shia killing – My Bit for Change

Say No to Extremism – Stand Up

What happens when events recur so often that we become accustomed to them? They end up becoming a part of our lives and we learn to live with them.

Pakistan came into existence because it was seen as the sole solution to safeguard the rights of the minority i.e. Muslims. However, the very basis of the creation of Pakistan was soon violated by its people; a country where Quaid had promised utmost respect and security for the minorities became the breeding ground for extremism and intolerance. A country which had been envisioned to be a land of justice has faced nothing but disappointment because we all failed to live up to the expectations of the father of the nation. We have not been able to make the country into what it was supposed to be.

It might be a just argument to say that it’s not the ‘us’ but ‘them’; the terrorists, the extremists, the corrupt politicians and the rival countries adamant to crumble our country. However, we have failed to grasp the fact that in reality we are the ones who are nourishing this injustice and violence. What else can make those militants who are not even 1/10^th of the population annihilate our peace? We believe that we cannot make a difference by talking about sectarianism and genocides, that we are not capable of changing the course of things. We have made our lives congested for ourselves, being oblivious to everything happening around us and remaining silent to the attacks intended at minorities. And once we allowed this oppression to exist, its grotesque growth became inevitable. In our country, each terrorist attack is treated as a forgotten memory and a ghost which lurks to haunt us. “Iss mulk ka kuch nahi ho sakta” and other such phrases define our meek submissiveness to fate. We have entitled ourselves as the ones in disdain, the ones who are helpless.

“The nation which reposes on the pillow of political confidence will sooner or later end its political existence in a deadly lethargy. (Quote by – James Madison)”

We are unaware of our potential, our real power. We are unwilling to believe that we are capable of bringing about the change, the ‘tabdeeli’ that is so much talked about these days. It’s not a single man, a single government that can revive peace in our country overnight. To get rid of the darkness of cruelty we have to gather ourselves, realize our strengths and work together. It’s high time we start owning responsibility for our current condition and realise that it was our negligence which has allowed thousands to be killed till now. Things will not change until we are prepared to change them, until we decide to talk about them and start thinking about the solutions. Discussing an issue is the first step towards eliminating it. Instead of running away from things which scare or hurt us, we should face up to them and start our own war against them, for peace. We should take the fate of our land in our own hands and work for its betterment and make sure that the sacrifices that were made to claim this piece of land which we call home don’t go in vain.

Quetta Bleeds – Pakistan Weeps

Entire country is in a state of shock. Repeated attacks on Shia Hazara community in Quetta Balochistan has killed hundreds and brought entire country to a standstill. It is indeed a matter of grave concern that lawlessness has taken over entire country. People are no more safe and living under serious threats. Shia community protested across the country and people from all sects and walks of life stood shoulder to shoulder with them. Government has made some promises, which are yet to be fulfilled. But would they provide the ultimate solution? Where are we heading as a nation in current chaotic situation?

Killings in the name of religion have dented the religion. Terrorism has no religion, whether its state sponsored terrorism of US and her allies, or killings of innocent Hazara Shias. We should condemn terrorism committed by all. Drone strikes on innocent families cannot be termed as collateral damage. This has turned into a revenge war and a breeding ground of terrorism. This terrorism will spread more across the country if we don’t cry halt. The killings of Hazra community is barbaric and brutal and the culprits should be punished in public. It is worth mentioning that the protests of Hazara community have remained peaceful and vast majority supported them and condemned violence in the name of religion.

It is evident that foreign funds are involved in this chaos. But locals are being used as operatives. It’s the prime duty of our law enforcing agencies to target the culprits, and government is totally incompetent. Military action has not born any fruits so far in FATA, rather it has created more lawlessness, revenge and terrorism. Now army would be doing targeted operation, with hopes of better results. But wait a minute! Army is already in control of Balochistan, so will it make a significant difference?

Media, whether conventional or social, pick and choose their ‘favourite’ topics to protest about. Do we know about the 18 people who were gunned down in Khyber agency ; very few voices were raised in their favour. Their family members were not allowed to protest infront of governor house of KPK. Target killing has become a norm in Karachi but media rarely talks about it. The economic hub of Pakistan has been devastated but govt and the ruling parties are conveniently silent and not taking any significant action. Blood of Karachites is cheap and therefore not raising many eye brows. Some friends from Karachi told us that its virtually impossible for Karachites to roam freely in the markets and eat and dine out without fear.

Its time for unity, to identify our real enemies. Ordinary civilians have nothing to do with shia sunni conflict and they want to live with harmony. Military action might be a short term solution, but in the longer run, we need to stop being puppets of foreign forces. Its time that we push our respected leaders to join hands for unity and carve a strategy out of this chaotic situation. I believe we can deal with economic mess and corruption, but security and law and order conditions require national unity. Its utter failure of government and security agencies that they failed to defend the citizens of the country. Life of each and every citizen is important, whether he is killed in target killing, bomb blast or drone strike. We must act on humanitarian grounds. All lives are precious and we must take action to save them.

