Of miners and minors

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All the 33 Chilean miners trapped for over two months down under the 2,041-feet gold and copper mine were rescued on October 13 with the President Sebastian Pinera himself supervising the rescue operation, and the miners foreman Luis Urzua coming out as the last man from under the deepest cave, for he refused to see light of the day unless his all companions come out, safe and sound.

The entire Chilean nation, its President and the heroes of hero, Luis Urzua, deserve applause. The most important were the messages of the men facing death from under the mines to their government and people in which they had requested better education for their children and setting up of make-shift camp schools for the children gathered at the mouth-entrance of the cave along with their families to wait for their bread-earners coming out.

This reminds me of a Hollywood movie, Everybodys Baby in which a minor girl falls into manhole and is trapped in a 70-feet deep pipe. The marvellous display of not only rescuers, police and administrations tireless efforts but also the sacrifice offers of everybody around, was amazing to watch. The minor was called everybodys baby. No one rested untill the baby was rescued after hours long collective effort.

The Pakistan army has displayed a similar passion of rescuing the people in the Great 2010 Floods and the devastating October 2005 earthquake they are doing their best in fighting the menace of terror and guarding the frontiers, but there is a government at the helm of affairs, busy in rampant corruption, political wheeling dealing, ready to knock down the judiciary, refusing to change the extravagant lifestyle. The Hollywood star-turned UNs humanitarian ambassador, Angelina Jolie, has narrated with pain the sufferings of the flood-stricken people of Pakistan, and at the same time with more pain the rulers offering her sumptuous dinners and giving her precious gifts. Thats why Secretary Clinton has asked to withhold aid money and urged the Pakistani rich to channel their capital for peoples good.

From President Sebastian Pinera to a minor in Chile have demonstrated nationhood as if the 33-miners were everybodys baby, but who would in Pakistan make us believe as to whom we belong to?

F Z Khan

Islamabad