Adil Najam
The news is developing by the moment. But the bottom-line is clear. The security forces have taken control of the Lal Masjid from militants after a severe gun-battle. But the story is far from over.
It will continue to unfold. There are too many unanswered questions. They will certainly be asked and discussed threadbare; here at ATP and elsewhere. But the real story of tomorrow remains the same as the real story of yesterday. Can a society that is so deeply divided against itself learn the lessons of tolerance? This question will continue to haunt us well into the future, in multiple shapes, in multiple forms, in multiple contexts.
This is a question that we at ATP have confronted from our very beginning and will continue to confront. But now is not the time to ponder on this. Even though what has happened had become inevitable over the last many days, I am too heartbroken to be able to do so.
Right now I can think only of Muzammil Shah (photo, from Associated Press, above). This photo was taken as he waited for his son who was inside the Lal Masjid. I do not know whether his son was there voluntarily, or as hostage. But I do know what the look of Muzammil Shah’s face means. The more important question is whether his son came out alive or not. I pray that he did.
Analysts – me included – will discuss what happened at length. They will try to understand the meaning of all this. What does this mean for Pakistan politics? What does this mean for Gen. Musharraf’s future? What does this mean for Islam? For Democracy? Does the fault lie with Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his militant supporters for creating a situation that could only end this way? Why did he not surrender? Is the blood of everyone who died not on his head for his stubboness and arrogance? Or, maybe, it is the government that is to blame because it did not act earlier? Act differently? Waited just a few days more for a negotiated solution?
Right now all these questions seem really petty and small. This is not the time for scoring cheap political points. This is not the time for spin.
Moreover, there are too many questions to ask. To answer. The head hurts as you think of them. But the heart hurts even more as you look at the face of Muzammil Shah.
Maybe the only really important question is the one that you can read between his wrinkles: “Why? Oh God, why? Why must things happen this way?”
I don’t believe the official figures, only time will tell how many died and got wounded during this botched up operation.
The way they are preventing journalist by force from gathering any information from the hospitals tells a different story, I won’t be surprised if 1000 people get killed or wounded. God help Pakistan, muslims are getting killed on both sides particularly the poor people.
The government had a moral victory when they arrested Maulana Aziz but humiliating him on PTV turned the tables and the 2 brothers got support from religious circles at a time when they were completely isolated. Another feather in the cap of our great dictator.
http://www.ex-muslim.org.uk/indexManifesto.html
“unconfirmed reports of trouble brewing in NWFP.”
And now this crap – bigots have been allowed and nurtured for too long. This includes the hypocritical MMA as well. Let this be a decisive moment of Pakistan’s history..
“seek knowledge/education even if you have to go to china”
where does it say that the educational institutes have to fortify themselves, collect weapons, lay siege in your own country (however corrupt), brain wash innocent minds, take women and children hostage and create “fitna” in the society?
Why does every post have to end up in “Mush Bashing” or “Govt Blaming” ?
why do we not look unto ourselves to see where the fault lies in us or our society ?
How many of us pay taxes ?
How many of us stop at red lights or zebra crossings ?
How many of us would stop to help someone in an accident?
DO we as muslims act with self restraint when it comes to the things that are NOT ordained in our relegion ?
Its easy to blame others , take the less difficult path and blame the govt for every ill in the society and then just sit back in air conditioned rooms and discuss the repercusions of politicall fall outs.
Blame foreign food outlets, USA, politicians, army, mullahs, land mafia and not to forget your doodh wala for addign water in your everyday milk delievery !!
Sorry if I have offended anyone by my above slogans and now I say: LONG LIVE PAKISTAN.
Actually I was angry because Adil or whoever is moderating the posts, did not publish my post, despite many submissions; my post was relevant to what had happened today whereby I had criticised the mullahs and their zealot irrational jehadis and at the same time praised the role of our JAWAANS in seeking to provide us with peace and security by sacrificing their lives. But I don’t know why was that not allowed by the moderators, whereas I can see much harsher posts on this board.
So if you make angry the MULLAHS, they use Islam to defend their interests/politics and when you make angry a Pashtoon then you get the above slogans of mine – sorry mates this is how we have been programmed, we can’t control our anger!
Once Again Pakistan Zindabad but with the equal rights and provincial autonomy for us! Not much to ask from the Chaudheries (MQM is our ally).