Reigning impunity

Of late, Pakistan has witnessed a string of violent incidents of various kinds. As recently as June 18, a noted journalist, Khalil Jibran, was ambushed in Landi Kotal, Khyber district, and fatally shot. While no group has yet claimed responsibility, reliable sources indicate that Jibran had been facing threats from terrorists. The area in which he operated is known for terror activities. There appears to have been a resurgence of violence against media persons in recent months. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), four media personnel were killed in May alone, while several others faced violent attacks. This outfit reports that 64 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 1992 for their work; other counts put the number closer to 100. Pakistan is ranked 11th on the CPJ’s Global Impunity Index, indicating the poor record that those who kill or harm journalists in this country rarely get caught.

According to a credible assessment, there is a wide variety of characters who do not want journalists reporting on their activities. They range from militants, criminal gangs, and local ‘influentials’ to elements within the state apparatus that are not happy with those who ask too many questions, even if this is in the national interest. Along with threats and deadly violence, members of the media also face 'lawfare,' as cases are instituted against them on flimsy grounds. Calls to create a safer environment for journalists have failed to move the state into taking preventive action in this regard.

Significantly, the CPJ has called upon the Prime Minister to “stop this alarming rise in attacks against journalists, and end this cycle of impunity.” The fact is that both state and non-state actors know that they can get away with violence against journalists. There is a growing demand for the government to investigate the murder of Khalil Jibran and all other media personnel killed for their work and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The series of violent incidents, terror-linked or otherwise, continue unabated. A brutal incident occurred in Swat’s Madyan area on June 20 when a man accused of desecration was set ablaze. Even the fact that the victim was in police custody did not deter the mob from delivering ‘justice’ themselves. The slain individual was visiting the area from Punjab and was accused of committing an act of desecration. While police had hauled him away, announcements were allegedly made from local mosques urging people to storm the police station where he was held. The ensuing events were horrific, as the mob set fire to the police station, burning the victim alive upon the law enforcers’ refusal to hand him over. This was grotesque.

According to security analysts, this sort of ghastly behaviour has become the norm in Pakistan, as such incidents are occurring with alarming frequency. In most cases, individuals are lynched over accusations of blasphemy, while in others, suspected criminals are beaten to death or shot by mobs. Both forms of 'mob justice' reflect the declining writ of the state.

With regard to the lynching of suspected criminals — particularly on the rise in Karachi — people take it upon themselves to deliver 'justice' because law enforcers have failed to curb crime. In several such instances, innocent people have been killed, as victims have falsely been branded criminals to settle personal scores. The use of dubious blasphemy allegations is a more complex phenomenon, where illiteracy, extremism, and the weakness of the state have created a serious situation.

The unfortunate victim suspected of desecration in Swat was not the first to die a painful death because of unproven allegations. Before him, there were Priyantha Kumara, Mashal Khan, and many others. More recently, a Christian accused of blasphemy in Sargodha was attacked by a mob and succumbed to his wounds. Last year, rioters ransacked and desecrated several churches in Jaranwala on communal grounds, again based on rumours of blasphemy.

Meanwhile, there is a widespread demand for immediate measures to prosecute those involved in murdering and attacking individuals on grounds of baseless allegations. Unfortunately, a broader, society-wide counter-extremism project may take years, if not decades, to succeed. The problem is deep-rooted, and there are no signs of any visible steps to contain such violence.

Some steps seem obvious, such as reining in the powerful hatemongers unleashed upon society. This is the state’s primary challenge, should it choose to take it up. Other measures can include lessons on co-existence and tolerance in schools and seminaries, along with disseminating similar messages from the pulpit. These are the thoughts of the print media, which seem to be putting intense pressure on the Pakistan security establishment to rein in the ongoing menace. They have gone to the extent of saying that the chilling alternative to inaction — which appears to be the state’s preferred option — is the advent of mob rule. These are strong words that authorities in Pakistan must heed.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal