Selling fear

All citizens of the state are entitled to equal protection of law, says Article 25 of our constitution. Defying this document, Pakistan deploys more than 30 percent of its entire police force to protect and pamper less than 10,000 rich, influential and spoiled individuals. The rest must fend for themselves. As long as the state remains interested only in protecting the lives of 0.005 percent of its population, Peshawar and Charsadda will keep on happening.

A government that is still looking for evidence against the Lal Masjid cleric, Jamia Hafsa, JeM or LeT either has a soft corner for militants or is absolutely dysfunctional. Nurturing radical ideologies will only produce more foot soldiers and facilitators ever ready to participate in misguided adventures. There are 20 million guns in the hands of civilians in the country. Unable to protect its citizens, the government has resorted to disburse yet more weapons. Other than Sattar Edhi and Malala Yousafzai, not many in this country have taken a public position to demand the complete elimination of guns and the creation of a weapon-free society. The government, gun-sellers, licence-makers and private security agencies all have one common product and one common agenda – to sell fear.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi