I want my country back - Sehar Tariq
Can you feel the tremble? Can you hear the un-uttered sigh? Can you sense the trepidition? ~~~t
Eight years ago I boarded a plane to the United States to come to college. I was 17. As I left, my father hugged me and told me to never come back because he believed that soon Pakistan would not be a country fit for me to live in... Abba told me to stay away. I defied him every time. I came home twice a year. I only flew PIA. I refused to do an internship in the US I worked every summer in Pakistan. I moved back when college ended. I started work in Pakistan. I worked two jobs because there was so much to do and not enough time to do it in. I was inspired and energised. I was hopeful and optimistic.
Today I am neither. And I have lost the debate with my father about the fate of Pakistan. The Parliament by endorsing the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation (NAR) has heralded the end of Pakistan as I knew and loved it. Today, the elected representatives of the people turned Pakistan into Talibanistan. Today we handed over a part of the country to them. I wonder how much longer before we surrender it all.
Today we legislated that a group of criminals would be in charge of governing and dispensing justice in a part of Pakistan according to their own obscurantist views. They have declared that the rulings of their courts will be supreme and no other court in the land can challenge them. They have also declared that their men that killed and maimed innocent civilians, waged war against the Pakistani army and blew up girls schools will be exempt from punishment under this law. A law that does not apply equally to all men and women is not worthy of being called a law. Hence today we legislated lawlessness.
Eight years ago I boarded a plane to the United States to come to college. I was 17. As I left, my father hugged me and told me to never come back because he believed that soon Pakistan would not be a country fit for me to live in... Abba told me to stay away. I defied him every time. I came home twice a year. I only flew PIA. I refused to do an internship in the US I worked every summer in Pakistan. I moved back when college ended. I started work in Pakistan. I worked two jobs because there was so much to do and not enough time to do it in. I was inspired and energised. I was hopeful and optimistic.
Today I am neither. And I have lost the debate with my father about the fate of Pakistan. The Parliament by endorsing the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation (NAR) has heralded the end of Pakistan as I knew and loved it. Today, the elected representatives of the people turned Pakistan into Talibanistan. Today we handed over a part of the country to them. I wonder how much longer before we surrender it all.
Today we legislated that a group of criminals would be in charge of governing and dispensing justice in a part of Pakistan according to their own obscurantist views. They have declared that the rulings of their courts will be supreme and no other court in the land can challenge them. They have also declared that their men that killed and maimed innocent civilians, waged war against the Pakistani army and blew up girls schools will be exempt from punishment under this law. A law that does not apply equally to all men and women is not worthy of being called a law. Hence today we legislated lawlessness.
posted by temporal at 4/17/2009
7 Comments:
An immediate look at your words indicate something that can be called sacrifice that you have offered to your country.
But, putting idealism aside and looking with an eye of reality we must assess whether our country only demands this that is done by you, a big Question mark.
What you did is really respectable and must be appreciated, but the point is, is this the only thing we need?? Being a professional I also know a bit that spending around 8-10 hours in offices(mostly multinationals) with chilly deals in lunch hours and laughters on gossips can only help us spend better time individually. It will not do anything for the country. The thing is we are living here like Tanents. We pay rent to live here and leave rest to the owners of the country. If we consider this as our home, why dont we treat it like our home.
The answer can be found in the history of that country where u spend your years of study.
It is US becauase people took interest in the affairs and din't leave it to others to decide their fates.
Your title gives a big explaination towards the solution. Who will give that country back to you? Think and please let me know the answer of this "WHO".
I was watching few videos on Youtube of some so called best Talk-shows from pakistani TV channels. The contents, the views, the depth, the articulation, the presentation, the people involved .....well Evrrything Was So Cheap...!! Even a high-school level discussions in other places are of better standards than those.
I understood and observed a lot watching those clips. The time and destiny has put in a great responsibility on the youth of pakistan. You (Youth) only can change the fate and face of pakistan in coming times.
and there is lot (a hell lot ) you people need to work upon.
My best wishes are with you and your nation.
