By Justice Markandey Katju
Bomb blasts killed 58 people and injured over 100 people gathered for a religious procession on 28th September, the birthday of the Prophet (Eid Milad un-Nabi) in Mastung, Balochistan, Pakistan.
I submit this was the logical and inevitable outcome of partitioning India in 1947 on the basis of the bogus 2 nation theory, and creating Pakistan as an Islamic State. I submit that the Indian subcontinent has such tremendous diversity that no state can long survive if made on a theological basis, and we must reunite under a secular govt.
Creating an Islamic State immediately raises the question which is the correct Islam, Sunni or Shia, Deobandi or Barelvi, Wahabi, Salafi or Sufi ?
I have in my article written earlier said that the Wahabi/Salafi Muslims are totally against celebrating the birthday of the Prophet, as they regard it unislamic. Probably this latest outrage was their doing.
Shia mosques have often been bombed as Shias do not recognise the first 3 Khalifas, and regard them usurpers.
Dargahs have often been bombed because the Wahabi type extremists regard dargahs where graves of sufi saints are allegedly worshipped as idolatry, when Islam permits worship of only Allah.
Minorities e.g. Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, are often attacked on false allegations of blasphemy.
And of course, Ahmadis have been thrown to the wolves.
I submit that all this will grow in years to come because of massive poverty in Pakistan. It is easy to radicalise unemployed youth, like Ajmal Qasab, who took part in the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. Extremist organisations like the Tehreeke Labbaik, Tehreeke Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, etc are having a field day and open season.
The creators of Pakistan have sowed the wind, and now their descendants will reap the whirlwind.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
In Pakistan's Blochistan, a bomb blast at Miladunnabi procession killed over 50 people today. This is the footage of the moment when the blast occurred. pic.twitter.com/tIJi1CRjbs
— Waquar Hasan (@WaqarHasan1231) September 29, 2023
