Sheikh Fakhar-e-Alam
During a period of absurd showdown and uncertainty in the subcontinent, Pakistan has made a significant stride towards harmony by opening the Kartarpur Corridor. Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated by PM Imran Khan on 09 November 2019 which provides visa-free entry to Sikh pilgrims from India. This corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district in Punjab, India with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib located in Pakistan’s Narowal district. Guru Nanak (1469-1539) spent the last 18 years of his life in Gurdwara Darbar Sahib due to which is considered the second holiest site in Sikhism. The corridor permits 5000 Indian pilgrims per day to visit their holy site in Pakistan throughout the year.
During the inauguration ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave historic remarks that “Today we are not only opening border but also our hearts for the Sikh community”. This statement portrays Pakistan’s wish for religious harmony and peaceful coexistence. The completion of the Kartarpur Corridor in tough economic conditions echoes Pakistan’s resolve to the vision of its progenitors who imagined a state that would safeguard the rights of minorities.
The international community has recognized the efforts of Pakistan for maintaining peace in the region. It is a great success of Pakistan that UN chief Antonio Guterres visited the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib and viewed that “the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a practical example of Pakistan’s desire for peace and inter-faith harmony”.
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah once said that “You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed, that has nothing to do with the business of the state”. This is a character of Pakistani leadership but on the other hand, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India are facing systematic maltreatment at the hand of the right-wing BJP government.
According to the US Commission on International Freedom of Religion or Belief, the Indian authorities predominantly arrest Muslims and Christians for conversion activities, whereas mass conversions to Hinduism often take place without any interference from the authorities. Pew Research Center report revealed that India had the highest level of social hostility and violence based on religion or belief of any country in the world.
According to Human Rights Watch 2021 report, authorities in India have adopted laws and policies that systematically discriminate against Muslims and stigmatize critics of the government. Prejudices embedded in the government of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have infiltrated independent institutions, such as the police and the courts, empowering nationalist groups to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity.
The Indian government’s figures, released in 2018, showed an upward trend in inter-religious violence and posed a question of the tone was being set by the government themselves. The Indian government passed a citizenship law in December 2019 that discriminates against Muslims, making religion the basis for citizenship for the first time. In 2020, the Indian government targeted Sikhs by introducing controversial Farm Laws that were inherently designed to take economic benefits from Sikh farmers.
The Indian States use laws against cow slaughter to prosecute Muslim cattle traders even as BJP-affiliated groups attack Muslims and Dalits on rumors that they killed or traded cows for beef. Covid-19 pandemic had further exacerbated problems as Muslims were accused of “deliberately spreading the virus” and labeled as “bio-terrorists” and “corona-jihadists”.
Unfortunately, India has always been involved in denying Pakistan’s peaceful gesticulations instead of responding to them. It has started discrediting Pakistan internationally by using its economic and diplomatic clout.
India usually raises issues regarding maltreatment of minorities in Pakistan but they contain wrong facts and figures and are only based on ill intentions. There have been a few isolated incidents where religious minorities were attacked but the culprits were dealt with iron hands of the law. For example, when a Hindu temple was ransacked by a mob in December 2020 in Karak, KPK, police immediately arrested 31 suspects in overnight raids. Later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the recovery of Rs 33 million from the accused involved in the burning of the Hindu temple within a month and allowed the Hindu community to rebuild their temple thereon as much land as they wanted.
There is no comparison of Pakistani resolve to protect minority rights. The “white color” in the Pakistani flag represents minorities. Minorities in Pakistan are enjoying all types of perks and privileges in the country. Pakistani minorities also believe in serving Pakistan and raising its name across the globe. Minorities can join all types of services in Pakistan and can reach the highest level. Indian efforts would not discourage Pakistan from its pledge to endorse religious tolerance, protection of minority rights, and enthusiasm for peace in the region.
(The writer is Islamabad based PHD Media studies fellow, tweets @ShFakharA and can be contacted at fakharhrp@gmail.com)
