Monday, July 30

Religious Places and sensitivites thereof

So after the Lal Masjid imbroglio in Pakistan was brutally squished, some other militants have apparently now taken over another mosque and have called it the new Lal Masjid or the Red Mosque. Many news reports are reporting that up to 600 suicide bombers are now in Islamabad (the capital!).

Let that be a lesson to all states, play with religion at your own peril, even those states who are religious in the first place. Saudi Arabia had issues with the Iranian militant takeover of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; Israel had issues with its holy places (all three types, Christian, Jewish and Muslim); India has had issues with its mosques, temples, gurdwaras; Pakistan has now issues. What is more important for Pakistan to realise is that now Lal Masjid has become a symbol, the physical location is no longer important, it will continue to attract jihadi's, militants and other assorted Islamic rage boys. Which means that it can no longer have the benefit of negotiations, I am afraid. When it reaches the symbol stage, only physical eradication can work. See how India managed to resolve its Punjab terror (ironically, Pakistan was poking that fire as well!).

You see, the militants and terrorists cannot lose. They are in a place of worship (the fact that every religion would say no to having arms, ammo and terrorism in there is ignored), if the army attacks it, it faces approbation because it attacked a religious building (never you mind that the attack was because there were some brainwashed criminals inside). So it is a complete lose lose situation for the state, every time.

I am afraid Pakistan is now in a world of hurt and this world is going to last for a long time.

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