Pakistan Needs Courage from All Its Leaders

Lisa Curtis / January 05, 2011

In a twisted response to the devastating assassination of Pakistani Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, several hundred Pakistani clerics and so-called “scholars” signed a statement condoning the slaying and warning Pakistanis against grieving the death of the Governor. Adding insult to injury, several of the country’s clerics refused to lead funeral prayers for Taseer, who was shot down by his own bodyguard for defending the rights of religious minorities against the misuse of anti-blasphemy laws. Indeed, Pakistan’s top religious political parties said Taseer’s murder was justified and resulted from his failure “to implement Islamic laws in the country.”

Any Pakistani leader who is interested in pursuing a better future for the country and his/her own children and grandchildren must stand up and be counted now, or expect to live in silence forever. Whether the leaders of the religious parties even believe their own rhetoric is beside the point. They may themselves operate out of fear of the monster they have created by misusing powerful religious sentiment for political ends. (more…)