Pakistan: Can Sharia and Freedom Coexist? A cautionary tale for America. PragerU 5 minute video (01/04/19, 5 min)

• Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/p…

• Video (includes transcript and related videos): prageru.com/videos/paki…

Pakistan, the world's fifth largest democracy, also is deeply influenced by Islamic law (Sharia).

Can Western Liberal democracy and Sharia co-exist? The answer likely is NO.

Haroon Ullah, foreign policy professor at Georgetown University, describes the sobering reality in Pakistan that now is deeply affecting US cities and states.

We see strong parallels between Prof. Ullah’s story of a pro-democracy leader murdered by a religious extremist in Pakistan and reactions in the US following Charlie Kirk’s and other high-profile murders.

Summary (Grok ai, edited; image from video series)

Key Question: Can free society and Sharia-based society coexist in one nation? [ED NOTE: Spoiler alert: No.]

About Pakistan (in 2019)

Pakistan is the fifth largest democracy, has nuclear weapons, and hosts millions of religious extremists. It both fights against and is a major supporter of terrorism.

Pakistan's challenges balancing democracy and religious extremism are exemplified by Punjab Governor Salman Taseer's assassination and its aftermath. Such incidents are common in Pakistan.

Taseer's Assassination

Salman Taseer advocated democracy, pluralism, and minority rights, facing frequent death threats. On January 4, 2011, he was shot 26 times by his bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri at Kohsar Market, Islamabad, and died on site.

Public Reaction

• Qadri was cheered in court with flowers; crowds saw Taseer as insulting Islam.

• Islamic parties held marches of up to 40,000 honoring Qadri.

• Moderate leaders were silent on murder.

• Qadri convicted, but judge was threatened and had to go into hiding; case suspended.

• No religious leader appeared at Taseer's funeral due to threats.

Democracy's Impact on Islamists Democracy may intensify extremism as diverse Islamist parties compete for authenticity, leading to violence. Competition splits votes, preventing a unified theocracy and aiding democracy's survival for some time at least.

Path for Democracy Majority moderates must courageously oppose Islamists until extremism fails morally and economically. If extremists win, Pakistan becomes largest terror state.

Related:

• Idaho Politics & Beyond — A Petition to Oppose Sharia Law in Idaho: tinyurl.com/ef8hcp6u