Sometimes I just wonder whether the state we will in is even a state anymore. If by the state we mean the government, then what is the government even doing? Very frankly, I feel no security seeing the police around. Far from that, I often avoid encountering or approaching them for help. Experience tells us that often the police is just another of the many exploiters that surround us. What about courts? Who likes to go to court? Frankly, nobody! After all, who likes to go through more injustice to get justice? Then there is open violence; everywhere there is violence; it seems as though, tolerance and respect have seen their days.
But I guess, we are all used to it.
So what if the state isn’t playing its role. So what if it’s not respecting you as it should? Does that give you the right to disrespect others? To simply raid into a city of your own country in large numbers and taking full advantage of that city’s hospitality to infect it with your hooliganism. Just because you come in large numbers, and ‘political correctness’ has learned to make room for your ethnic “grievances”, and therefore doesn’t interfere when you decide to hold your rallies in different cities, does not mean that you can loot and plunder, humiliate and kill people, and desecrate sites that are held sacred, either culturally, religiously, or historically.
On this 23rd of March, the day we celebrate as the Pakistan Resolution day, a national holiday, I was with a few of my friends, from universities that included IBA, SZABIST, CBM (IoBM), FAST among others, from the platform of Youth Intelligentsia, at the Mazar-e-Quaid to offer our respect and prayers for the cherished founder of our country.
What we saw there was shocking and heart breaking too. People were entering the great leader’s last resting place with ethnic flags and wearing shoes, both of which are not allowed. They raided in with dirty abuses for our leader and even Pakistan. They openly chanted anti-Pakistan slogans and had sticks in their hands. Many displayed very disrespectful and degrading gestures to the founder of the nation.
Surrounding the premises of the Mazar was a rally organized by an ethnic separatist movement.
While we saw these horrifying scenes and so did the many women and children that came in families to mark this national event, many of us wanted to do something about it. We asked the guards and they simply added that they needed orders to counter them. It was also understandable that any scene at the Mazar would have negative consequences. But we did decide to do what we came here to do, and in the process break the silence of fear that had occupied the atmosphere.
We had with us Pakistan’s ex-national Golf coach, Jamal Badshah Khan, who raised out loud the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan right next to Jinnah’s grave just after we performed the Fateha. The people, who were till then silent, chanted alongside us even louder. Then the Guards performed a parade in what was one of the most patriotic moments of my life.
The anti-Pakistan rally was not far away, and as soon as they heard us they rushed inside chanting the slogan “Pakistan kay chahnay walon… Hum Tumhari maut hen” (Those who love/desire Pakistan… we have come as your death).
By the grace of God, however, no violent confrontation took place. Maybe, because these hooligans feared that we were more in number or as to how the ordinary people would respond if so were to happen. We then left the Mazar when we had accomplished our task. On our way back we saw members of this ethnic group with guns and axes in their hands, only wondering on the cowardice of such people coming to a public site visited by families.
We learned later that this ethnic hooliganism had taken hostage much of the city, except in manners more violent if not shameful.
Many questions are raised regarding the whole incident.
Where was the so-called writ of the government that allowed such terrorists to do whatever they want for a whole day, and that too on Pakistan Day? Was it because such groups are largely perceived as the asset of ruling party; the members of whom have publicly talked of a ‘Sindh Card’?
What has happened to our society that violence and thuggery have gained widespread acceptance? Difference of opinion is an acceptable element, but where did such disrespect come from?
Would the perpetuators of these crimes be brought to justice, or is it true as is observed that Pakistan is becoming a more stateless society with every passing day?