Yet another voice of sanity and moderation has been silenced in Pakistan. The assassination of Salman Taseer is a wake-up call for all right-minded people in Pakistan and the rest of the world. What is frightening is the support his assassin is getting from fanatics. They must realise that Islam is truly exemplified by the deeds and beliefs of Taseer who stood for humanity, not by the assassin who committed the gravest sin.
Sikander Khan,
New Delhi
Pakistani society has become helpless in the face of insane religious cries by the mullah fraternity for blasphemy laws. It is important to examine how this state of affairs has come about. Is it not because of the unfettered power given to religion in the running of the Pakistani government from the time of Zia-ul-Haq? It is important to look beyond the assassination, a fallout of Taseer's liberal attitude against blasphemy laws, and address the root causes for the growing intolerance. Our society, too, should take cognisance of the dangers of allowing the unchecked propagation of dangerously inhumane religious edicts, propagated from the pulpits of all religious places and gatherings. Some progressive legislation, disempowering religious bodies of all hues from influencing the structure of laws, should be uniformly introduced.
Kasim Sait,
Chennai
