Foreign Policy Blogs

Attack On Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi

Another day, another attack, welcome to contemporary Pakistan. It seems that Pakistan is transforming from a dangerous country to a lawless jungle with every passing day. Be it a terrorist attack, bomb explosion or target killing across the country, the challenge of taking control over Pakistan’s security remains an unfulfilled dream.

Now, this almost successful attack on Pakistan’s religious minister has reminded us that the war against religious fanaticism is far from over. The ruthless enemy driven by maddening hatred of reason, logic, and humanity is bent on not only destroying Pakistan’s future, but also everything that was promised when Pakistan came into being.

What is frightening is that in Islamabad, where Pakistan’s religious minister was attacked, it is not possible to move freely. Even when someone tries to enter the city, one is subjected to thorough checking and the vehicle too is inspected by the police to make sure that nothing illegal, and more importantly, no weapons are taken into Islamabad. Once inside Islamabad, one has to go through police barricades and inspections every couple of miles and yards, depending upon where you are heading. Therefore, it is very strange that minister was targeted near his office and the attackers got away after spraying countless bullets on minister’s vehicle despite all the checkpoints and police barricades.

More alarming is the overall political situation in Pakistan. Instead of coming together as a country to wage a final and a decisive battle against agents of hatred, politicians across Pakistan are focused on toppling the government to fulfill their own dreams.

Time is running out for Pakistan, but the country can overcome this issue of terrorism if every Pakistani comes together to save not only Pakistan, but also the future of Pakistan’s next generation.

 

Author

Bilal Qureshi

Bilal Qureshi is a resident of Washington, DC, so it is only natural that he is tremendously interested in politics. He is also fascinated by the relationship between Pakistan, the country of his birth, and the United States of America, his adopted homeland. Therefore, he makes every effort to read major newspapers in Pakistan and what is being said about Washington, while staying fully alert to the analysis and the news being reported in the American press about Pakistan. After finishing graduate school, he started using his free time to write to various papers in Pakistan in an effort to clarify whatever misconceptions he noticed in the press, especially about the United States. This pastime became a passion after his letters were published in Vanity Fair and The New Yorker and his writing became more frequent and longer. Now, he is here, writing a blog about Pakistan managed by Foreign Policy Association.

Areas of Focus:
Taliban; US-Pakistan Relations; Culture and Society

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