Adil Najam
The cowardly suicide attack on the Danish Embassy in Islamabad which has led at least eight people dead is not just an attack on a foreign embassy in Pakistan, it is an attack on Pakistan.
There is and there can be no excuse for this dastardly action, and to make excuses is to become part of the apparatus of validating the terror itself. There are those who will make misplaced claims about this being an act of ghairat (honor). Let us be very clear, this is a bay-ghairat (dishonorable) act, no matter what the concocted excuse or justification might be.
The Associated Press pictures above (and below) tell the story of hate and destruction; here are the details, from The News:
The death toll in a huge blast near Danish embassy in F-6 II area in the Red Zone of the federal capital Islamabad on Monday has reached to eight, while seven wounded said to be in a critical condition. The car blast near the Denmark embassy damaged a boundary wall of the building, while nearby UNDP office premises were also damaged in the blast. According to sources 10 to 15 kilogram explosives were used in the blast, which also shattered the vehicles parked in the area. Huge clouds of smoke were seen over the area. The blast created four feet deep crater sources said. Police have cordoned off the area to collect evidence about the incident. Relief operations were underway and the wounded being transferred to hospitals.
While leaders in Pakistan as well as Denmark have condemned the dastardly act, we the people of Pakistan also need to condemn and be outraged at this. These acts of venom and hate are being done in our name. And no matter what the cause we need to stand up and say that this cannot, must not, be allowed to happen in our name.
This is just the latest in a string of hate blasts across Pakistan, including in Islamabad. We at ATP have been worried and have been warning against this culture of violence that has been festering in Pakistan. ATP commentator Deeda-i-Beena has provided some thoughtful ideas of steps that can be taken to begin addressing this cancer. It is time we think of them seriously.
….as Adil correctly pointed out that “make excuses is to become part of the apparatus of validating the terror itself”.
The thought process (and it’s not much of a process) of some folks is that :
“Danish Cartoons = bad act
Murder in the name of cartoons = bad act
so they balance each other out !! What’s the issue ! “
As if there is no scale of “badness”. If someone utters a “gaalee” to your mother, then he/she or people who come from the same country or have the same religion or the same color of skin can be justifiably killed.
Khurram reacting violently does indicate that belief of someone is weak. But let me add further that our Iman is really week that our Govt didn’t have balls to condemn cartoon act and couldnt register protest infront of Danish Ambassador. As adil said, the bombers and left wing liberals rulers are bay ghairat enough to call spade a spade.
I don’t understand some of the sentiments expressed by people here. Is our Iman truly so weak that it is threatened by some cartoonist who insults our prophet? Retaliating violently only proves the point that he was trying to make. Are we so stupid as to not realize that?
If we love our prophet so much, why don’t we try to emulate his behavior more? Tolerance and restraint under the most trying circumstances is what he was known for. He forgave Hind, who arranged the assasination of his uncle and then mutilated his body. He was willing to make peace with the Kuffar of Mecca.
And if you think that arguing against this atrocity is “Islam-bashing” then you are wrong. We are trying to defend Islam against those who have kidnapped it for their own perverted beliefs.
The first suicide attack in Pakistan occurred in 1994, when a bomber rammed his explosive laden car into Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, killing and injuring scores of innocent people. I was class 9th student at that time, and Pakistan used to be very peaceful as compared to present.
I am a working journalist and seen much blood, while covering the militancy across the Frontier, and I think that we are heading backwards.
I have also seen a silent segment of our society also supports such inhuman acts and while others verbally bashing the propagators.
I am eagerly waiting for the day, when our people start to protest on the streets against those criminals, and these people could be defeated only if society isolates them and throngs the site with floral wreaths and candles in their hands. The later one is the softer approach to express resentment to this disgusting and barbaric act.
What I dont understand is, the Cartoons are published in Denmark, the bombs go off in Islamabad killing, let me guess ONLY Danish citizens working in the Embassy? Or did I miss, it was mostly the Pakistanis who were killed..
So, how can we say that this was in retaliation to the insult to our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Pardon my stupidity, but once I heard a silly joke. Come to think of it, it was not silly at all. It is being implied everyday. It goes something like like this, one dehati had a donkey for his mazdoori. One day the donkey got fed up and kicked the owner and ran off. This owner after many years was passing by a town that he saw a donkey. Immediately he got hold of him and started beating him. People asked him why he was doing so, he replied ” This donkey many years ago kicked me in my village”. The passerbys asked him what made him sure that it was the same donkey… He could confused for a while then said, well it looks like him!
People lets stop being idiots like this and if some one has insulted our religion or Prophet(PBUH) then lets hit them where it hurst them most. At least by that they would realize what they are doing is wrong and they will stop. We shoud stop relying on their products, use less make them suffer financially. But for God sake dont kill your own people to teach “them” a lesson
Imtiaz