On 11 September, 2012, over 289 innocent labourers working in Baldia Town garment factory were burned alive and yet even after lapse of almost three years, not a single person has been held responsible for what was established by JIT as a deliberate and horrible planned massacre for refusing to pay extortion/bhatta by owners. Were these not human beings or citizens of Pakistan that such a shameful and horrific barbarity committed in cold blood is to be forgotten for sake of political exigency?
These were sons, daughters, fathers and mothers, human beings and citizens of Pakistan, not flies or mosquitoes. Where is the conscience of this nation; in hibernation or dead? Everybody including federal government, provincial government, security and intelligence agencies and major political parties who held posts or are today in power will be answerable to God Almighty on the Day of Judgment, and no amount of Umrah/Hajj or dasterkhawans for poor, or charity donations will help them evade responsibility. In the words of Shakespeare: “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood, Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather, The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.”
Quaid and Allama Iqbal’s Pakistan for which its valiant sons Shaheed Raja M Sarwar, M Mahfuz, Aziz Bhatti, Shabbir Sharif, Lalak Jan etc offered their lives was created to be a modern democratic welfare state, not a nation hostage to mafias, terrorists, criminals, land grabbers and money launderers.
The DSP investigating this horrible tragedy has been killed by target killers and the message is very loud and clear — either state submits to terrorism and perishes, or it stands up and established its writ and rule of law. If the state is to bow and compromise on such a brutality, then this state and its elected government has no right to collect taxes or govern if it cannot protect them. Failure or falling prey to political blackmail is not an option, but pathway to anarchy, chaos and lawlessness. Wolves in the guise of men cannot be allowed to get away with a crime so brutal and horrific.
ALI MALIK TARIQ
Lahore
