A few days ago, a girl from India shared a picture of her partner who was apologizing to her with a Subway sandwich after a fight. It went viral on the internet and caught the attention of Subway’s India Twitter handle. Subway India gave them a sweet gesture by arranging a date for them in one of their outlets to encourage love. These kinds of love gestures by big companies happen very often in the world, and it seems normal to us when we encounter such tweets. Yet, let us pause for a moment and reflect upon our own experiences here in Pakistan. Have we ever witnessed similar gestures of love and encouragement from local companies? Regrettably, the answer is a resounding no.
While love is celebrated worldwide, in our beloved country, it often faces discouragement. Aside from the occasional flurry of activity on Valentine’s Day, flower shops remain devoid of bustling crowds. Even on that particular day, when individuals dare to express their affection through flowers, a sense of shyness lingers, as they fear the judgment of others.
This raises a poignant question: what forces restrict Pakistan from blossoming into a harmonious abode, where people can unabashedly revel in love’s embrace, irrespective of color, religion, creed, or caste? The answer, my friends, lies in the shadow of intolerance that looms over our society. It is this very intolerance that undermines our aspirations for a peaceful coexistence, eclipsing the celebration of love, stifling acceptance of diverse faiths, and breeding a general aversion towards anything that deviates from the norm.
When people in a country are intolerant of love, which is one of humanity’s basic needs, it becomes difficult to expect tolerance for other religions or faiths that are also founded on peace, harmony, and love among individuals. Intolerance towards different faiths and religions has subsequently increased since the creation of blasphemy laws, which are the most controversial laws in Pakistan’s Constitution. Every day, we come to know that cases have been registered against Ahmadis for exercising their fundamental rights. Since the inception of the country Pakistan, Ahmadis have confronted discrimination from religious extremists and the right-wing forces which was led by Jamaat e Islami. The anti-Ahmadi movement took a spark in 1954 for the first time in Punjab which lead to the imposition of martial law in the province. Later on, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came up with the constitutional amendment and declared Ahmadis non-Muslims and it was done to release the continuous coercion from the right-wing forces.
It didn’t stop here when General Zia ul Haq took charge of the country, he outlying added the Ahmadis clause in the constitution under which they will not identify themselves as Muslims and they were also banished from entering the mosques or calling their worship places a mosque. Since 1984, when the blasphemy laws were amended to include specific clauses targeting Ahmadis, data collected by the community shows that over 250 Ahmadis have been killed.
When we inquire about the motive of killers targeting individuals of different faiths, they often come up with the excuse that the victims disrespected Islam, and their killings were meant to protect or restore the religion’s honour. However, when the truth is revealed, it becomes apparent that the killers had personal issues such as professional jealousy or other grudges against the victims, which motivated their actions.
Living and surviving in Pakistan can be challenging due to high unemployment, the absence of social security, and a lack of basic facilities. However, it is even more difficult for individuals belonging to the Ahmadi community. They face discrimination on a daily basis, being barred from entering buses with signs stating, “Ahmadis must convert to Islam before boarding,” or being denied service at places like the ice cream shop at Akbar Chowk in Lahore, where a sign reads, “We don’t sell ice cream to Ahmadis.” One can enter on the bus or buy an ice cream until or unless someone checks their identity card or passport where it is clearly mentioned that they belong to the “them” community, not the “Us” community. Unfortunately, this slight checking of their cards can lead them to be killed by the mob. And the mob will get a free pass because they have done it in the name of religion. The religion that doesn’t teach and preach violence has become a cover for them to justify their violent acts.
Regrettably, the constitution has also sanctioned the oppression of the Ahmadi community. This glaring hypocrisy within our society becomes evident when we observe how people react to the discrimination faced by Muslim minorities in other countries. They take to the streets, demanding their state to sever all ties and trade with nations where Muslim minorities are suppressed. However, they conveniently remain silent when it comes to the atrocities committed against minorities within their own country. Religion, in essence, is a personal matter for each individual. Just as we hold unwavering devotion to our own faith, it is important to recognise that others are equally devoted to their own beliefs.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the most vulnerable countries for minorities. Currently standing at 161 out of 192 countries on the Human Development Index, Pakistan faces significant challenges. Given these numbers and the vulnerability faced by individuals of different faiths, it seems nearly impossible for intolerant individuals in the country to embrace the values of love and unity. However, in a heart-warming incident, a girl experienced a sweet gesture from a food chain, knowing that religious fanatics would not bully them or take to the streets to demand its immediate closure. These are not the ideals we should strive for.
