Well, the writing on the wall is clear.
Now it begins. So much for the days of freewheelin’ secular and leftist bloggers. It’s all over.
Now is the time for the Islamist social conservative and the militant nationalist to reclaim the space on the social media that they probably should never have given up. So that these secular bloggers never should have started in the first place.
Now begins the time to silence our pens and tongues from dissenting.
On the bright side, at least the social conservatives and religious fanatics might stand against the banning of social media websites, which actually comes as second nature to our authoritarian government.
As I said earlier that the Jamaat-e-Islami goons could be the first on the streets protesting a Facebook ban.
But I’d understand if you accuse me of too much optimism here. Because the picture on the ground… on the cyberspace, rather… is quite dismal.
We get it. There are some matters which are too sacred and important to be discussed.
But whichever force is behind the sudden disappearance of the three bloggers, could you please return them to safety as citizens of this country?
While we are sadly aware that an allegation of blasphemy is considered verdict in this society, and even though that’s what the fight is all about, could we still hope for some respite for them?
We totally understand. We know that perhaps some of the nationalistic entities absolutely have no regard how the world sees us in terms of our tolerance for free speech.
We would keep that in mind whenever we are going to write. Because we want to live peacefully in the one and only life that has been enforced upon us.
Not only do we assure of good behavior, we would also be particularly respectful of any ideas that is held by our social conservative ideological adversaries. Because there really is no other choice.
But even if we do adhere to these rules and do not wake up the dormant, if not dead, conscience of the nation, we still cannot ignore the damage done. We simply cannot ignore the “disappearance” of the secular bloggers.
And now we hear that all of them have committed blasphemy. How convenient. So, who is the entity that takes such action against such people and how have we decided that they are guilty?
Of course, the ones who get caught are always the blasphemers and the traitors.
Alright, we get it. There are certain lines that we are not supposed to cross. But not everyone is going to agree. There are always going to be some people who are never going to agree.
What are we going to do with them?
Are we going to make them disappear, kill them, or try them all for blasphemy and treason? Hang them on public squares?
And if yes, then what is the message that we are sending to the world about Pakistan? What sort of a country treats its citizens in this way?
The guardians of national security should think about it.
Now this may offend the loyalist of the state and religion, but there is a reason it is our duty to stand up for these missing bloggers.
One of us could be next any day.