The Elusive Last Straw

I am such an idiot. I thought we should get that out of the way early.

Remember September?

When the whole blasphemy video issue happened? When the PPP “capitulated” to the religious right?

I remember certain people, who hold sway in the media, people who claim to be on the left, being deeply scarred by all of it. I remember their anger and outrage, and I remember them finally running out of patience with their beloved party.

I remember it being “the last straw”. And I remember believing them.

Silly me!

Corruption, poverty and just plain slaughter that goes on in Karachi every day is not of much concern for the intellectually gifted. It’s the pandering to the religious right, the targeting of minorities and the evil machinations of the military that fuel their fury.

Admirable! And perhaps, why September seemed like a turning point; a last straw. It was and it wasn’t.

September was a last straw that came after many last straws, and many last straws have come after it. Many will come. What will change? Nada.

There might be some noise made when the circumstances don’t allow otherwise, like in September, but most last straws don’t even register. The camel quite obviously is on steroids and the last straw is but a myth.

Proof, you ask me?

Well, what do you know about the Sunni Ittehad Council? Forget that religious parties are inherently against the “we want a secular state” brigade, the SIC also openly supported Mumtaz Qadri. Mumtaz Qadri, in case you have trouble recalling, is the man who killed Salman Taseer. Salman Taseer, in case you have more trouble recalling, is the man certain people remember every day as the hero who fought darkness, the knight in shining armour and other stuff in that category.

Now, there’s been an alliance involving the SIC and a “liberal” party Salman Taseer called his own. Et tu, anyone? Well, no one, at least no one in the “independent” media and hence; no last straw.

Moving on we observe that the independent media doesn’t only exercise its independence by giving the PPP a free pass. Enter Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, hail Nawaz Sharif, the lord and owner of Punjab. There’s a strange kind of love for his highness Nawaz Sharif in our “leftist” press, despite his very Zia-ish roots.

It so happens that the saviours of our Shia community never question PMLNs shady links with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, past or present. And whilst PMLN might have entered into a declared alliance with ASWJ again, during the by-polls, chances are that the anchors will talk about the weather when Mr. Sharif graces her show.

Here too the last straw, needless to say, remains unattainable.

What about the military then?

“Military = Evil”. So, Military+PMLN+PPP = Outrage. This is just simple math, right?

Not quite.

All of you will be pleased to know that in light of Supreme Court’s Asghar Khan case judgement, which stated that military was indeed involved in rigging elections, PPP have done the honourable thing.

The party proudly announced that they will not be probing Punjab owner Nawaz Sharif for taking ISI money and the Asghar Khan case was, their words not mine; buried.

The military interference and the ISI money and the stealing of the people’s mandate; all forgiven. Surely this is the bloody last straw?

In your dreams!

So to recap, in the space of a half a week, the PPP and PMLN have combined to

1) Protect election rigging, the famed will of the people.
2) Give cover to military interference and protect culprits in this regard.
3) Form alliances with sectarian outfits blamed for much of the violence against Shias in the country.
4) Form alliances with religious outfits supporting the murder of a sitting governor over the blasphemy law.

And yet no last straw! Actually, no straw at all!

Since 3rd December, when SIC-PPP alliance came to light, till today, here’s how the honest and upright, the “dissenters”, have reacted:

The English media, famous for their knack of spotting ASWJ flags, did not have an editorial on ASWJ-PMLN, nor did these teary-eyed Taseer fans give space to PPP-SIC. The newspapers also abstained from commenting on PPPs general amnesty for military interference.

Not a single one of “always excellent” op-ed writers was bothered by these trivial happenings. In fact the folks in these “newspapers”, God bless their unbiased heart, did not even report the SIC-PPP alliance.

Beyond pathetic isn’t it. Depressing even!

All is not lost though, for these people will find their voices again once the PPP and PMLN are not in the picture.

Now when that happens, and it will happen, I would be thankful if everyone, respectfully, tells them to take their appreciation for Taseer, their concern for the Shias, their disdain for the deep state, alongside that elusive last straw and bury it all for good.

With Friends Like These

Is safeguarding the life and rights of religious minorities a responsibility of the government? In the context of Pakistan, present or past, it appears not to be the case.

So is the targeted killing and persecution of religious minorities actually a credit to the government?

If you follow a certain Mr. Faisal Raza Abidi, it would seem so. For wherever Faisal Raza goes these days, he wears the badge of minority rights with great pride and greater pompousness. It’s quite mesmerizing actually.

For instance, I was dumbfounded when I saw him invoking the names of Shia leaders, at the top of his voice, to batter an anchor into submission. The fact that these leaders had been killed on the watch of a PPP government that seemed not in the least bit interested, or bothered, about their life or death, was lost on Abidi.