A nation’s prosperity is not solely dependent on its economy or infrastructure, but also on the freedom of expression, the exercise of human rights, and the presence of happiness, joy, and love. Only when these aspects are normalised can we expect a tolerant behavior among people. To conclude, I would like to share the words of Nietzsche, who said, “Freedom is only for those who can reciprocate it.”
While love is celebrated worldwide, in our beloved country, it often faces discouragement. Aside from the occasional flurry of activity on Valentine’s Day, flower shops remain devoid of bustling crowds. Even on that particular day, when individuals dare to express their affection through flowers, a sense of shyness lingers, as they fear the judgment of others.
This raises a poignant question: what forces restrict Pakistan from blossoming into a harmonious abode, where people can unabashedly revel in love’s embrace, irrespective of color, religion, creed, or caste? The answer, my friends, lies in the shadow of intolerance that looms over our society. It is this very intolerance that undermines our aspirations for a peaceful coexistence, eclipsing the celebration of love, stifling acceptance of diverse faiths, and breeding a general aversion towards anything that deviates from the norm.
When people in a country are intolerant of love, which is one of humanity’s basic needs, it becomes difficult to expect tolerance for other religions or faiths that are also founded on peace, harmony, and love among individuals. Intolerance towards different faiths and religions has subsequently increased since the creation of blasphemy laws, which are the most controversial laws in Pakistan’s Constitution. Every day, we come to know that cases have been registered against Ahmadis for exercising their fundamental rights. Since the inception of the country Pakistan, Ahmadis have confronted discrimination from religious extremists and the right-wing forces which was led by Jamaat e Islami. The anti-Ahmadi movement took a spark in 1954 for the first time in Punjab which lead to the imposition of martial law in the province. Later on, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came up with the constitutional amendment and declared Ahmadis non-Muslims and it was done to release the continuous coercion from the right-wing forces.
It didn’t stop here when General Zia ul Haq took charge of the country, he outlying added the Ahmadis clause in the constitution under which they will not identify themselves as Muslims and they were also banished from entering the mosques or calling their worship places a mosque. Since 1984, when the blasphemy laws were amended to include specific clauses targeting Ahmadis, data collected by the community shows that over 250 Ahmadis have been killed.
When we inquire about the motive of killers targeting individuals of different faiths, they often come up with the excuse that the victims disrespected Islam, and their killings were meant to protect or restore the religion’s honour. However, when the truth is revealed, it becomes apparent that the killers had personal issues such as professional jealousy or other grudges against the victims, which motivated their actions.
Living and surviving in Pakistan can be challenging due to high unemployment, the absence of social security, and a lack of basic facilities. However, it is even more difficult for individuals belonging to the Ahmadi community. They face discrimination on a daily basis, being barred from entering buses with signs stating, “Ahmadis must convert to Islam before boarding,” or being denied service at places like the ice cream shop at Akbar Chowk in Lahore, where a sign reads, “We don’t sell ice cream to Ahmadis.” One can enter on the bus or buy an ice cream until or unless someone checks their identity card or passport where it is clearly mentioned that they belong to the “them” community, not the “Us” community. Unfortunately, this slight checking of their cards can lead them to be killed by the mob. And the mob will get a free pass because they have done it in the name of religion. The religion that doesn’t teach and preach violence has become a cover for them to justify their violent acts.
Regrettably, the constitution has also sanctioned the oppression of the Ahmadi community. This glaring hypocrisy within our society becomes evident when we observe how people react to the discrimination faced by Muslim minorities in other countries. They take to the streets, demanding their state to sever all ties and trade with nations where Muslim minorities are suppressed. However, they conveniently remain silent when it comes to the atrocities committed against minorities within their own country. Religion, in essence, is a personal matter for each individual. Just as we hold unwavering devotion to our own faith, it is important to recognise that others are equally devoted to their own beliefs.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the most vulnerable countries for minorities. Currently standing at 161 out of 192 countries on the Human Development Index, Pakistan faces significant challenges. Given these numbers and the vulnerability faced by individuals of different faiths, it seems nearly impossible for intolerant individuals in the country to embrace the values of love and unity. However, in a heart-warming incident, a girl experienced a sweet gesture from a food chain, knowing that religious fanatics would not bully them or take to the streets to demand its immediate closure. These are not the ideals we should strive for.
A nation’s prosperity is not solely dependent on its economy or infrastructure, but also on the freedom of expression, the exercise of human rights, and the presence of happiness, joy, and love. Only when these aspects are normalised can we expect a tolerant behavior among people. To conclude, I would like to share the words of Nietzsche, who said, “Freedom is only for those who can reciprocate it.”