It is second day in a row that cruel attempts to humiliate politicians at public places have taken place, which speaks volumes about the growing intolerance, prejudice and the hate-syndrome that has now overtaken our politics.
A day after ink was thrown on Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in Sialkot; a shoe was thrown at PML-N’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on Sunday. Sharif, who had arrived at Jamia Naeemia to address a ceremony marking the death anniversary of Mufti Mohammad Hussain Naeemi, had a shoe thrown at him by a man in the audience as soon as he took the stage.The shocking incident evoked widespread condemnation throughout the country as social, political and religious parties while condemning the act have unequivocally termed it an unethical act devoid of moral values.
“This is against our moral values and I am glad that a PTI worker is not involved in this incident”, Khan said. Reacting to the incident, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Bilawal said that the culture of lack of tolerance should not be promulgated. “It was a very unethical act,” remarked the PPP chairman.
Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah also condemned the incident, calling the action ‘extremely wrong.’ Shah said to the journalists, “but it is unethical to do this to anyone, be it a politician or a person who belongs to any other profession.”
Deploring the incident Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, said, “We need to change our collective behaviours,” “Letting differences turn into hatred is a sin”, she added. “Imran Khan has condemned the incident which is appreciable,” the minister said, “but his violent rhetoric has affected the mindset of people.” She said that it is now time to go a step ahead of condemning such incidents.
It is quite unfortunate that the surging political intolerance in the society and culture of vengeance and vendetta have been further vitiating the political environment in our country. This unabated unethical practice of demeaning and debasing a human goes absolutely in contravention with the beliefs and practices of our religion Islam. It is time that instead of issuing condemnations political forces should demonstrate magnanimity and evolve joint strategy whereby this growing trend of verbal and physical abuse of politicians could be arrested forthwith so that no room is left for any kind of political hooliganism. This vicious campaign of physical abuse is not only against the cherished ideals of our religion but also against the democratic traditions. But most unfortunate part of this whole episode is that perpetrators have been doing this under the garb of religion, which teaches nothing but respect and tolerance. And the fact is that tolerance is a precious human attribute and no society can survive without it.
