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.
I soo agree with the post by Rationalist. Religion or misunderstanding of religion is what leads to such iggnorant reactions. it saddens me greatly how ignorrant most of the people of Pakistan are, yet they are ignorrant of that fact as well. This is what happens when Religion is imposed on people by a select few. Religion should be your personal connection with the Divine for it is for It that you are religious and not for any mortal, yet most people practice Islam for others and not to please the creator. I agree there would be less hatered in the world if it were not for the false religions which control us. As someone so aptly stated “God is too big to be contained in any one religion” And Amun to that.
It’s useless to argue with people here who think the shameful markings were appropriate. I bet if one of them were in the same position, another would come in and mark his coffin with the same word. That is what happens when arrogance turns into insanity.
What’s common with all these problems?
Yes, you got that right…. it’s Religion!
It’s time we as human civilization move from discriminating on the basis of which fairy tale they believe.
Yes, Religion does teach morality but it comes at a grave price. A price of hate, discrimination, irrationality and most importantly just plain stupidity.
No Religion = not necessarily a completely peaceful world.
but No Religion = a better world.
A great job dear Darwaish.
My question is whether a dead body can be a kafir or muslim. Dead bodies are only remains of human beings and aught to be disposed of respectfully. The muslim religion mongers do use this term as a an insulting hateful abuse (gaali, in Punjabi). This shows only the meanness of a person who lets no chance to go by to inflate his meanish ego.
In fact paky religion is nothing else but absurdism. They treat themselves as shaheed (gone to heaven) when killed but then grieve and protest for being granted this honour.
Islam has never taught us to disgrace any religion, and here its case of a Pakistani. Guys all you have to do is to put yourself in his shoes, imagine yourself as an Indian or some other national and be loyal and patriotic, and with your sudden death what do you get; disgrace! this is Utterly SICK! for God sake get to know Islam and yourselves well and then talk about anything else.