Adil Najam
Everytime I use the word ‘Jahalat’ I seem to invite the wrath of the self-righteous. But do tell me what other word can be used to describe this news story below?
It may seem innocuous when someone half-buries a child in the sand to seek a cure for paralysis from a solar eclipse, but quite another when superstition and misinformation blocks the way for polio vaccination. But what can one say when a life is taken willfully and deliberately?
Back in 2006 we had written about how jahalat murdered 22-year old Shagufta who was axed to death and later burnt by her family, now Mohammad Bashir Kacha, a 70 year old resident of Rahim Yar Khan is dead.
Tell us who the culprit is: Jinn or jahalat?
Here is the full story, as published in The Express Tribune:
RAHIM YAR KHAN: In the Sadiqabad tehsil, a fake peer attempted an exorcism on an old man which led to his death.
In mohallah Jalandharyhan, a 70-year-old man Mohammad Bashir Kacha had been suffering from asthma for several years. According to Dr Shah Nazir at Seikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan, it was also likely that Kacha also suffered from epilepsy and experienced fits of rage. “Locals and neighbours are likely to term such afflictions as a man being possessed when there is a medical explanation for the condition,” he said. Kacha’s sons took him to a pir from Arain Colony for treatment. “He was getting worse and we thought that we needed to do something as soon as possible so we took him to Bukhari,” his 22-year-old son Amjad said. Amjad said that one of his neighbours had recommended that he take his father to Syed Qalandar Abbas Shah Bukhari who usually performed exorcisms and used different herbs for ‘spiritual treatment’.
Kacha was taken to Bukhari who took him into a side room, where he burnt some herbs and tried to get Kacha to inhale the smoke. When the smoke began to agitate Kacha, Bukari began to slap him. “The three djinns were not cooperating and they weren’t reacting to my treatment so I tried to beat them out of him,” Bukhari said, adding that he had deduced that Kacha had been possessed for a very long time. As the pir was hitting Kacha, his sons broke into the room and began hurling shoes at Bukhari. “He was striking blows at our father who is an old man,” Amjad and his brother said, adding that they immediately took their father to the hospital as he had collapsed after the incident. Dr Nazir said that the patient suffered from asthma and the smoke had severely affected him, “The beating only made things worse and the next day, July 10, he died.”
Kacha’s sons refused to file an FIR against Qalandar and have said that they forgive the pir. A neighbor, Hassan said that Kacha’s sons were afraid of the consequences of punishing the pir or having him arrested. “They know that he could easily have one of his djinns haunt them and that is why they are avoiding prosecuting him,” he said. Qalandar said that he regretted the death of the old man and has said that the reason for the death was that his sons weren’t able to afford the ‘payment’ the djinns required to leave the man alone.
“They asked for three goats and when the sons couldn’t afford that, they were willing to settle for three goats heads but the boys didn’t even bring those in. That is why he died,” Qalandar said, adding that he had “tried his best to negotiate with the djinns but they were unwilling to compromise.”
With a self destroying race like ourselves who needs Jinn? If we get what we deserve than we must have really fucked up.
<The child had Bronchial asthma and was immediately relieved by a Ventoline inhaler. I reffered him to a Pediatrician friend for a follow up and the child did well. … I wish, we could make a difference by promoting literacy in the country.
And this is a literacy problem?
Pardon me, this is a great story that tells it all. The chowkidar in a resourceful community did not have access to medical resources. Helpless, he did what he could afford; what any and every parent will do.
The relief came through pro bono medical advice and a free inhaler.
Now think of Shazia Masih. Of Mohammad Bashir Kacha. Of millions more. Millions who do not have access to aspirin!
How long is long enough?
I am aware, this comment will wait for the censor board approval.
Just wanted to bring to the visitors’ attention the horrific crimes posted on the PTH wbesite in the last couple of days. These rapes of humanity are going unnoticed. There is not much coverage perhaps because no foreign hand can be implicated in these dhmaka less incidents.
1) Christain family killed by a muslim mob in Jhelum
2) 60 Hindu families forced out of their homes by muslims in Sindh
No Jinn was involved in these and similar atrocities. It was the hate and jahalat that has permeated deep into the Pakistani so-called Muslim mind. Any conscience, if it was ever there, has been decimated by the mental decay.
Pakistan has become the beast that was foreseen by the hypocrite stewards of the Islam, who after opposing the creation of Pakistan, have usurped the ownership title.
Pakistan is beyond repair. Only and only Allah can and will, through His divine intervention, save Pakistan from the clutches of the barbarians. InshAllah!
Unfortunately, this is the saga of prevailing illiteracy in Pakistan. Living in Islamabad, some 20 years ago, as a Physician next door, I was called on a winter early morning to attend to a chowkidar’s son, age 7 years. According to father, the child had some Jinn and it comes on frequently at the same time for the past couple of years. He has been to Pirs and gets all kinds of treatment frequently. The child was breathless and one could hear wheezing from a distance. The child had Bronchial asthma and was immediately relieved by a Ventoline inhaler. I reffered him to a Pediatrician friend for a follow up and the child did well. The father was immensely obliged and ofcourse got educated on the subject too. I wish, we could make a difference by promoting literacy in the country.
Ironically ATP has long history to support such kind of Pir Faqirs in different shape. Pakistan has a culture of worshiping Pir Faqeers and bowing infront of graves. Just visit Teen Hatti on Thursday and you will find high quality Jahalat there.
Thanks to all worshipers of some Data Darbar or some Sain Sakhi Hasan in the name of “Roohani Ilaj”. A country where “Barelviat” like stuff is common then such jahalat should not be considered an unexpected phenomenon.