A girl called Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban while returning home from school. Ehsanullah Ehsan, chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that Yousafzai “is the symbol of the infidels and obscenity,” adding that if she survived, they would target her again. She is known for her education and women’s rights activism not only in Pakistan but also in the world. Former British Prime Minister and current UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown launched a United Nations petition in Yousafzai’s name, using the slogan ‘I am Malala’ and demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of 2015. Here the question arises why Taliban needed to attack a teenager, the answer is very simple, because they cannot face criticism from a 14 year old girl.
Let me draw your attention to a recent dispute of an eminent scholar Prof. Pervez Hoodbhoy’s upcoming departure from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The professor had ideological differences which were the reason his contract was not renewed, something which the university denies. Prof. Hoodbhoy’s current contract expired in last December. Prof Hoodbhoy, speaking to a newspaper confirmed that he recently faced a lot of criticism when he introduced a course titled ‘Science and the Contemporary World Order’. He says the course, which discusses science and politics, ‘gave rise to ideological differences’. Nevertheless LUMS administration denies the allegations, saying that the matter is of a contractual nature. LUMS decision to fire Hoodbhoy is a bad signal for Pakistan’s liberal thinkers, when LUMS, which is known for its liberalism can refuse to allow room for debate and dialogue, then what you can expect from other institutions of Pakistan.
From last one decade, it is really hard to have differences of opinion in Pakistan. Extremism, bigotry and intolerance among other evils of the sort are our common enemies. They needed to be fought until they are no more a threat.
MUDASSAR HUSSAIN CHEEMA,
Lahore, February 1.