A member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and an Islamic scholar have denounced Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, highlighting the stark disparities in their enforcement between religious leaders and common citizens. He emphasized the critical distinction between genuine blasphemy and mere verbal errors, warning against the reckless use of such laws to justify violence. “Do not kill everyone in the name of blasphemy; otherwise, one day, you may find your own neck under the hands of these very extremists,” he said.

He underscored how these laws, ostensibly designed to protect religious sentiments, have become instruments of oppression, selectively applied to target vulnerable individuals while often sparing influential clerics. This critical perspective has gained urgency following the controversy surrounding Mufti Tariq Masood, a well-known Deobandi scholar who has previously advocated for the death penalty for blasphemy.

Masood now finds himself on the receiving end of the very extremist rhetoric he once championed, as Shia Islamists in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan call for a blasphemy case against him. Their demands were ignited by Masood’s recent remarks suggesting that the Quran contains grammatical errors and that Prophet Muhammad was illiterate, statements that have triggered widespread outrage and mob protests.

The irony of Masood’s predicament cannot be overstated. As he now calls for his remarks to be “understood in context,” it raises critical questions about the very laws he once defended. For years, these draconian measures have been used to silence critics, often resulting in tragic outcomes for those who are falsely accused or belong to minority communities. In Pakistan, mere allegations of blasphemy can lead to extrajudicial killings and severe societal repercussions, particularly against those who lack the protection afforded by a powerful Punjabi demographic.

The Pakistan Army’s relentless violence against the Pashtun population continues to claim innocent lives, both human and animal, in the heavily militarized region of Waziristan. In the latest incident, more than 25 cows and buffaloes were killed by mortar fire in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, as Pakistan’s Army indiscriminately bombarded residential areas. The livestock, caught in the crossfire of the Army’s artillery shelling, were burned alive in a cattle market—another grim reminder of the occupied-state’s cruel policies that now extend beyond human casualties.

The Army’s systematic persecution in Pashtunkhwa has spared neither the people nor their means of survival. The Pashtuns of Waziristan, who have long been victims of the Paki establishment’s militarization and exploitation, now find their very livelihoods under attack. The Punjabi Pak Army’s daily shelling of civilian areas is part of a broader campaign to destabilize the region, ensuring that it remains under military control while continuing to exploit its people and natural resources.

In recent weeks, the brutality has escalated even further. Just 13 days ago, two Pashtun were killed, and seven others were injured when the Army shelled a pine nuts forest in South Waziristan’s Birmal area. Less than a week later, a 15-year-old girl was killed by shelling from a Pak Army gunship helicopter in the Tirah Maidan region near the Afghan border. These are not isolated incidents but part of a calculated effort to suppress and depopulate a resource-rich region.

Military Shelling Wipes Out Pashtun Livestock

The Paki establishment, loaded with the Punjabi military elite, has a long history of exploiting the other ethnics, especially Baloch and Pashtuns while using them as pawns in its so-called fight against terrorism. Waziristan, once a vibrant hub of Pashtun culture and resilience, is now an epicenter of devastation, riddled with military checkpoints, artillery fire, and indiscriminate bombing campaigns. Under the guise of security operations, the Army has unleashed a reign of terror that includes forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systematic exploitation of local resources.

This is not just a military occupation but a war economy designed to sustain the Army’s control over Pashtun lands. The Army’s indiscriminate violence is part of a broader strategy to keep the region unstable, allowing for continued exploitation while denying the Pashtuns their rights. The endless cycle of violence and destruction serves to further marginalize the Pashtuns, who have been subjected to decades of humiliation, ethnic profiling, and systemic discrimination.

The time has come for the international community to recognize the atrocities being committed by the Pak military in Pashtun territories. The exploitation of resources, the use of Pashtuns as cannon fodder in a never-ending war, and the destruction of both human lives and livelihoods must be condemned. The Punjabi-Pak Army cannot continue to wage war on its own people with impunity.

In a significant development, an FIR has been registered for the first time in the history of the Digri Police Station under the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, marking a small victory for activists like Shiva Kachi and the Central Chairman of the Minority Rights Organization, who have long advocated for the protection of religious minorities in the region. This action comes amid a disturbing backdrop of forced conversions and child marriages targeting vulnerable communities, particularly Hindus.

The case at hand involves Meena Lohar, a minor Hindu girl of 7th standard who was abducted, forcibly converted, and married off against her will. Family members of Meena arrived at the Pakistan Dravidian Union’s head office in Sindh to file the FIR, underscoring the urgency and gravity of the situation. IG Sindh, Ghulam Nabi Memon, has pledged to ensure the enforcement of laws aimed at preventing early marriage and protecting minority rights.

As 15 days have passed since Meena’s abduction, the lack of decisive action by the authorities shows their lack of intention to safeguard minority rights. The Paki establishment continues to conspire against the life, safety and dignity of its minority citizens.

However, this incident is not just a singular case; it is emblematic of a larger, systemic issue plaguing Pakistan’s religious minorities. The ongoing persecution and radicalization against Hindus, Christians, and Sikhs highlight a deeply entrenched extremist mindset within the Islamic Republic, where the belief that minorities should be forcibly converted to Islam prevails.

The case of Meena Lohar serves as a chilling reminder of the precarious position religious minorities find themselves in. Instead of protecting its citizens, the Paki establishment allows radical elements to thrive. While the registration of the FIR is a step forward, it cannot mask the larger crisis that religious minorities face in Pakistan.