O God, have mercy on Pakistan
“One more attempt, just one more and we can remove our opponents from the face of the earth, this is what keeps the hate groups going. This does not happen, can never happen but they refuse to learn.
“They also have a whole list of issues that they want to resolve, scores they need to settle. They do not realise that some of these issues are centuries old and cannot be resolved. They have become part of our belief systems. They will be there as long as we are there.
“Also, each side wants the other to recognise it as the best. That too cannot happen. One side is never, I repeat never, going to recognise the other.
“Once we accept this, then we can move to the next best option: accepting the differences and learning to live with them. This means accepting the fact that Shias will always be Shias and Sunnis will always be Sunnis. There never is an ultimate victory in a religious dispute. So the only option is to learn to live with each other,” said Mr Shirazi, as we listened with our heads down.
Mr Shirazi’s nephew was recently gunned down in Karachi and the killers shamelessly claimed that they were members of the Sipah-e-Sahaba group.
Today, we had come early to the tavern but not to listen to Mr Shirazi. We were here to mourn the death of a friend and a much-admired poet, Shakeel Azad who died earlier this week.
The session started with one of the tavern regulars reciting Shakeel Azad’s ghazal “Zameen kya asmaan ko thaam lay gi – Agar main darmiaan say hut gaya toh? (Will the earth embrace the sky, if I am removed from between the two?).”
Foroud, the only Iranian member of our group, read a poem by a mid-20th century Iranian poet Sohrab Sepehri. “Let’s not fear death, death is not the end of a dove’s flight. Death is dawn’s footsteps in a town enveloped in darkness. It sits, two blocks from our home, staring at us, with frowning eyes.”
But before we could go further, Zahid, another tavern regular, walked in. “You are late,” Khalid, who was chairing the session, reminded him.
“Yes, and I did not feel like coming but came because Mr Azad was such a nice man,” said Zahid.
“And why is that?” Khalid asked.
“I guess you guys have been here for some time, that’s why you missed the news. More than a 100 killed in a series of bomb blasts in Pakistan, 86 Shias killed in Quetta by the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi,” said Zahid.
The news obviously had a huge impact on the audience who were already mourning the death of an old friend.
“Two blasts inside Pakistan kill more than a 100. Four soldiers die in India-Pakistan clashes on the Line of Control, two from each side,” said Khalid. “Does the Pakistan army chief have a point when he says that internal threats to Pakistan are greater than any external threat?”
“Sad, sad, sad, a very sad day,” said Tahir Parwaz, an online participant from Rawalpindi.
“How long has this been going on, really?” asked Najma Siddiqi, a Washington resident. “It has now become a matter of numbers of dead, 10, 20, 50 or more. We are the greatest threat to ourselves, nothing to do with internal or external. We accept all kinds of rotten individuals, clans, institutions, systems.”
She added: “We protect and provide the pasture/fodder for these so-called leaders and protectors to graze/feed on. And we let them use one cover or another to justify the loot and the violence: national, ethnic, religious, institution, political.”
“What do you suggest we should do?” asked Zubair, another tavern regular.
“Question more loudly, more openly, more honestly – from wherever we can. Some of us do this already. But it may be too little, too late. I say this also because I see more of the ‘intellectually’ inclined (or gifted, if you like) taking sides to protect their favoured (politicians, mullahs, and ‘systems’) than to help us see (expose?) the crevices, ditches, swamps … around us,” Najma responded.
Javed Rafat Siddique, from Houston, Texas, suggested that Pakistan “needs a complete change, not just the faces, but also the way we elect our representatives. The present system is only geared to bring the same kind of landed aristocracy who is robbing and ruling for the past 60 years.”
Agha Adeel, from a Washington suburb, claimed that the army chief was fast becoming unpopular for not doing anything to stop this carnage.
“The media has to do more to create more awareness,” said Mohsin Bashir Awan, another Washington area participant.
“What goes around comes around,” said Zamarey Faqiri, an Afghan from London.
“Yaa Allah, Pakistan par raham farmaa (O God, have mercy on Pakistan),” said Mahmood Raza Tariq, a Virginia resident.
“Amen,” said all.
But my questions remained unanswered:
“Those who kill: Have you ever brought up a child? Seen a fragile sapling growing into a full grown tree? Have you witnessed a mother showering a child, combing hair, changing the uniform? Polishing shoes? Saying goodbye as the child walks out of the door?
“Have you seen a father going to the bazaar to buy books, uniform and shoes for the child’s first day at school? Have you seen the father taking a loan to pay a child’s tuition fee? A mother selling her gold bangles?
“Have seen the parents thanking God when all their efforts bear fruit? When the child returns home with the result card?
“Have you seen the same child bring his or her first salary to the parents? Have seen how their faces light up?
“If you have seen all these, then how can you undo this labour of love, this effort of a lifetime without any feeling? How can you plunge an entire family into darkness? How can you take away a widow’s last hope? A sister’s only brother? A child’s father? Someone’s mother? A sister?
Don’t you think? Don’t you see? Don’t you have a heart? Can’t you feel pain? Are you incapable of crying?”
The author is a correspondent for Dawn, based in Washington, DC.
I felt very sad about these killings, i do not know how their families will survive, i am from India but my heart is in deep sorrow for those who lost their dear one, i think this is the right time Pak should do even India should do something so we can save our country….i believe no country will have interest on us beat China or US, they just seeing drama and simply sitting….so i would like to request you all please give good education to your children’s and be friend with India, yes i believe we have both sides some negative elements but we have to throw them out and have to make better living place for our upcoming future and for our child’s, God bless Pak and India….
I wish some one can listen to you.
@HRS very well said BRAVO
“How can you take away a widow’s last hope? A sister’s only brother? A child’s father? Someone’s mother? A sister?
