Hey, suicide bombers, target killers and militants, because of you I burn, I bleed, I cry, I die everyday, but I still smile, I still live. I still am happy and I shall survive. And here is why I am so confident about it.
This young fellow is from Kan Mehtarzai, a remote Pashtun village in Balochistan famous for its old railway station that is said to be one of the highest railway stations in Asia and the highest railway station in Pakistan. You think you have won?
Kadima Bibi, who is suffering from infection in her eyes, sits with other children as they study at a make-shift school set up by a local NGO on the outskirts of Islamabad. She was displaced for the war against you. Do you have courage like this?
You can try whatever you want to but the city of lights Karachi will not surrender to darkness. Can your high resolution cameras see the man with colourful balloons on his back? This is how life becomes after your suicide blasts. But look, I am bold enough to rebuild and restart… every time you do this. Every time!
You left us homeless. You burnt our schools. You tore our books apart. But look what happened. We are sharing our books. We are still going to schools. You make me deprived of my basic needs. But you fail every time. Do you notice just once the innocence on my face before you blow my house away? Do you have a heart beating inside your chest? Were you ever a child?
You make me the head of the family when I want to play with my toys. But I accept this challenge too. Remember me? Remember how your attacks made me an orphan at the age when a child needs his father the most? Can you look into my eyes now?
Do you see any fear? Do you notice the smile on my face? Do you still think you won? Do you still think you are strong? Have you succeeded in demoralising me? Think again.
You portray an image of mine that is way far from reality. But I’ll fight back. I’ll keep on fighting. You think you have destroyed my ambitions and my potential? Actually, NO, every time you hurt me, you make me stronger to face you.
Let’s see who wins. Your terror or my courage.
ALYA ALVI
Rawalpindi
