"Is this Pakistan?", "I hate this country", "Is this Islam?"
These along with many I don't want to repeat are the responses on facebook statuses and blogs from many people to the very tragic incident of Sialkot, when they share that video on their profiles/blogs. As tragic as this shameful, disgraceful and inhuman event was, our sensitivity towards it has been shameful too. We all are no doubt heartbroken and many in our country are literally traumatized by those graphic images of brutality on two innocent children of our country. Now I have to ask all those who shared the video on their pages, blogs YouTube channels; would they have wanted this video to go viral like this had it been of their brothers? Is this not disrespectful to the dead? Is this vulgarity and humiliation fair to the two poor brothers? Their families? What everyone appears to be doing is taking their chance to release their frustration and it is all coming out towards the country. Before I continue I beg everyone to remove those videos from their pages, blogs and channels in respect.

Even though the wave of such rage is vital for a louder cry for change, where did our accountability go? Should we not take accountability; if by just driving our rage towards the wrong way we are spreading sickness?
Now we spread them to do what we do best. Spectate and gossip! Makes us not better than those spectators who stood their when all this cruelty on two sons of our nation was taking place. They could have been your brothers or friends.
And all those who are feeling hatred towards the whole country, their example is like of a teenager in a dysfunctional family who sees how in his friends' homes everything is all 'normal'; he only has one thing to say whenever he finds something ridiculously annoying and displeasing to him, "I hate this home". Well then grow up! Because grown ups take responsibility and take care of affairs themselves; not just, well should I use the word, 'bitch' about it? This is what I have to say to my dear brethren. Not everyone can just run away, you, the people you love, your families, your friends, all have to live here and share it with the rest of us, then why don't we all just grow up and make this dysfunctional family work? Or has just complaining ever worked for anyone?
I know it would never be directly anyone of our's intention that such a tragic and inhuman incident would happen anywhere in the world, let alone in our own country; yet it happened, and it happens more often than our sympathies towards humanity would like to except. And with much pain I write these lines that with our current attitude tragedies like these are most likely to repeat. What about all those events which have not been documented? How many of us are aware of the secret torture houses of some jageerdars and political psychos? Each one of us in the country are responsible for it! Why is it our fault? Because we let corruption cultivate in our society by using the corrupt ways for our own purposes whenever they work for us. If anyone can say they did not, are either not recalling it without bias or maybe are true exception; as every phenomenon has, but the later is highly unlikely. Everyone who ever broke a signal, slipped under a challan by showing a card of 'influential' people, slipped into a long waiting-line because they knew the officer, supported violent (even in thoughts) actions out of political and ethnic favoritism and prejudices, paid any official to get anything done, at all; taken a few extra Rs for something when they could, jumped into a concert, maybe? Every time we did anything just because WE COULD; we cultivated the roots of these psychopaths. A few small crimes are not small when hundreds of millions of people are committing them! Now why do you think, they were able to execute such inexpressibly cruel atrocity? If you haven't guessed; they did it because they could! You can not go wrong and expect to stay that way without consequences. We, as Muslims have been given our code of conduct and moral values. If God has forbidden us from some actions, big or small, you just continue with them feeling clever; it will bite you back! And does it not hurt! The "Chalta hai" culture has evolved corruption into a monster so big that people have started to lose all hope.
When Pakistan was created it had many enemies; instead of building it what we chose to do is, relax. We never completed the necessary completion of our revolution which called for determination and years of hard work! Subsequently it was hijacked; such a thing is always inviting claims. We don't need a new one; we just need to complete our revolution and let the sacrifices of those our heroes, not be wasted. I understand there are people who have never thought about the sacrifices because our information systems are failing to remind us of its severe reality.
All those who are blaming the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for this, I have a news for them, Islam is ashamed of you; Pakistan is ashamed of you! I recall the words of Ahmed Deedat "spineless Muslims!, spineless people!"; "sick with inferiority complex". How dare we make a spectacle of such inhumanity? Hasn't everyone seen it already? Doesn't everyone know the story? Hasn't everyone seen his share of repetitions? Are we helping the victims by humiliating them like this? Spreading awareness is one thing and disrespecting human lives in useless vulgarity is another. Many Pakistanis don't even consider trauma and depression to be sicknesses, it seems.