I fully agree it was wrong to kill Shias, no two opinions here .
Anwar Iqbal Saheb Christian, Hindu, Jew, Ahemadia widows, sisters , brothers & children of Pakistan will ask same question – Don’t you think? Don’t you see? Don’t you have a heart? Can’t you feel pain? Are you incapable of crying?”
Is it OK to kill Christian, Hindu, Jew, Ahemadia ??
Do you think your intended audience know English. Our intellectuals should learn to read and write in the language of the masses.
Oh! Pakistan everybody is here to destroy You. My heart weeps, where is Pak heading. Oh corrupt leaders why don’t you fear God!
Sometimes i wonder is humanity anywhere, to kill innocent people is never allowed in Islam & how can they be called Muslims who are responsible for such a genocide. Oh people of Pakistan wake up and cleanup this mess today, tomorrow it may be too late. God have mercy on Pak.
Killing can be stopped if all the crimnals are caught, prosecuted and punished. Crimnals are not caught because of inefficient police as most of the appointees are not appointed on merits. They are appointed on political considerations and bribes.Then comes political interference and pressure to let go crimnals. Police does not prepare cases for court properly, leave contradictions and many loop holes. The main cause of acquittals is lack of evidence. Because crime was not checked in the biginning the crimnals are ruling , they have terrified police, judges and witnesses. Witnesses are killed and such crimnals are not caught and punished. Unless witnesses come forward and give evidence there will be no control on crime. Prime witnesses should be protected and secured at every cost. However if a witness is killed he should be hansomely compesated by government. His family should be paid between fifty lacs to five crores depending his earning capacity but not less than fifty lacs. This amount should be paid from police budget. Let the crimnals know that they have not achieved much by killing a witnesses. In Islam it is obligatory on a muslim to forward to give witness. No use spending any amount of money on police if there are no convictions. Comensating a shahid family will prove to be great detterance.
I am ready to be anything anything but a sunni. I am so fed up.
unfortunate but this is just due to disbalance in society. disbalance leads towards anarchoy. Allah gives the solution. Practice Islam the true values.
Well written and many important questions are asked. I really appreciate the good work done by the Dawn staff. Why didn’t Pakistanis ask such questions for decades when they were sending Mujahideens to Afghanistan and India? Others lives are not as important as Pakistani lives? “If you have seen all these, then how can you undo this labour of love, this effort of a lifetime without any feeling? How can you plunge an entire family into darkness? How can you take away a widow’s last hope? A sister’s only brother? A child’s father? Someone’s mother? A sister? Don’t you think? Don’t you see? Don’t you have a heart? Can’t you feel pain? Are you incapable of crying?”
One suggestion change your education system,dont twist history and present them to your kids….tell them to respect Humans first,then people from all religions not only Muslims alone….guys you know it what you teach your children…..teach them correct history now or they will learn it the hard way in future….make your system Secular…..giving suggestion is the best i can do….Bcoz i care for the future.
No one teach their children to be deaf and blind. A true believer would never harm anyone. The heart of a true believer is filled with love and peace and that is the only thing a true believer spread.
The title is wrong. It should be ‘ O the 1% who rule, have mercy on Pakistan ‘.
true
Beautiful words. That’s all they are. There is ONLY one way. Round up all the mullahs in Pakistan, lock them up, and throw away all the keys into the Marianas Trench.
O GOD whats happening Pakistan & no body can’ identify where we are going day by day being a Muslim we should know our value.
First you should know the value of humanity
Whatever is happening in Pakistan has nothing to do with sectarianism or belief. The enemies of Pakistan and Islam are conducting well planned covert operations to destabilize the country. Pakistanis need to under stand the evil designs of powerful enemy and display unity to counter the threat.
You are living in the world of fools.
The words of Amir Bangash are quite true.May ALLAH guide all the humans,ameen.
For HRS,with kind feelings i say religion truly means to have 100 percent faih in Allah and ALLAH has created fishes for us(humans)as food.ALLAH wants us to work hard to get fish.May ALLAH help us to understand the true religion ISLAM(It means PEACE)ameeen.
Brother, the enemy is within you, conquer it. God does not make enemies it is we humans that do, Overcome your shortcomings and learn to love and be compassionate, so called enemies will disappear. Good luck and God Bless !
We need to preach sense instead of hate.
Give man a fish and he will eat for a day
Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
Give him a religion and he will keep praying that the fish appear on his plate
Great,this is exactly happening when you deal with hypothesis and not the real truth. people inerpret in their own ways and total confusion. Truth is only almighty, it doesnt have religion, we made religion for our convenience.since we dont understand simple things.simple truth kids should understand. Good article Anwar, allow people to live as per their belief. There is nothing wrong as long as they mind their own business.. Treat people as humans not based on their caste, religion or race.. This is called wisdom. Kindly cultivate this culture in your country so that neighbours can live in peace and reduce their unnecessary military spendings.
Justice is in God’s hand. When human beings start doing it by themselves without following the devine teachings then we come to a state where we are now. Agree with you 100%. These questions remain unanswered to me as well
If only the killers could remember that before being Shia or Sunni we all are human beings!!! No light at the end of the dark tunnel we seem to be walking in… or the end is still too far for the light to be apparent? I wonder!
Humans… Who?
Before you ask for mercy, ask yourself if you are practising what your God has asked you to practise. I am not saying this as an Indian, but as a citizen of the world. A country that grooms terrorists for an economy deserves no sympathy in my opinion. I encourage Pakistan and Pakistanis to ask yourselves how you want to define your nationhood. The Kashmir struggle cannot be the basis for your nation. Sooner or later internal contradictions will tear you apart as it happened in 1971 and as is happening now.
I agree.
Unfortunately, open discussion is equivalent to Blasphemy in Pakistan.