign, some Islamic groups – including prominent youth
movements – have hailed the assassin as a national hero.
Archbishop
Saldanha explained that many Pakistani Muslims were conditioned to take
the side of anyone claiming to act in the defense of Islam.
“Anyone doing a deed for the Muslim cause is applauded,” he said. “This explains why Mumtaz Qadri was given a hero’s welcome.”
According to the archbishop, these attitudes can easily prevail in an
environment of corruption, poverty, and lack of education.
The
madrassas – private religious schools imparting a strict vision of Islam
– are multiplying.
Even public schools often promote hostile attitudes
toward non-Muslims, following the lead of many radical clerics.
“From these ranks, suicide bombers are recruited and trained,”
Archbishop Saldanha explained.
“Young boys from age 10 to 18 are
prepared to die for Islam and attain glory in heaven. They join militant
extremist organizations that promote jihad.”
Archbishop Saldahna said young people were “further radicalized” by
some aspects of the U.S. “war against terrorism,” which has continued
for almost a decade following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
He said the United States' continued used of drone fighter jets has
“further aggravated the situation.”
The strikes aim to combat terrorist
cells in the country, but have come under international criticism for
killing innocent civilians and destroying local infrastructure.
The controversial strikes have fueled animosity against Christians in
Pakistan and other Muslim countries.
Some Pakistanis, outraged by the
bombing campaigns, have come to view native Christians as enemies and
traitors, due to the cultural association between Christianity and the
United States.
Because radical Islamic influences also dominate the educational
system, many average Pakistakis are unable to question this received
worldview of religious hostility, which also finds an outlet in the
press and other media.
The archbishop also expressed concern that more moderate voices are
increasingly difficult to find in the mainstream Pakistani media.
He
pointed to the case of the scholars, Jawed Ahmad Ghamidi and
Tahir-ul-Qadri, who have been forced out of the country for their
supposedly “liberal views.”
“The problem,” Archbishop Saladhana said, “is that no scholar dares to oppose the Taliban view of Islam.”
However, Archbishop Saldanha believes these trends can be reversed,
if the growing ranks of “quiet dissenters” can find their voice and use
the media to their own advantage.
“Thanks to the Internet and Facebook, the minds of many youths are
opened and they do not subscribe to the extremist philosophy,” he noted.
“They would like to see Pakistan develop into a modern and progressive
state.”
Shortly before Governor Taseer's murder, various professional
associations, trade unions, political parties, and other concerned
citizens had already formed a Karachi-based group called “Citizens for
Democracy,” with goal of opposing religious extremism and violence.
The
bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace have joined with
these groups in their campaign.
The movement aims to change the blasphemy law and return to the
principles of Pakistan's 1973 constitution. Although the constitution
established the country as an Islamic republic, it also provided for
citizens' universal rights and the protection of religious minorities.
It has only been in recent years, amid political instability, that these
intentions gave way to openly discriminatory policies.
In Archbishop Saldanhda's territory of Lahore, a group of like-minded
non-governmental organizations have also formed a “joint action
committee” to promote religious and civil liberties and oppose the
influence of radical Islamic ideology.
Despite some worrying trends, the archbishop believes many Pakistanis
share this vision for their country.
He indicated that these
individuals and groups were beginning to awaken to the urgent situation,
with the realization that they must advocate for peace and the common
good at least as boldly as others seek to promote discord.
“The recent murder of Governor Salman Taseer is a wake up call for
all enlightened and rational sections of society,” he stated.
“They
stand for social, legal and economic equality of all citizens of
Pakistan, and are determined to oppose the 'Talibanization' of society.”