Is it enough?
By Elvis Gill
7 April 2016
Messages of peace and unity circulate in the wake of the Lahore attack
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park was the go to recreational spot for the Christian community of Lahore on March 27, to spend time with their loved ones and celebrate Easter, but little was they aware of the dire catastrophe that awaited them.The events that transpired are no secret: 75 confirmed deaths (only 14 of which were confirmed as Christians) and 304 injuries, mostly women and children. The fallout was more than suffice to transform the day of celebration into a day of mourning.
Recently, however, a group of young artists returned to the park in order to condemn the acts of extremism. The group met up on Sunday to convey a message of peace and acceptance. The wall they painted, which has now been dubbed “The wall of tolerance”, displays character’s that translate to “No more extremism”. This, in my opinion, is a very strong message delivered mildly.
The gathering was organized by Rohama Malik and Ali Mehdi Zaidi, which just goes on to show that this was a message not from Muslims or Christians, but from humanity as a whole, to the other side, the inhumane. This is a universal message to the extremist mindset that their opinion is worth more than somebody’s life.
I myself coming from a Christian background find the gesture a beautiful and heart-warming effort, acknowledging that this came from the citizens of Lahore, however I do feel, for the families who lost loved ones in the tragedy, this is not nearly enough.
The authorities do need to provide justice and at least help prevent any future attacks like this. I hope that this acts as a ripple that creates a wave of unity against extremist mentality, and leads to gestures similar to this one throughout Pakistan, so that one day eventually, we will be able to rid ourselves of this plague of radicalism that has cost our country way too much.
