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The recent remarks made by Mufti Kifayatullah have once again drawn attention to a deeply disturbing reality inside Pakistan. Speaking openly about the repeated killings of religious scholars, he said that scholars feel safer in India than in Pakistan, where funerals of clerics have become tragically common. According to him, the number of slain scholars has reached 106, and yet the real perpetrators continue to remain hidden. His words were emotional, direct, and deeply unsettling. They touched a nerve not only among religious communities but also among ordinary people who have witnessed decades of violence targeting scholars, teachers, mosque leaders, and intellectual voices across Pakistan.Mufti Kifayatullah did not merely express grief. He accused the authorities of failing to uncover the masterminds behind these killings and warned that silence would only encourage further violence. He urged religious scholars and citizens to speak openly against these attacks and demanded that the government take immediate action to stop what he described as a continuing tragedy. The issue he raised is not new. Pakistan has long struggled with sectarian violence, extremist attacks, and targeted assassinations involving scholars belonging to different schools of thought. Over the past two decades, Sunni, Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi, and Sufi scholars have all faced threats and attacks in different parts of the country. Mosques, madrassas, and religious gatherings have repeatedly become targets of bombings and shootings.Security analysts and researchers have often described Pakistan as one of the most dangerous countries for religious scholars who openly challenge militant ideologies or refuse to support extremist groups. The atmosphere of fear has forced many scholars to reduce public appearances, avoid controversial discussions, or move under heavy security protection.What makes Mufti Kifayatullah’s statement particularly striking is his comparison with India. His remark that scholars feel safer in India than in Pakistan carries both political and social significance. India, despite facing communal tensions and political disagreements, has a long tradition of diverse Islamic scholarship where scholars from different schools continue to engage publicly without the same scale of targeted assassinations seen across parts of Pakistan.His statement also reflects growing frustration among sections of Pakistani society who feel that violence has become normalized. Every new assassination is condemned for a few days, but investigations often remain incomplete and the masterminds rarely face justice. Families of slain scholars continue to wait for answers.Pakistan itself has paid a heavy price for extremism. The country has lost thousands of civilians, security personnel, teachers, journalists, and religious leaders in terrorist attacks over the years. Even leading Pakistani scholars have publicly declared that terrorism and armed violence carried out in the name of religion are against Islamic teachings. The fear surrounding religious discourse in Pakistan has also affected intellectual freedom. Scholars who criticize militant groups often receive threats, while others are accused of supporting one side or another in sectarian conflicts. This dangerous environment has weakened public trust and increased anxiety among religious communities.Mufti Kifayatullah’s demand that silence must be broken is therefore significant. In societies affected by violence, silence often emerges from fear. Many people hesitate to speak because they fear becoming targets themselves. Yet history shows that silence rarely protects societies from extremism. Open dialogue, justice, accountability, and public unity against violence are essential for restoring peace.His criticism of the government also reflects a larger concern within Pakistan regarding law enforcement and intelligence failures. Whenever scholars are assassinated, speculation and accusations spread quickly, but investigations rarely satisfy the public. This has created a perception that powerful networks behind such killings continue to escape accountability.Across South Asia, religious scholars have traditionally played an important role in social harmony, education, and moral guidance. In villages and cities alike, they often serve not only as religious leaders but also as mediators, teachers, counselors, and voices of community welfare. When scholars are targeted, entire communities feel threatened and destabilized.The repeated killings of scholars also damage the image of Islam itself. Extremist violence carried out in the name of religion creates fear and division, while Islam’s true teachings emphasize peace, justice, compassion, and protection of human life. Many scholars across the Muslim world have repeatedly rejected terrorism and sectarian hatred.Observers believe that Pakistan’s future stability depends greatly on defeating extremist violence both militarily and ideologically. That struggle cannot succeed unless scholars, civil society, media, and state institutions stand together against every form of targeted killing.Mufti Kifayatullah’s statement may generate controversy, especially because of the India Pakistan comparison, but it has undeniably reopened an important debate. Why are scholars repeatedly becoming targets? Why do investigations fail to provide closure? And how long can a society continue to witness funerals without demanding accountability? These are painful questions, but they are necessary questions.A nation cannot move forward when its intellectual and religious voices live under fear. The protection of scholars should never become a sectarian issue or a political slogan. It is a matter of national conscience, social stability, and human dignity.The message emerging from Mufti Kifayatullah’s remarks is ultimately a call against silence. Whether one agrees with his politics or not, the central concern he raised deserves attention. Religious scholars should not have to fear assassination for expressing their beliefs or serving their communities. If peace is truly the goal, then justice must become visible, investigations must become credible, and violence against scholars must end. Only then can fear give way to trust, and funerals stop replacing dialogue in a society already wounded by decades of conflict.
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