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OPINION MAY 07, 2021 | The Indian Eye 12

tehrik labaik Pakistan

and the Politics of

the religious right

The half-hearted ban imposed on the TLP is based on the law-and-order perspective than

on its toxic politics. The ban will not defang the radicalism that forms its core strength

sMruti s. Pattanaik murdered included 39 Muslims,
23 Christians, nine Ahmadis
he Tehrik Labaik Paki- two Hindus and two persons
stan (TLP), in a very short whose religious identity was not
Ttime, has emerged as one known.”
of the strongest neo-fundamen- Most of the allegations
talist radical organisations. The are brought to settle personal
TLP was the fifth largest party scores. In some cases, even stu-
in the national elections held dents have brought blasphemy
in July 2018. Several factors charges against their teachers.
contributed to its rise. Most TLP made its mark in de-
notable of them was the lead- manding the release of Mum-
ership provided by Allama taz Qadri in 2016. However, its
Khadim Rizvi, the firebrand big-ticket entry came in 2017. In
leader who used the blasphe- the Election Reforms Amend-
my issue to mobilise people. ment Bill 2017, a modification
After his death in November purportedly made in the elec-
2020, his son and the current tion oath omitted the manda-
chief of the TLP, Saad Rizvi, is tory clause of accepting finality
trying to find a toe-hold in right- of prophethood by candidates
wing politics. The government wishing to contest elections.
imposed a ban on his organisa- There are debates on what
tion on April 15, 2021 under the the TLP’s rise means for the
Anti-terrorism Act of 1997, in politics of the right. Many
the wake of violence committed scholars allude to the fact that
by its cadres demanding the ex- religious political parties do not
pulsion of the French Ambassa- TLP supporters brought the country to a standstill with their violent protest have the electoral strength and
dor, over France defending the only draw 4-6 per cent of the
publication of the cartoon of killed by Qadri in January 2011. accused under offences related votes. Perhaps the only time
Prophet Mohammad. Taseer’s crime was that he had to religion – mostly under Sec- the religious political parties
The past several years have described the blasphemy law as tions 295-B and C to 298-C of showed their electoral strength
seen a decline in the fortunes a ‘black law’ and demanded its the Pakistan Penal Code”. was when the Muttahida Maj-
of established religious po- repeal, while supporting Aasia In 2020, 200 people had lis-e-Amal (MMA) was elect-
litical parties in Pakistan and Bibi’s appeal for mercy, who been accused, out of which 75 ed to govern in Khyber Pakh-
the rise of neo-fundamentalist, was convicted in a blasphemy were Muslims. The same study tunkhwa and won 59 seats in
street-savvy parties. The TLP case. also points out that 75 persons the National Assembly in the
gained attention when it par- It needs to be noted that had been murdered extra judi- 2002 election.
ticipated in the 2016 protests there are political and econom- cially in circumstances involv- Pakistan has seen the emer-
along with other religious or- ic factors that underpin blasphe- ing an allegation of blasphemy, gence of neo-radicals who have
ganisations against the hanging my cases in Pakistan. According some even had no clue about rejected the politics of the tradi-
of Mumtaz Qadri, the body- to a study by the Centre for So- why they were being killed. tional religious political parties.
guard of the then Punjab Gov- cial Justice, between 1997 and Seven were killed in police cus- Though groups like the Tehrik
ernor Salman Taseer, who was 2020, “1,855 people have been tody or by policemen. Those Continued on next page... >>

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