Amongst the 152 who died in last Wednesday’s tragic crash of Air Blue flight were six members of the Youth Parliament. All death in this tragedy were sad. The death of these talented youth with aspirations of building a better Pakistan was no exception. Maybe it was tragedy compounded. But the story of one of them is sadder even than the others – and because of what happened to him after he died!
This is the story of Prem Chand, a bright young social worker from Sanghar (Sindh), one of the members of Youth Parliament, and one of those who died on the ill-fated AirBlue flight 202. His death – like the death of everyone on that flight – was a matter of national tragedy; the treatment of his dead body a matter of national disgrace.
According to news reports in The News and The Express Tribune young Prem Chand’s coffin was marked “Kafir” – a word that literally means ‘infidel’ or ‘non-believer’ but is mostly used as a serious slur in Pakistan. Literally labeling someone’s coffin as “Kafir” and not even giving them the respect to list their religion by its proper name, is a shameful and disgusting way to disrespect the last remains of anyone. All the more so the last remains of a patriotic Pakistani who was on that plane solely to represent Pakistan and to seek to be a better Pakistani – he was on his way to the ‘session’ of the Youth Parliament!
According to The News:
The members of Youth parliament [on the day following the crash] protested against the marking of the coffin of one of their colleague Prem Chand as ‘Kafir.’ “It was shocking. He could have been marked as Hindu or non-Muslim, but using the word ‘Kafir’ is the worst example of intolerance,” said MYP Muneeb Afzal.
The Express Tribune writes:
Ehsan Naveed Irfan is a member of the youth parliament and he is the one who identified Prem Chand’s body. He told me that his coffin was marked as “Kafir” first with black and then outlined with red to make it more prominent. He told me that he and his friends removed it with a marker and wrote “We love you – from the youth parliament” instead.
A friend of Prem Chand made this comment on Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi’s blog:
I am Muneeb Afzal, a Member of Youth parliament of Pakistan and a Colleague and Friend of Late Prem Chand. An extremely hard-working person he was a symbol of tolerance. My last communication with him was on night before the Air Crash, he gave his greetings to me on occasion of 15th of Shabaan.
At PIMS fortunately another friend of ours was there when Prem’s Cousin Nanik Das came to search for his body, he quickly hid the tag ‘kafir’ by putting marker lines on it, so that Prem’s family which is already suffering from great grief does not have to bear more hurt. Although later at a memorial session where media was present I criticized the inhumanity and intolerance of those who did this shameful act. I felt this was my duty to my late friend Prem Chand that I make it clear to the world that we condemn this act of intolerance and narrow mindedness. But a lot of my other colleagues have since objected to my speaking out, believing that my saying this and this news spreading in media would add to hurt of Prem’s family, and in a way they are right too. I would like you all to also keep this in mind as well…
This was probably not an official act or some state sponsored standard procedure. It is much more likely that this was an act of some sick minded individual. But it is still important for the authorities to investigate and punish those responsible, and set an example for future. Intolerance must not be tolerated. To tolerate it, or justify it, is to accept it. The authorities need to take responsibility for this incident and why it happened at all; no matter who did it. After all, it is the state of Pakistan – and we as a society – which creates the conditions in which the persecution of minorities thrives at various levels, directly and indirectly; and that is what gives individuals license to go even further – including such shameful acts.
Author’s Note: My deepest apologies to friends and family members of Prem Chand and my fellow Pakistanis from others faiths (Pakistani Hindus in particular), specially those who may not have heard of this yet and for whom this incident will no doubt be deeply painful. But we must raise our voice and condemn such acts. The one lesson that Pakistan’s history teaches us is that discrimination and intolerance must never be tolerated.
Dear Writer and all those who condemn this act,
I thank you guys for condemning this and bringing this to light to the rest of Pakistanis and it is because of you guys that this country is still thriving. Religious intolerance and extremist thinking has already earned us the kind of repute that one can only realise when he steps out of Pakistan where even the cab drivers and street vendors only associate violence and sick feelings when asked as to what they think of Pakistan. This is very shameful for us who go out there in other countries as visitors.
However, having said this, I am still proud to be a resident of this country where despite all gloom, there is still a thin ray of light in the form of people whose faith is beyond religion and narrow mindedness.
May God bless us all and teach us that humanity is the only true way of life and our respective relions and faiths come after.
It may have been that the mark was made prominent so that the jazbati Pakistani Qaum does not starts saying Funeral prayers of the deceased.
Rest Allah(SWT) knows best.
Simply sad.
I think it is the time when Pakistaniat should change its slogan from All things Pakistan to Bad Things Pakistan. We already have tons of bad news in Pakistan all over, are they not enough for you to post here? Few days back you were apologizing Ricky Pointing for pepsi ad now you picked up this news which could have been ignored. You have highlighted this and started this issue/debate of non-muslim or Kafir. What good you did with this post to Pakistan or Prem Chand Family???
Tolerate intolerance is a suicide.
If all decent Pakistani who want to live in their homeland with their human dignity than they have to understand and STOP !!!
negative impacts of islamic facism of power hungry jahil religious fundamental groups in Pakistan which has already panatrated in pakistani society like a tumor.
Just desparate prays will not helpful for creation of better civic society. It is astonishing to see in 21st century our society is stuck with 6th centuries moral values.