This was a unique month of Ramazan when unarmed innocent Palestinian men, women, elderly and children were mercilessly butchered, their mosques, schools, refugee camps and hospitals bombed, while rest of the Islamic world and their leaders chose to remain either silent or support those responsible by failing to stand together and make an effort to stop this barbarity. Other than Qatar, which displayed some character and spine, there was nobody willing to embark upon a diplomatic offensive, neither exert any pressure on Security Council or UN to play an effective role, except lukewarm statements. Among the countries that recognise Israel, the only country to recall its ambassador is Brazil.
In Pakistan traders, retailers and hoarders chose to reap a bonanza of profits through escalation of prices, instead of seeking repentance for their sins through deeds or seeking blessings and mercy of Almighty. Religious tour operators in nexus with greed driven airline marketing executives were as usual busy demanding a premium for seats on umrah flights, while the government has yet to punish those accused for this organised crime since 2010 onwards.
However, there was usual rush to perform expensive umrah or feeding a few thousand poor, but no effort by ruling elite or privileged few and powerful corruption and land mafia to perform their obligatory Haqooq-ul-Ebad, for which there is no forgiveness. Even when Pakistan is in a state of war, with its soldiers busy fighting a war against terrorism, and thousands of IDPs living without a roof over their heads, our political elite and bureaucracy are busy fighting petty political wars in this battle for turf, even refusing to let this country celebrate their Independence Day with show of Unity, Faith and Discipline.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