Blaming is easy, take responsibility; do we ever dare to think twice before letting hatred, frustration and depression enter our minds when we are watching these channels who make money so immorally and without any accountability? Do we not think that why the whole nation starts to feel the exact same thing about an incident at the same time while there could be other possibilities; not opposite, but at least, little different? Are we aware there are sciences involved in the brainwashing through the media? Should we trust those channels who are making hundreds of thousands of Rs a minute? Why do they release and repeat vulgarly such hate provoking videos? Remember flogging of the Swat girl video? Remember the Wukala Tehreek? Has it bettered the justice system or did we fool ourselves into choosing someone they wanted us to choose? Remember Lal Masjid, how media was only showing stubbornly one-sided story? Remember Ajmal Kasab's report about his hometown only later to be proven false? Why did they fail to report in the news that the USA has budgeted $50 million to spend on the Pakistani media this year? Who is watching over these things they feed us? I do not mean to say you have to object and challenge all these things just for the heck of it, but what is your original thought about it? Do you have one, honestly? Does it not insult you that you can be so easily manipulated to think anything that they would want you to? Please, keep these questions in your mind before just losing to emotions. I do appreciate the media for taking the issue to the limelight but there were more subtle ways. Sadly, they were committing the same crime again i.e. not being accountable!
Take heed in these words, "If you can accept losing, you can't win." (Vince Lombardi)
Every time you will say you have no hope, it is just stating that you would rather watch these things happen to others. Do not lose hope my brothers, stand united, we all should be happy to see that at least the legal process has started against these evil men. And honestly, I don't really know if justice would be served. But, at least it is a step away from evil and closer to justice.
One can only pity the weak-minded who are so easily turned against their own home with such disgust in only an hour without taking account of the complete picture. One question that raises out here is that if the media is powerful enough to make the whole country stand up together against something, why are they always telling us how divided we really are when a tool to unite is in their very hands?
Remember Allah's words from the Quran:
"Do not despair of the mercy of Allah."
Keep the hope alive for if you won't stand someone hopeful will. Make sure that able someone has the hope.
Please pray for peace for the souls of the deceased; and patience for their family and friends.
Love and Peace
A Pakistani
(Who refuses to loose hope; still!)
9 comments:
That is a very positive and pragmatic view of this matter.
We all MUST realise this and change our attitudes if we want to bring a change in our society.
What a masterpiece, just like a nail hit at right time in the right direction. Thank you for writing this, I hope this blog gets viral.
Good Luck !!
Fay Tahir
Thank you very much for the appreciation guys.
The reception of the article is really something I did not see coming. It and tells us how many spirits only need to be awaken by reminding them they are not alone; and that strengthens the will.
Please feel free to use this content and spread it out. We have a responsibility on the society we belong to, to learn and pass on what we learn; a Prophet Muhammad SAW taught us. Educating the people around us one bit at a time will, in a strong manner, result in a solid accumulated effect. The only true way of reshaping the society is through opening the minds and hearts of people and developing mature understanding.
JAZAKALLAH JAZAKALLAH. i have nothing to say but to thank you for a wrriting such an article.
JAZAKALLAH JAZAKALLAH. i have nothing to say but to thank you for writing such an article.
I am sorry but I dont see what the hurry is in congratulating the author for an article which is more of venting of personal frustrations than anything else. As much it disgusted me and I for one felt ashamed to have let down those 2 poor souls, I never blamed Pakistan or Islam. Neither do I know anyone who is stupid enough to blame Pakistan/Islam. Having said that ALL IS NOT WELL in Pakistan and washing your hands of any responsibility is simply disgusting. Yes Pakistan is not at fault but the reeking Pakistani where people stand and watch boys getting beathen to death is definitely to blame. So dont sugar coat your affinity for Pakistan on expense of others who have a different opinion. Last I read, Allah has stopped performing miracles so dont look at the skies for the "ahini haath" to perform justice. Take responsibility as a nation and dont let the issue die till justice is done.
@Grandizar:
Thanks for your response.
I appreciate your stance. I take it that you did not finish the article(it is longer; I admit) as what you meant as criticism was already the central idea. The article, It is an introspection on the society that made such a dreadful thing possible and begs for a responsible behavior.
P.S.
What made me pen this article down was, in fact, the many conversations I had been having over and over with the people who said the things I stated in the beginning and worse.
Fahad, thank you for replying to my comments. Living abroad but still holding Pakistan close to heart, I feel people sometime question your loyalty and group everyone who is out of Pakistan to be a "bhagora" who gave up on the motherland.
Anyway, I did read your complete article and to tell you the truth, I do agree with your request to introspect, but I still think that we need to not take lightly any misdeeds which go in defiance of humanity and our religion. And for that if we need to show our disgust, its okay.
Keep up the good work. There are very few these days who write with conviction.
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