It would not be a stretch to say that Baghdad Blues was the breakout session of the LLF.
At almost 4, 000 KM away from Lahore, one wonders what the current situation in Baghdad would have to do with the people of this city. One may wax and wane about regional stability and international terror networks, but there will still not be any link to the material realities of Lahore.
Yet the conversation between Sinan Antoon and Ghait Abdul Ahad flowed in such a way that the harrowing details of the realities of Baghdad and Mosul turned into lessons for Pakistan.
Discussing Sinan’s book ‘The Corpse Washer,’ the two moved about the topic of sectarianism. Both agreed that to blame the situation in Iraq on sectarianism was intellectual laziness, and was unappreciative of the many nuances of conflict.
Yet at the same time, there seemed to be great reluctance in blaming any one point, as it would continue to go backwards.
And while Sinan did say that the ‘original sin’ was Bush’s 2003 invasion of the country, it would be prudent to look at the imperial recklessness with which the invasion was conducted.
“If we go back far enough, you will see that while it had its own problems, there remains the fact that Christians were allowed to practice their religion during Islamic rule of Iraq, something which does not exist now,” said the Iraqi-Christian Sinan to thundering applause to conclude the session.