An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Tolerance and Peace
Shut down by September 27 or else…: Islamist threatens to bomb Rainbow Centre
KARACHI: A pamphlet from a man threatening to blow up Rainbow Centre unless it shut down by September 27 was distributed Saturday night, sparking panic in the ground-floor business owners and people who live in the flats above.
“If the video business does not shut down in two months, there will be an explosion so big that the entire world will remember it,†said the A4 size open letter, written in crude Urdu handwriting and signed by ‘Fatah’. “Even if I do not remain, the voice of Islamic Shariat will never die.â€
The open letter also issued a warning to the city’s cinemas, cable operators and public bus drivers who play loud music. “All of Karachi’s cinema hall owners are requested to shut down otherwise after July 27 any one of them could be blown up with a bomb at any time,†the letter said.
“Cable operators should only air Islamic channels and if any vulgar programmes are broadcast in any locality of Karachi, the cable operator’s office will be blown up,†it added.
The letter’s writer said that vulgarity and obscenity had become exceedingly common and that the various forms of the media were showing dancing and singing. He appealed to people to shun these forms of entertainment and for those he threatened to desist from their work.
Ok, so who is it that gets to decide what is ‘vulgar and obscene’? Personally, I find a lot of what is on the radio and TV in the U.S. vulgar and obscene, should I threaten to blow up people? No, I don’t think so, but then, I’m a Christian, NOT a Muslim.
The pamphlet was reportedly distributed to all the shops on the ground floor of Rainbow Centre by two children, aged seven and nine, said Waqas Khalid who works at shop No. G-39 and Nadim of shop No. G-112. The children did not know what was written in the letter, added Waqas of shop No. G-111. As the salesmen read it and the news spread, shopkeepers grabbed the children and questioned them.
The children, who are from the neighbourhood, said that they were given Rs 100 each by a tall man with a big beard. He was wearing a shalwar kameez and skull cap. He gave them the pamphlets and told them to just throw it into each shop.
What a shock! Using children to do their dirty work. Kind of par for the course, isn’t it.
Rainbow Centre union president Salim Memon said that while he agreed that there should be an Islamic system, threatening people with bombs was no way to impose it. One of his colleagues, Muslim, added that some people thought that distributing a letter like this was a “short cut†to heaven. Rainbow Centre will tighten security but are also deciding whether to continue work as usual or shut up shop.
Just what is ‘an Islamic system’? Well, that’s where you get things, like your head, cut off if you don’t follow the oppressive rules and regulations of Islam.
Nice folks. (obvious sarcasm)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
The part of Islam that Bush, and most people either willfully ignore, or are ignorant of, is this; Islam is NOT JUST a religion. It is also a Political entity. Islam is BOTH. Always has been. Always will be. Of Peace? From the Moderates pov, maybe, but I’m still doubtful. Either way, so many in this country refuse to see the totality of Islam. People like that tend to not see bad things until it’s too late.
Kind of like having their heads shoved up the derrière.
Sorry, terribly unladylike of me.
I love it when you’re unladylike! Sassy!