We have seen a lot in the last four years or so, granted. But vying for political mileage over dead bodies? That too of people you were sworn to and failed to, or didn’t want to, protect. I really cannot come up with an analogy.

You may ask what allows Abidi and company to get away this. How can they stand by and watch as their citizens are butchered and then shout about it on TV? Well, it’s the media, or a certain section of the media.

This is the section that lays claim to be the champions of free speech, of tolerance and are great friends of the minorities in Pakistan. They are also great friends of the PPP, but don’t say that out loud. Irony, isn’t it?

It’s peculiar how these mild mannered folk, who believe in tolerance and abhor abusive trolls, love the slightly less mild mannered Mr. Abidi. It’s also peculiar how they oversee, every day, what the PPP has done to minorities in Pakistan.

How? The “Deep State” (Establishment)! It remains the refuge of the PPP apologist. They hide behind it, pleading that their liberal party is helpless. They say the party’s hands are tied.

Yet there is much they don’t say.

They don’t say how there is more sectarian strife in the country today than when the military was directly in power, under Musharraf. They don’t say how the siege of Shia-Hazaras in Balochistan intensified under the current regime or how the PPP Chief Minister can’t even feign pity for them. Let alone the President.

They don’t say how this government has failed to control growth of sectarian outfits throughout the country, from Sindh to Gilgit to Balochistan. They don’t say that the PPP has failed to introduce stricter anti-terrorism legislation either. Apparently, the ‘Deep State’ wanted to do away with the third time prime minister clause instead? It also demanded public office holders be granted immunity from contempt proceedings.

It’s not that these people don’t have a voice. They speak ferociously enough, just not when the “secular” parties are involved. Just imagine, if “Sheeda Tully” was involved in forceful conversion of Hindu girls. But it was a PPP MNA, so he’s safe. Similarly, imagine if a ‘Right-Wing’ government were to incarcerate an eleven year old Christian girl on blasphemy charges. Now imagine the state of the self-proclaimed liberal anchors, writers, bloggers and activists! Exactly!

The fact is, an ulema council has actually come out to support the girl. In the meantime, former Prime Minister, upholder of the constitution and champion of the masses, Yousaf Raza Gillani has claimed credit for Bhutto’s Ahmadi achievement.

None of these champions of minority rights will ask the PPP why they have been this inhuman, this unmoved and this complicit in the atrocities committed. They will instead write one harrowing tale after the other, each ending before the victims can lodge a complaint against their government. A government that not only abandoned them, it persecuted them as well.

It is, however, a PPP government, so that must not make it to the papers. It doesn’t need to, man. You wrote a vague story from a distant land, such bravery would put a lion to shame. You outdid yourself sire. Your best article ever, for the third time this week! And it goes on..

Young “jiyalas” don’t grow up to be unbiased commentators. A Radio only broadcasts its feed. Institutes don’t fund themselves.

There is so much this county has given to minorities, isn’t there. And prominent among our many gifts – are friends like these.

Sectarian killings – who benefits?

I knew big Satan was chained during this holy month but I forgot that there are many amongst us, wolves disguised as sheep. Everyday Pakistan has depressing news to face. While most of us are preparing for Eid, some of the homes are preparing for funerals of their loved ones, crying and screaming. While most are repenting in this holy month, some have willingly opted hellfire for themselves.

Sectarian killings are on the rise. Anyone can see they are programmed and planned. Gilgit incident and then Karachi blast on a rally, and a lot more in the recent past. Why? Is someone taking responsibility? Is a religious scholar encouraging it? Does a common Sunni have a problem with a Shia classmate, neighbour or a colleague?

NO!

-Then, who are these militants? Where have they come from? Who are they working for? What agenda they are after?

-Who benefits from a weak Pakistan? Who benefits out of a broken, disunited nation?

-Who is inciting hatred between us and what do they get out of it?

-Who is labelling us as Shia, Sunni, and Minority?

Killing of an innocent human being is actually the killing of humanity. I would say it is worse than being an animal. No animals kill their kind.

It’s impossible to rule out conspiracy theories completely as they have always existed and become all the more stronger underlying factor when you have made many enemies by becoming an ally of a power that is only a friend of her own and is revered nowhere in the world.

Of course, the killers are from us. And when one says they can’t be Muslims, it doesn’t mean they are Non- Muslims or outsiders, but it’s a statement to make it loud and clear that Islam has nothing to do with it. It clearly sends the message to the barbaric hyenas that whatever your names, faiths or outfits are; killings and chaos are not taking you to paradise.

In an unsafe Pakistan, with attacks on shrines & funeral prayers, drone attacks, bomb blasts, labelled casualties and just-a-number collateral damage, a helpless nation, with no government to look up to for help, can only pray in despair :

May the wrath of God fall upon the killers of the innocent and the conspirators against our nation.