Adil Najam and Owais Mughal
The forces of hate are attacking Pakistan again.
This time targeting Ahmadi worshipers in two separate locations in Lahore, killing over 70 people, injuring more than 100, taking others hostage, and spreading their terrorizing message of hate in society.
There can be nothing but rage and loathing for those who kill for the pleasure of killing. Who kill for the purpose of spreading terror and mayhem. Who kill to hide their own inadequacies of faith. Who breed in the fires of hate and kill as an expression of hate. These are the enemies of Pakistan. The enemies of the very religion they think they are safeguarding with venomous hate. They are, indeed, the enemies of humanity.
Ultimately, the person who is killed is not a Pakistani or Indian or American or even Muslim or Jew or Christian or even Barelvi or Ahmadi or Wahabi. Ultimately, the person killed is just another human. And the person who kills, is not. Because in the very act of killing for hate he has stripped himself of that distinction, of his own humanity.
Words escape us, once again. What can we say that we did not say about Karachi, about Quetta, about Swat, about Peshawar, about Islamabad, about Kohat – indeed about Lahore itself, again and again.
What can one add except to wipe the tears from ones eyes, to say a silent prayer – a silent prayer that society’s silence over these atrocities may break. Because when the good amongst us go silent, then only the hate of the bad resounds.
Here are the details as reported by Dawn:
Gunmen attacked worshippers from the Ahmadi community in two worship places of Lahore on Friday, taking hostages and killing at least 70 people, officials said. The gunmen opened fire shortly after Friday prayers and threw what could have been grenades at two Ahmadi worship places in residential neighbourhoods in Pakistan’s cultural capital.
Sajjad Bhutta, deputy commissioner of Lahore, said at least 70 people had been killed in the twin attacks on worship places in Garhi Shahu and Model Town. A total of 78 were injured. The death toll at Garhi Shahu was higher, Bhutta said, because three attackers blew themselves up with suicide vests packed with explosives when police tried to enter the building. Police are still searching the area as two attackers were still at large.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attacks, expressing “deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious livesâ€. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the incidents would generate greater resolve to combat extremism. “It’s a reminder to the nation that Pakistan will achieve its destiny only after we get rid of the worst type of extremism and fundamentalism,†he told a news conference. “The entire nation will fight this evil.†He said one attacker had been arrested. Police in Model Town confirmed one gunmen had been arrested and another killed.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion quickly fell on the Pakistani Taliban. “It’s too early to say who is behind these attacks,†said a Lahore-based security official. “But my guess is that like most other attacks, there would be some link to the Taliban or their associated militants.†Punjab’s Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the arrested attacker was a teenage Pashtun. This, he said, indicated a link to the tribal area of Waziristan and strongly hinted at a Taliban link.
“The prayer leader was giving a sermon when we heard firing and blasts. Everybody stood up and then two gunmen barged into the place of worship and sprayed bullets,†Fateh Sharif, a 19-year-old student, told Reuters from Model Town. “They had long beards. They were carrying rucksacks.†Bhutta said a suicide vest laden with explosives was recovered from the Model Town worship place, where some attackers escaped. One fired at a television van before the area was made safe. “He was young, clean-shaven. He sprayed bullets at our van while fleeing the scene,†Rabia Mehmood, a reporter told Reuters.
ATTACKS LAUNCHED AFTER PRAYERS
Witnesses said the assaults were launched shortly after prayers. “I saw some gunmen run towards the Ahmadis’ place of worship and then I heard blasts and gunfire,†Mohammad Nawaz, a resident, told Reuters. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it had warned of threats against the Ahmadi community centre in Lahore for more than a year and demanded “foolproof security and protection†from the government. It expressed concern over “the increasing sectarian dimension†of militancy in Pakistan, which it called “a big security threat to the entire societyâ€.
Friday’s shootings were the worst attacks in Pakistan since March 12 suicide attacks seconds apart killed 57 people in Lahore while targeting the Pakistani military. Nine attacks have now killed more than 220 people in Lahore over the past year, a historical city, playground for the elite and home to many top brass in Pakistan military and intelligence establishment.
Another sad day for Pakistan. Another day when hatred overwhelms tolerance. Another day when we will cry. But a day when we should really be thinking. And thinking hard – and not just about those who will commit such evil, but about ourselves and about our having tolerated a society which would tolerate such hatred.
This poem by Ahmad Faraz, which we have used a few times before, was written for a different context. But it was written for the same context. Do please listen. Do please think:
Aashna hath he aksar mairi janab lapkay
Mairay seenay meiN sada appna he khanjar utra
Very sad incident. InshAllah we ll cut the roots of these few black sheep within us. May Allah guide us to the right path. Long Live Pakistan.
this whole drama of “we won’t say they are muslim but they should be allowed to live” is absolute BS.
