A deal between religious hardliners and Pakistani authorities to enforce Islamic law in the violence-hit Swat valley has been slammed by a wide spectrum of society, ranging from beauty queen Natasha Paracha to ordinary bloggers.
A deal between religious hardliners and Pakistani authorities to enforce Islamic law in the violence-hit Swat valley has been slammed by a wide spectrum of society, ranging from beauty queen Natasha Paracha to ordinary bloggers.
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Reigning Miss Pakistan World Natasha Paracha said Pakistan is a "nation where we have been infected with these pests Taliban".
The deal reached by the banned Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Mohammedi and authorities to enforce Islamic law "is not a solution for Pakistan and Pakistanis", she said.
"If they have the Shariah law imposed in Swat valley, then it will spread to the whole of Pakistan. Democracy means (being) under one law, not different laws in different provinces of Pakistan. The government should never compromise with terrorists," Paracha said in an email interview.
"We should never give in (and) instead make sure that they are out of Pakistan!" she said.
Sonia Ahmed, president of the body that organises Miss Pakistan World, said: "The Taliban have no place in Pakistan and the people of Pakistan should kick them out. They are invaders and barbaric people."
Ahmed said the move in Swat could spell the downfall of democracy in Pakistan. "It is disappointing to hear that (President Asif Ali) Zardari has proved himself wrong in just the first year. To have one law run in one part of the country and a different law being run in another part of the country is pure discrimination," she said.
Zardari's government is just doing 'damage control' and "it is a shame that people who are not even Pakistanis (Taliban) are running Pakistan", Ahmed said, adding the same situation occurred in the 1970s when "fanatics closed down the casinos, cabarets and bars of Pakistan and enforced the veil".
"In my view, Pakistan was much better during the military rule as compared to this sorry state of democracy. We had great ties with India and enjoyed our years of peace with India," Ahmed said.
She said relations with India "are very important to Pakistan" and issues such as making peace with extremists are widening the gap between India and Pakistan.
Avid bloggers too have been commenting on the move to implement Islamic law in Swat, with one titling his post: "Shariah in Malakand: Another stab in Pakistan's heart".
"Once again the Pakistan People's Party has disappointed its followers. And once again the Awami National Party has made the worst compromise possible."
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