After merely two months of Priyantha Kumara’s lynching, Pakistan has witnessed another case of the same kind of violence. In Khanewal, a man was tied to a tree and pelted with stones and bricks, and hit with rods and sticks until his soul left the body. The reason for this gruesome act which was committed by a large mob was the accusation that the man had desecrated a copy of the Holy Quran. The victim claimed innocence, however, the charged mob of barbarians showed no mercy and killed him in the most brutal way. Although the police claim that they had arrested the man and that the mob broke into the police station and took the victim by force and also injured some police officers in the process, eyewitnesses claim that the police had arrived at the scene but did nothing to stop the mob.
With each passing day, a new story of mob violence is reported in the media. This problem is spreading like a contagious virus and it will deteriorate the very fabric of society. Many reasons can be listed down for the dismal situation Pakistani society is in. The first and foremost, however, is the lack of proper education that encourages critical thinking and is based on morality and ethics. Religious fundamentalism, which is ingrained in most segments of society makes it impossible for people to learn about tolerance towards people of other religions or those who have a different view while belonging to the same religion. Day by day, mob violence is increasing in the country and no person who has differing views from the majority population is safe. People have forgotten the basic mannerisms and etiquettes that are required to function in society. The country has become a pit of thick-headed goons who have no regard for human life and are ready to kill anyone. This sad state of affairs can only be remedied through proper education of the masses and through a system of punishment for the perpetrators of such heinous crimes. Mere tweets from ministers will not amount to anything unless real action is taken. Education is the only way forward for this nation and it would be better if it is more towards the secular side. Another thing, which has never been talked about is the separation of religion from state.