@deva: i am not Ahmadi Muslim. I was raised Sunni but for obvious reasons I renounce that hellish clan.
Look at the posts in response to the tragedy. People are debating whether we should even call the places of the massacre “mosques.” Doesn’t that tell you anything about the mentality of Pakistanis. I’m surprised the bloggers at All Things Pakistan do not even address that issue. I’m surprised these so-called liberals of the Islamic Hell of Pakistan pretend to call a spade a spade when the spades come to dig the graves of their own citizens. I’m surprised that everyone here is lamenting this as an inevitable tragedy rather than mourning it as the result of a negligent and biased state/ummah. Thumbs Down to Pakistan, Islam, and the Sunni Establishment. All the agencies in charge knew it was coming! Enough Said!!!!
This tragic event cannot be condemned enough. That is why I believe that we should put our emotions to good use by demanding that the Government of Pakistan undo the Second Amendment to the Constitution by 17 September, 2010 – the very day that Ahmadis in Pakistan were made into a non-Muslim minority. I sincerely believe that this amendment and the associated appeasement of the religious right was one of the darkest moments in this country’s history. It paved the way for the hell hole that Pakistan has become today: a state without identity, a state at war with itself. Lets make sure that the lives lost in this tragedy are not wasted! Join the following Facebook event and join the movement: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121141137925 878
Another tragic day in our history. But I must make a point. Why does everyone on the media have to start expressing their grief but then say that ‘even though they are non-muslims they should not have been killed’? At least today give them a break. We’ve had a history of openly discriminating against the Ahmadi community ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinance_XX etc), we need to treat them as equal citizens.
From the Express Tribune front page. Worth reading.
LAHORE: In a feat of unprecedented bravery, two young Ahmedi men overwhelmed and helped capture two armed terrorists from Baitul Noor in Model Town.
Nabeel, just 25-years-old, told The Express Tribune that he entered the building at 1:30 pm before the Friday sermon had started. He recalled that the number of worshipers started to swell around 1:45 pm just before the first few gunshots were heard.
“Immediately after I heard gunfire, I saw the back of the head of one of the terrorists who was attempting to shoot Anwer, the security guard. I understood that he would try to enter the facility next and rushed to close the gate at the entrance. To buy us some time, I asked everyone inside the building to rush towards the basement. Most of the people who were killed were older men because they were not too quick on their feet,” said Nabeel.
“One terrorist who appeared to be in his mid-twenties entered the main hall and started firing indiscriminately at doors, windows and worshippers.
Then he hurled hand grenades and the resulting explosion injured almost everyone who had not made it to the basement.
We had a clear view of the injured people in the hall from where we were hiding. Immediately after the grenade explosion, the terrorist started shooting the injured people who were crying and screaming for help,” he added.
“I could see that the terrorist was injured and bleeding from the head.
He shot at least a dozen people before he fell to the ground. I used the opportunity to seize the man, still wearing his suicide vest. Two other men helped me remove his jacket and disarm him. I held him in that position for nearly 35 minutes waiting for police officials so I could hand him over to them,” said Nabeel.
“I had placed a foot just over the man’s neck to make sure he could not move. He kept telling me that he was in a lot of pain and wanted me to remove my foot.
I removed some pressure and asked him why he had killed so many innocent people. He replied that it was his mission to eradicate all infidels from Pakistan. I could not converse with him further after hearing him say that,” stated Nabeel.
Bilal, who is 21-years-old helped capture another terrorist. He was standing on the second floor of the building and had a clear view of the front entrance when he saw armed men walk into the facility.
“The terrorist looked like he was only seventeen. He threw the hand grenade that killed our patron Lt General (retd) Chaudhary Naasir Ahmad. Then he barged through the front door and made his way up the stairs to the second floor. I was hiding behind a couch. The young man was constantly firing. I had a clear view of everything that was happening. Luckily the terrorist did not see me,” said Bilal.
“I knew I had a brief window of opportunity to act. When the terrorist had his back to the place where I was hiding behind, I pounced and grabbed him and yelled to other people to help me overpower him.
The young man was talking in Seraiki, constantly pleading with us to give him a glass of water. I removed the suicide jacket from his torso with the help of a few people,” added Bilal.
“I understand a little Seraiki. I could tell that the boy was constantly abusing and cursing us for capturing him. I had to wait for half an hour before police officials arrived and arrested the young terrorist,” he said.
Published in the Express Tribune, May 29th, 2010.