- An indian
This lady should stay back in the United States and keep writing similar stuff to prove her long-distance patriotism.
yes anon:)
...unless she plans to settle down in that shangri-la called swat which will soon be the safest place for women in the world
NO ONE WILL GIVE IT BACK... WE HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK.
But, "WE" are not there to take it back.
Ever wonder why Zardaris of our country have been ruling us for all these years.....
Because "WE" were not there to fight against them.
If you do not trust me.. then look at Quran (Surah Baqarah, Ayat 85)
We have been subjected to this condition because of not following true deen and following the "man made Islam of mullah" (see Baqarah, ayat 79).
It is nice to see the spark in our younger generation, which is our future. I would have been surprised had Sehar not been an idealist at this stage in life.
She is a western-educated youth, like my own son. Let me, therefore, speak to her in the western parlance.
She wants personal liberties, the rule of law and, obviously, democracy. Right? Me too.
Democracy stems from individualism and personal liberties. Which, in ultimate analysis, means that the majority is the authority. And majority's will is expressed thru the parliament, as it is not possible to knock at every door or to hold a referendum on every issue. As such, the laws passed by national parliaments are deemed to reflect the general will.
A number of Western societies, through their national parliaments, have, inter alia, allowed marriage between the same sex. In France, Spain (and probably Portugal), incest by consent is not a crime. No religion, divine or otherwise, or any moral code, approves of this. But the West's argument in defence of such legislations is anchored in democracy.
The people of Swat want to order their lives in accordance with their culture, traditions and moral values, no matter how primitive or modern, good or bad they appear to the West and the Pakistani liberals. And the National Assembly of Pakistan has allowed them to do so, unanimously. Now my question is: If the western parliaments can approve incest and we dare not raise our little finger because we are democrats, then what entitles us to question the Pakistani parliament's right to decide what it thinks is right and good for its people?
This is not to say that I endorse the parliament's decision or condone mistakes of our successive governments. I very fondly remember the days when we were a liberal, civilized, democratic and tolerant society. But then we were unfortunately hijacked in the name of Islam by a military dictator. And whatever has happened since is history. We do have the right to criticise the policies and decisions of our governments and try our best to make amends lawfully. But we must not forget that it is our duty to respect the majority decision. This is what democracy is all about. Isn't it?
We are very fond of condemning fanatics coz they do not tolerate our liberal ways. But don't you think we the liberals must show greater restraint and tolerance than those we dub as barbarians?
A different set of laws in Swat! Unfortunately, yes. But are we the only country to have different sets of laws within our national boundaries? Don't they have different local laws in various states in Australia and the U.S? And if you want an example from the Muslim world, don't they have different laws on alcohol and whatever goes with it within the U.A.E -- Sharjah and Dubai?
One of the renowned columnists had once ridiculed Zia-ul-Haq's rule as Jamhoori marshal law or marshallaee janhooriat (democratic marshal law or dictatorial democracy). I believe there is no half democracy, just as there is no half circle -- we have it or we don't have it. Or, do we want our liberal minority to impose its will through a military dictator on the not so liberal majority?
We are repeatedly reminded by the West that our leadership is thoroughly corrupt. Very true. But don't they represent the majority of the people? They do, I am sure. They are a true reflection of the nation. Aren't they?
Yes, our army is struggling against the ''bunch of thugs''. But this is because the latter are being supported both by our traditional foes and friends.
Sehar wants her country back. No one will offer it to her in a platter. She will have to strive for it. How?
She must first diagnose the diseases we are suffering. I believe poverty and illiteracy are our main diseases -- to put it simply poverty + illiteracy = extremism). All the rest are symptoms. Our allies are very keen to address the symptoms, not the diseases. To get our country back, we must understand this and target the diseases. The challenge is colossal, no doubt. But I have faith in our younger generation. I am sure it will make it one day, inshaAllah.
My prayers are with the youngsters like Sehar.
God bless.
K. Niazi
AOU, Kuwait
k niazi:
well said.
your thoughts need to be shared more widely
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