Moderation vs. Extremism
By the Editor

BEAMING his truthful perceptions with all-out sincerity, President General Pervez Musharraf has urged the liberal and moderate sections of society to galvanize to stem the growing wave of extremism on the soils of Pakistan.

Speaking to media men in Islamabad at the mid-week, he said that Pakistan’s future lies in the moderates’ success in the tussle with extremists.

‘If extremists are not defeated, Quaid’s Pakistan will be gone’, he cautioned. Analyzing with a realistic approach, it would come evident that Pakistan is undoubtedly at the crossroads today.

While extremists are striving to hijack it for their ulterior motives to undermine its interests as well as those of the Ummah, the forces of moderation and liberalization are, paradoxically not so active in resisting them to save the country from imminent chaos and upheaval.

And it’s ironic that Islam, which stands for tolerance, moderation and compassion, is being exploited by the extremist elements to pursue their ferocious and vicious agenda.

As matter of fact, there can hardly be two opinions about the fact that Pakistan is predominantly a moderate society in keeping with the Islamic standards, norms, values and virtues.

Pragmatically, the great Quaid too had no ambiguity in his mind that Pakistan will be a moderate, progressive Islamic State at the time of its creation.

It, therefore, devolves upon the forces of moderation to rise and defeat the extremists in the interest of Pakistan’s future.

Extremism is a curse that will only drift Pakistan to the edge of the precipice beyond which is the great fall.

President Musharraf’s call to the followers and admirers of moderation and liberalization is, thus, timely warning to the nation against the pitfalls of extremists tendencies, which simply negate reason and logic.

Extremists are taught to impose their own will on others by force irrespective of reason or logic.

Pakistan has endured ramifications of extremist in recent years in the form of sectarian violence, which claimed hundreds of innocent lives.

Besides this, it also shattered Pakistan’s image as a modern, progressive Islamic State at the international level, besides creating a sense of insecurity within the country undermining the economic activity.

Pakistan is the first Muslim nuclear power and seventh in the world. It’s an Islamic polity and its ideological moorings reject extremism in all its forms and manifestations. Amid these realities, we think, there is no reason why extremism should gain ground in the country.

Hence, the people are under moral and ethical obligation to pronounce their judgment on this count as high as the up-most skies and as clear as crystal by returning the supporters of enlightened moderation in the upcoming general elections next year.●