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
@Deva: LOL. Oh God! I am getting famous! AbuNishaPuri ka Bus Chalay tu har Sunni Musalman ko Taliban aur Har Shia ko Momin Banaday. Quoting pro-PPP sites is rather making you further vulnerable. I can provide free services to illiterate PPP bloggers to learn a bit about IP address and tracking which obviously they don’t know at all otherwise one could easily track different users on Internet
I have read quran with translation several times, can u please give me the verse where it says that. In fact some muslim scholars dont beleive in it
Oh really?you read Quran several times? Ok so did you read the following:
[19:29] She pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk with an infant in the crib?”
[19:30] (The infant spoke and) said, “I am a servant of GOD. He has given me the scripture, and has appointed me a prophet.
[19:31] “He made me blessed wherever I go, and enjoined me to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat) for as long as I live.
[19:32] “I am to honor my mother; He did not make me a disobedient rebel.
[19:33] And peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I get resurrected.”
[19:34] That was Jesus, the son of Mary, and this is the truth of this matter, about which they continue to doubt.
OOPS Deva! did you read 19:33. Now I don’t need to tell the meaning of “resurrected”, do I?
Now who is ignorant here and who have brains? I guess you are reading something in the name of Quran written by Ghamdi. Or did Ghamidi just fooled you like Mullahs often fool several Pakistanis here and there?
I, without brain cells is way better than self-acclaimed people who have brain yet ignorant about what written in Quran. No wonder Quran for you is like a Software Engineering book for an Arts graduate.
I ain’t here to exercise my “Islamic skills” but don’t make lame attempts to use Quran for your own sake. If you want then atleast do bit home work.
have fun ;)
@ adnan siddiqi
everyone knows you are getting either money from hazbit tahir or jui or some werewolf cult. Your reality is revealed here. and even if you change your name we can smell your stink.
(http://criticalppp.org/lubp/archives/11739
ironically, you bend and twist what is in quran and not. your ignorance is revealed for instance from the fact that you said that it is written in quran that jesus is alive and will come back. I have read quran with translation several times, can u please give me the verse where it says that. In fact some muslim scholars dont beleive in it. Go read Javed Ghamedi.
Yes we are self proclaimed humanitarian. May I know who gave certificate of authenticity to your esteemed scholars such as Zakir Naik, Qazi ahmed, osama bi lanaat. Jahil online.
I think you are very afraid and scared, as you see that we have seen that you stink. I think you cannot tolerate that some people have brain in their heads unlike you who has stinking puss in head instead of brain. You are afraid that you are losing control and you regret that some people are way smarter to figure out your disgusting game. go be afraid and shiver in some corner cause people are not as dumb as you think them to be.
As i said our values are different. Your values are oppression, condemnation, fasaad, zulam and our value is justice, respect for freedom and human life.We are at moral war or Jehad with likes of you.
and please stopping quoting quran and sunnah from cheaply published, do anay ki books of your fake scholars who have empty upper chambers and greedy fat potta bellies hiding lot of halwa and oil money in it.
زرد ستارہ پہنائے لوگ
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/urdu/2010/05/post_631.h tml
@Adnan
I think the larger issue is in condemning acts of violence, not really whether Ahmediyyat constitutes Islam or not. One doesn’t have to accept a certain person’s theological perspective in order to consider them human beings worthy of respect.
And there’s been no lack of ‘real’ authentic Muslims dying in Pakistan either in the past couple of years.
Its wrong for ANY Pakistanis to die at the hands of drones, bombs or terrorist incidents.
“alyom akmaltu lakum dinukum” (today I have perfected your religion) was revealed back in 620-622 AD and not in 1908. While we are at it, I am wondering if any of my Qadiani friends can elaborate this as well. What Islam are we talking about here – the Islam of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), or something else?