Fighting Extremism: Confront extremists at every level

It appears that Pakistani authorities are bowing down to these religious extremists to save their power and this is going to be a very dangerous trend.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Edmonton Journal
By Aneesa Mirza | January 11, 2011

Re: "Help from within shifts perception of Muslims," by Jeff Kuryk, Letters, Jan. 9.

As an Ahmadi Muslim I appreciate the letter by Jeff Kuryk and in all honesty I could not have done a better job.

I was sad and depressed when I saw TV coverage of the assassination of the governor of Punjab, Pakistan, especially when religious extremists in the garb of lawyers were throwing flowers at the assassin.

Statements made by many other religious groups where they justified murder of Salman Tasser were more scary.


Journal readers may like to know that this particular law of blasphemy was made during the time of military dictator Ziaul Haq, particularly to prosecute members of the Ahamdiyya Muslim Community and there are several hundred under detention under this law.

In Kuryk's words, "I want to demonstrate a tangible desire to identify, condemn and promote the prosecution of religious extremists in Pakistan and other countries."

We, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, have been doing it for over 100 years and will continue to do that.

I wish our government would take notice of these acts of violence and pressure the Pakistan government to repeal such laws.

It appears that Pakistani authorities are bowing down to these religious extremists to save their power and this is going to be a very dangerous trend.

These extremists have to be confronted at every level and Canada's government must exert sustained pressure on Pakistan's government otherwise the consequences are going to be very serious for all of us.

Aneesa Mirza, Edmonton



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