It is strange that the land of five rivers, Punjab, can be hospitable to anyone. They all come together at a certain point, and with harmony and unity flow towards a destination, not caring about the pebbles that one river has brought during its individual course, and have now been incorporated to all the rivers. All that matters is that they are moving towards the intended resting point.
But this harmony is limited only to the rivers. The people residing here are another matter. It has become a place where people look down upon each other on the basis of skin color, accents, facial features and most importantly the amount of money they have; all the while calling themselves Muslims. It is in our own country that servants are murdered for not taking care of animals. Poor have no rights here anymore.
Which senseless poor would dream to sue a powerful rich man with the might of his ‘contacts’ behind him? Though it would be unfair to say that this discord is limited only to Punjab, it is spread all over the country. The biggest irony is that all of us are Muslims and Pakistanis. Our religion teaches us that no one is superior due to his external features; it is the inner beauty that counts. Still the land of Pakistan which has so many contrasts, from icy mountains to scorching deserts cannot seem to be able to hold different communities of people together.
NOOR AHMAD
Lahore
