Within hours of arriving at a paradise resort, something Id wanted to do all my life and finally found the inspiration that would bring me there, I heard the devastating news of Salmaans dastardly assassination.
As I reeled out into the lawns to try and compose myself and collect my thoughts, I heard the Azaan. Seconds later I was among the reveling guests, here to rejuvenate their thoughts, bodies and, I guess, their souls. Allah O Akbar, escaped my lips.
The ironic and tragic fact came romping home. Right here before my eyes was perfect tolerance. And back home, a hostage like intolerance coming closer by the day with no punishment in sight. Forgive me if I am not totally coherent. I am overcome with rage and disgust and in despair at my helplessness. Is it the high level of tolerance of the liberal forces or benign neglect that has helped bigots run rampant? This is a question we need to answer deep within ourselves.
Salmaan was a man who enriched the lives of all that knew him. He had intellect, wit, humor and enormous drive. He was unstructured, lived life by his rules and lived it well. To lose his life trying to protect the interests of the defenseless in a country whose fathers words, Free to worship echo in our thoughts, is another huge blemish in the life of Pakistan. His wonderful family distraught, described by his daughter, a light went out in our home today. He will be deeply mourned.
The last Tweet we exchanged was on his comment to keep pushing at the anti-blasphemy laws and I responded that he must work to remove Zias damned 8th amendment that gives rise to this intolerance. Little did one realize that the governor of the largest province would within days become a martyr.
Adjectives to describe what I read here thousands of miles away, the reluctance of the head mullah at Badshahi Mosque refusing to read the last rites, fail me. Are mullahs to determine the rights granted by Allah to every Muslim? They have lost their minds. In failing to stop them we will be surrendering our God given rights, something we have no right to do and completely unforgivable.
Even more disgusting is the fact that inspired pages have erupted on Facebook commending this tragedy. Are we really to believe that marauding assailants have overrun our country? Until today they were an insignificant minority. Now they hold the country hostage. Around me here people are asking, each time I tell them where I am from, what is going on in your country? And it is out of genuine concern.
The curse of Zia haunts us and there appears no end in sight. The manifest destruction of peoples rights embodied in the original 73 constitution was carried out by his 8th amendment. Musharrafs amendment, now history, was trivial pursuit in comparison. And yet, even during his complete dictatorship, Musharraf was unable to bury this travesty. The current configuration doesnt stand a chance given the numbers.
Security concerns have grown rapidly. One wonders at the quality of screening of those assigned to protect leaders and men of repute. Given that limited information, much of it falsified, is available and jobs in the sector are aplenty are causes for serious concern. The facts are simple. An armed guard having access to someone needing protection is the most likely to be targeted by would-be conspirators. His low salary being the prime reason. This guards other option, to die attempting to protect his boss because some other in the outfit succumbed to temptation. So what do we need? Exceptional personnel, ready to die for the cause of Pakistan. This sort of loyalty I do not see anywhere except perhaps the tribesmen in our feudal system. To believe that we will find this among paid employees or the police department is a fallacy. At best you can make a calculated guess at credentials and live with the risk it carries.
In 83 when Ghous Ali Shahs kidnappers had run amok in Sindh and I used to travel to Pangrio the companys insurers advised that they could not insure me unless security guards protected me. My answer was, If you believe the kidnappers do not know how many guns I am traveling with you are nave. In any case, do you seriously believe someone earning 3,500 will risk a gun battle to protect me? No, he will say, take him.
Todays is a no win situation. We must rally liberal forces because I still believe we outnumber the extremists and bigots. Our leaders must stop playing politics and think deeply of nation building. Religious parties must not be allowed to exist. The mullahs job is at the pulpit. Let him preach as ordained by the Quran and not deviate. And let Pakistan join the world community with its head held high.
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