Not only in India, the crisis of sanity and humanitarian values is rapidly spreading across the diameter of the globe. The death sentence awarded to Junaid Hafeez, a 33-year-old Multan-based academician and former lecturer in Bahauddin Zakariya University, is an example that can be seen as enough evidence to prove that we have drowned as human beings.
A Pakistan court has kept Mr Hafeez in solitary confinement for over a period of 6 years and finally, in 2019, the court sentenced him to death on charges of blasphemy imposed on him per the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
What Is The Relevance Of Blasphemy?
Charges of blasphemy, really? Is this democracy? Let me tell you about Pakistan’s blasphemy law:
Section 295-C of PPC states:
“Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.”
Section 295-B, on the other hand, states:
“Whoever wilfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Qur’an or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life.”
Where Do These Types Of Laws Stand?
Do these types of laws or sections deserve a place in a State’s constitution, either Islamic or any other community? Is any religion superior to the life of a breathing being? Who will be left to follow the religion if everyone is hanged to death? If you are framing your state as a democracy, your actions are strongly supposed to justify it.
Many events disprove our claim of being the sanest species on earth and challenge us to prove our brilliant thinking ability. What is happening in Pakistan is one of the topmost events that belong to this very series. Other events and happenings will be discussed in other posts, which will be available to you accordingly.
What About Mr Hafeez’s Own Teachings To His Students?
In 2013, the university students in which Mr Hafeez was a lecturer accused him of functioning blasphemy through Facebook. This instance indicates the extent to which religious dogma has been transferred to generations from their pre-existing ones where we see ourselves unable to eradicate it. This ill genetic trait is gradually developing to the level where it is just about to play its menacing role in society.
Mr Rashid Rehman, the initial defence lawyer of Junaid Hafeez, who agreed to take on this very case, was shot and killed in 2014. To date, not a single person has been charged for the murder of an innocent citizen. This question should be asked by the top officials of Pakistan who use “humanity” as a chant of a rallying cry and never go even an inch closer to that very word “humanity”.
Was It Enough To Label It As A Travesty Of Justice?
Many major organisations, including the UN, have criticised and condemned the Pakistan court’s arbitrary act as “Travesty of Justice”. But still, something hurts. It is the taciturnity of many intellectuals in Pakistan who haven’t expressed themselves on this serious issue.
In conclusion, we have to understand that we are not supposed to just earn, eat, sleep and repeat. Having a human brain and a human heart, we have to be open-eyed, open-minded. We should be ready to think and express ourselves on every issue throughout the globe, which is gradually growing to a fatal extent not only for democracy and constitution but also for sanity, humanity, and humanitarian values.
Let’s come ahead together and break your taciturnity, stand straight with a spine.