Adil Najam
In times of pain – and these are times of pain – we sometimes need music to soothe our hurt. Sometimes we need to raise our voice to join others who are also crying out in pain.
We do so, not because it will ease their pain, but merely because it might – just might – ease our own pain.
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
I think the most embarrassing thing that came out of the Marriott blast was the contradictory and stupid statements by Mr Rehman Malik, the wannabe Home Minister about cancellation of the Prime Minister’s dinner in the Marriott which never was and of all terrorists belonging to NWFP.
We need to say this not only to the world but really to these terrorists. As someone said, they do not speak for me and they cannot kill in the name of my religion.
Farzad,
This extremist mindset is result of teachings of certain elements within our society. Once you except the premise conclusion follows.
When you go back in to contemporary history, the first person to contribute to such extreme and deviant views and practice was Muhammed Ibn Wahab (see how Al-akhwan group operated in Arabia). In recent times, among those who have contributed to this mindset are Syed Qutb (his view of Jahilliya) and to certain extent all fundamentalists ideologues (JI, Hizb ut-Tahrir, etc.). You have to really shift across to a their paradigm to understand where the rage is initiating.
I think there two other contributing factors to our miseries. The other equally extreme situation is that our liberal and education elites are so far removed from their own religion and culture and people that they can not even understand what ails these muslims. These liberal and educated elites are corrupt to their bones. For some reason, Zardari comes to mind.
The third element is that our religious class (ullema and mullahs) is fragmented and intellectually bankrupt.
The song may be good by I do not agree with it. It is our people. Pakistanis are killing Pakistanis without any reason.
I agree…we must all be a loud voice and take a stand against terrorism in the World. Silence signifies approval rather than disapproval. We are all human beings and must protest against the killing of innocent people wherever or whomever they may be, otherwise we are just as guilty. Truly God fearing people find no satisfaction in the murders of the innocent and aren’t disillusioned about receiving rewards for such heinous offenses. Violence begets Violence. Two wrongs don’t ever make a right. Violence resolves nothing but does bloody the hands.
When so many Muslims are involved in terrorism (even against fellow Muslims) claiming to be doing righteous deeds in the name of Allah, they are shaming us and giving the world the wrong idea about us and our religion as being one that perpetrates violence as a solution to every thing. We must make a stand because these terrorists are our oppressors, murdering without rational or necessary cause or direction, like shooting blindly into a crowd of people! Where does all of this hatred come from? Who are those that are responsible for fueling and creating Muslim terrorists as a means to an end? They too should be imprisoned for preaching such evil and violence to the poor and ignorant with false promises in Allah’s name!
Likewise, we must seriously fight gov’t corruption on all levels so that necessry social changes can really result in the social changes that we need and want as a country. How can we end the corruption? Award whistle blowers who expose corruption? Immediately remove from office or position those accused of corruption (awaiting an uncorrupt investigation into the allegations) and Inprison the “guilty” corrupted officials? Shame and humiliate them publicly in the news and in the press? I say yes!