Adil Najam
I, too, am a Mumbaikar today.
I wish I could reach out and for just one moment hold the hands of the woman in this AP photograph. Maybe shed some tears on her shoulder. But I do not know what I would say to her. I do not think she would want me to say much. The expression on her face matches the feeling I have at the pit of my stomach and in the depth of my heart. I think – I hope – that she would understand how I feel. I can only imagine what she is going through.
And so, in prayer and in solidarity, I stand today with Mumbaikars everywhere. In shock at what has happened. In fear of what might happen yet. In anger at those who would be so calculated in their inhuman massacre. In sympathy with those whose pain so hurts my own heart but whose tears I cannot touch, whose wounds I cannot heal, and whose grief I cannot relieve.
The solidarity I feel with Mumbaikars is deep and personal.
The first time I ever visited the Taj Mahal Hotel was with my wife. We had been married just weeks and were not staying at the Taj but went to the historic “Sea Lounge” at the hotel for tea and snacks during a short visit to Mumbai. We went to the Oberoi Hotel the same visit in the naive and mistaken belief that we would find Bollywood bigwigs hanging out there. In later years I would come back and stay at the old wing of the Taj – down the corridor from where Ruttie Bai Jinnah and stayed – I would even present in the grand ballroom whose pillars, supposedly, had been brought from her father’s estate. Each time I passed through Victoria Terminus I stood in awe of the pace as well as its presence. In awe of the architectural structure, but also of the sea of humanity around me. I cannot hear of terrorists attacking these places without my own muscles twitching in anger.
But my feeling of solidarity with Mumbaikars is much much more personal than these few fleeting visits over many years. Deeply etched into me are the horrific echoes of 9/11 in New York and the string of terrorist attacks on Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and all over Pakistan whose reports have become all too familiar – but never bearable – on this blog. I know what living with terror feels like. I have thought too much and too deeply about what it feels like to be the target of violence propelled by hatred. I know the pain of helplessness one feels as one stands stunned in grief, wanting so desperately to do something – anything – but not knowing what to do. This is why I identify with the expression on the face of the woman in this picture. This is why, like so many others in the world, today I too am a Mumbaikar.
This is why I stand with Mumbaikars everywhere, in prayer and in solidarity. At a loss for words but with an urge to speak out. My words of condemnation will not change the actions of those who have committed such heinous murder and mayhem. Nor will my words of sympathy diminish the agony of the victims. But speak out I must. In condemnation as well as in sympathy. To speak against the inhumanity of hatred and violence. To speak for the humanity in all of us that we all must hold on to; especially in the testing moments of grave stress.
But, today, I have no words of analysis. What words can make sense of the patently senseless? I do not know who did this. Nor can I imagine any cause that would justify this. But this I know: No matter who did this, no matter why, the terror that has been wrought in Mumbai is vile and inhuman and unjustifiable. And, for the sake of our own humanness, we must speak out against it.
And, so, to any Mumbaikar who might be listening, I say: “I stand with you today. In prayer and in solidarity.”
For Asho Punekar
Rallies against terrorism happen in Pakistan every week and sometimes everyday. Surprised you do not know about that. Maybe your media tries to hide them or some Indians ignore them purposely.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=61596
http://www.dawn.com/2008/07/01/nat37.htm
http://www.dawn.com/2008/06/07/local14.htm
http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/12/local21.htm
I agree that people should say more. I think what would be great is if the ordinary people f India speak out against thge atrocities in Kashmir and Gujrat just like Pakistanis speak against terrorism. Maybe joint citizen rallies against attrocities in Kahmir and Gujarat and also against terrorism in Pakistan as well as in India. I think if citizens joined to raise their voice together in both countries then it will have real impact. We Pakistanis will keep on speaking against terrorism everywhere, just lie Adil Najam has done. We hope you will also raise your voices in protest against the attrocities in your own country.
Why Pakistani people do not come on street against terrorism
and give support like taday all Indian did.
Since the attacks and widespread outpouring of condolences and condemnations in Pakistan and elsewhere, Indian government and media have started saber rattling against Pakistan. There are even calls for “doing a Lebanon” in Pakistan. Even if any credible evidence is found implicating Pakistanis in the Mumbai attacks, the Indian fantasy of “doing a Lebanon” is completely futile and misguided. Instead of military confrontation against each other, India and Pakistan must be persuaded to collaborate and together confront the terrorists who indiscriminately inflict pain and suffering on Indians, Pakistanis, the United States and the rest of the world. To read more, please read
http://www.riazhaq.com/2008/12/can-india-do-lebano n-in-pakistan.html
Adil, Thank you for this beautiful article. It is very disappointing that most people have resumed the blame game here as well. Both India and Pakistan need more people like Adil.
Ok Fine. I agree there, but just to clarify, I don’t think Pakistan (and by Pakistan I mean the government and its ordinary citizens) has anything to gain by these attacks. Now before you say I am being hypocritical, just read on.
All the reasons that you mentioned may be coming true, but they are the designs of anti-India elements. The people who do not want peace between India and Pakistan, but war. I think it would be true if I state that this is not the majority sentiment. My fellow Pakistanis can back me up on this.
But again I would urge people to not just react, but be proactive and look at the root cause of all the terroism in the world. People say that all muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are muslims, but just ask yourself why? Why is it that all terrorists are muslims? Ask yourself this question, what would compel a person to commit such henious acts? Why would somebody blow themselves up? We need to get to the root cause of the problem. I am not gonna tell you what that root cause is, because I don’t want to thrust my opinion on you, you are all intelligent people and have the power of the internet at your fingertips. Search and you shall find. The link to the NYTimes article (posted by wellwisher) below is a good start.