The Quaid says, `Now, if we want to make this great state of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being people, and especially of the masses and the poor...every one of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his colour, caste and creed, is first, second and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make’...`Even as regards Muslims you have Pathans, Punjabis, Shias, Sunnis and so on and among Hindus you have Brahminas, Vashnavas, Khatris, also Bengalees, Madrasis and so on _will vanish. ‘(August 11, 1947). 

Our constitution visualizes an Islamic State but not a theocracy. Given this, AK Brohi has sifted differences between an Islamic State and a theocracy in his The Fundamental Law of Pakistan. Moreover, Surah Al-Kaafiroon (109) ordains Muslims to be tolerant to other religions. In this regard, US Counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen points out that even Salafi Islam is not militant - in his book, The Accidental Guerrilla. However, political exigencies necessitate dubbing someone a terrorist or a mujahid. This is quiet ironic given, Mullahs were armed to the hilt by the USA to stop red Russia. Just remember, Reagan receiving Afghan resistance leaders in the White House’, and `President Reagan’s photo ops. (opportunities) in Oval Office on June 16, 1986. 

The silent majority stands snubbed while the mullah roars. Let USA admit its contributory responsibility in scuttling Constitutional equality of Pakistan’s citizenry. 

AMJED JAAVED,  

Rawalpindi, February 1.