MQM — Taliban Apologist?

The “liberals” and detractors of Imran Khan always have a bone to pick against him, especially on the issue of the “Taliban”. Imran Khan is relentlessly being called a Taliban apologist and “Taliban Khan” whenever he has given statements such as calling Taliban to surrender their arms and initiate the peace talk and become a part of mainstream politics.

Similar to that, Altaf Hussain has recently given the statement where he urged the Taliban to lay down arms and enter mainstream politics.

Dawn reported the above event in the following words:

In what is being described as a major shift in policy towards the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has appealed to its leaders to lay down arms and enter mainstream politics.

Might one try labelling Altaf Hussain as “Taliban apologist”? This just goes on to substantiate that the intellectual dishonesty of the so-called liberals have come down to a fine art, that putting a lipstick on a pig is not something new to politics. But then, being dishonest to oneself is actually more dangerous than being a “Taliban apologist”.

Equality in Education

The burning of hundreds of Christian houses in Badami Bagh in Lahore on account of so-called blasphemy committed by an individual — innocent until proven guilty — engulfs whole nation with horror. The festive faces of the miscreants, sadly many of them teenagers and precious youth of trembling nation, should serve as a rude awakening to the educated people of Pakistan as well as the government about the need for quality education on “equality” basis. An educated man is less likely to fall into the trap of extremist thoughts and acts.

All the pre-emptive measures taken by government so far have turned out to be penny in the fusebox. The best and only measure in this grim situation which we can surely afford if we put a good thought and planning to it is education. The seeds of education we will plant will take sometime to bear the fruits.

One way or the other, we, as a nation are responsible for our acts collectively, even of those committed by individuals.

I Have Sinned

This hitorical account of Sindh as I was reading in a book actually reminded me somehow of the current political and ethnic scenario in the Urban Sindh V Rural Sindh. Here is how it goes. Matthew Cook writes in the “Introduction” of Robert Huttenback’s book “British Relation With Sindh”:

Sindh generally attracts little attention in South Asian history. Perhaps the best known historical ‘document’ about the region comes from the pen of Sir Charles Napier. According to many reports, he sent a laconic dispatch to Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India, after Sind’s conquest in 1843. It consisted of a single Latin word: peccavi (I have sinned).

Matthew Cook writes in the “Introduction” of Robert Huttenback’s books “British Relation With Sindh” that some historians question the veracity of Napier’s pun. Philip Woodruf, in “The Men Who Ruled India” writes: “Sir Hugh Dow, the last British Governor of Sind but one [i.e., second to last], traced its origin to Punch in 1846. Woodruf is correct to note that the pun originates in the satirical magazine “Punch”, but is incorrect regarding another fact: the year of the pun’s publication was 1844.

Ignoring the rest of the discussion over the veracity of this pun allegedly by Charles Napier, let’s get to the bonafide record straight.

Cook writes further that inconsistencies regarding the “peccavi” pun clear when one rejects Napier as its author. In an ignored 1938 Sind Historical Society lecture, N.M. Billimoria states that the pun’s author was Catherine Winkworth, a young schoolgirl living in Britain. Billimoria reports that Winkworth originated the pun during a class discussion on Napier’s conquest of Sind. Her teacher, obviously struck by his student’s wit, suggested that she sent it to “Punch”. She did and it appeared in the magazine’s 18 May 1844 edition.

How the “peccavi” links to the present political and ethnic dilemma in Sindh must now be plain and clear: people are trying to sin, more in the urban centres.

Reference: Robert Huttenback, 2008. British Relations with Sind 1799-1843: An Anatomy of Imperialism. Edition. Oxford University Press, USA.

A Quick Need For “Anti-Taliban Day”

Government should announce “Anti-Taliban Day”, and strictly keep on the title, to show solidarity with Malala and all the terrorism affectees and obviously to denounce Taliban. Now we know that this wouldn’t achieve anything substantial. But this scathing denunciation may help strengthen the public opposition more against extremism.

We don’t really need rallies unless the government goes for strong security with responsibility and that is highly unlikely. What we just need is “Anti-Taliban Day”. And I repeat: this may, just may, arouse people to oppose Taliban more; we need more support than we already have to oppose Taliban. Public support is really very important when we are fighting against the “ideology”.

And we don’t really need to turn this day into a complete suspension of social and business activities in the country.

Justice, Courts, And Home-Education

The year was 2007 and the month was December. I was in Pakistan for holidays. General Elections in Pakistan were about to take place. 27th December, 2007. I was at home. Sitting in my room I was browsing the internet — the updates on late Benzair Bhutto’s jalsa at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi. Since I am not a big fan of TV, I mostly tune on to internet for live updates. The Jalsa was over in sometime. As I was sitting in my room I heard the increasing volume of TV from the TV lounge. That unusual volume compelled me to go see what is going on. Before entering into the TV lounge I heard via the loud volume of TV that Benazir Bhutto is injured in the firing. Soon the news broke out that Benazir is dead. That was a bombshell. For everyone who was at home. For every Pakistani. And for the rest of the world. At that moment I saw something that literally startled me. My Mom was crying. She literally burst into tears. It startled me for two reasons: 1) She had never supported Benazir Bhutto’s politics then why crying? 2) She is a woman of courage who wouldn’t lose her patience and emotions in such a flash.

Despite that she was crying. I hold her and soothed her. And then I said, “unfortunately in this country the political leaders are expected to meet the same fate — fate of bullet. Maybe she deserved it.” Mom retorted with teary eyes and sluggish voice, “whatever .. she didn’t deserve to be killed like that. No one can kill anyone like that.” I kept myself quiet. Surely that wasn’t the time to argue or pass comments on a person who is now dead.

I never understood immediately the significance of what she retorted then. I just thought it was better to stay silent. The moment wasn’t that nice to bug her even. Or, perhaps, I felt she was right!

I, rather unconsciously, adapted myself to her words in my daily life which she said to me, then, with teary eyes. Time moved on. There occured many bloody events in Pakistan where I saw people endorsing and condemning ambivalently the mob-lynching, vigilante justice, drone attacks, suicide bombings, and bloody murders. Every time such events took place, the words of my Mom echoed in my mind: “No individual has the right to murder anyone like that.” Some of these bloody events I can recall well: “the burning of dacoits in Karachi by the mob; attack on Ahmadis Mosque; cold-blooded murder of the two Sialkoti brothers; and of late the heinous murder of Salman Taseer.”

It aches me to see that people are endorsing something that is supposed to be injustice. Why had there been courts in the era of Khulfa-e-Rashideen? Were Caliphs not even good enough to adjudicate any kind of issue suo moto? But the courts still existed, and functioned – definitely for a purpose that we, today, most surely reject to believe. No religion in the world allows vigilante justice.

Guess what it makes me think today after the brutal murder of Salman Taseer? Have the parents stopped educating their kids about not taking the laws in their hands? Do the parents not teach their kids that no religion bestows on any individual the right to take the law in his hands, including the execution of an individual? Few things are taught and learnt at home as well apart from schools, colleges, universities and madrassa’s. It is a right time to mention that my Mom is quite a religious person. And, of course, I am not as much a practicing Muslim as she is.

I am deficient of words to pay homage to my Mom for educating me on the real mode and medium of justice. Ultimately, I can just say briefly: “Thank you, Ammi, for such an excellent home-education.”