LICENCE TO KILL: AMERICAN DIPOLMAT KILLS THREE 'innocent' in 'Self-defence' IN LAHORE

On Thursday (January 27), Raymond Davis, an employee of the US Consulate in Lahore was involved in a shootout that resulted in the deaths of two Pakistani citizens, while a third was crushed to death by a jeep that came to his aid. According to police sources, Mr Davis tried to flee the scene but two traffic wardens intervened and escorted him to a nearby police station. A case for murder was registered against Mr Davis.

On Friday Mr Davis was presented in court, where he said he was being robbed and only acted in self-defence. The court, after hearing initial arguments, ordered a six-day physical remand of the accused.

The police and the court have a tough task at hand. The facts of this case are conflicting. According to the victims’ families, the victims were unarmed and the weapons found on them were planted after they had been killed. However, some media sources claim that these two individuals were involved in street crime. Two of the cell phones found on them were reported stolen earlier — one belonging to an army officer and the other to a female resident of Lahore. If true, then Mr Davis might be right in his assertion that these men were following him and were in fact trying to rob him at gunpoint. Lahore and most major cities in Pakistan have seen an exponential increase in street crimes such as mobile snatching, motorbike and car theft, robberies and kidnappings for ransom. The court will have to find answers to whether Mr Davis in fact acted in self-defence. If so, did he use the right amount of force or was it excessive? The federal government has been quiet on the matter.

However, the Punjab government has rightly spoken about the rule of law. But major media organisations, religious and political parties have played to the masses in an attempt to gain popularity. Chief Minister (CM) Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, has said that the life of Pakistanis is not cheap. It is not a matter of how ‘cheap’ Pakistani lives are but rather pertaining to a murder case and its circumstances.

Given that Pakistan is rife with anti-American sentiment, this incident, unless dealt with objectively, will only make matters worse. However, it will impact the functioning of US diplomats in Pakistan. Diplomatic security in general must be questioned, particularly due to our precarious law and order situation in the light of the war on terror. But above all else, the police and the court must be allowed to carry out their work without prejudice.

'MURDER SHE (Pakistan) WROTE'

This time, everyone knows the whereabouts of the governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer. He is neither in Sukkar nor in Sri Lanka but surely in Heaven’s! The assassination of blunt governor of Punjab has no doubt broadened the chasm between radical forces and the enlightened moderates. Blasphemy Laws being the foremost issue of killing is sensitive and susceptible, perhaps that’s why ‘the number of lovers’ of assassin and assassinated is being equally divided into two. It is hard to chose who is ‘The Real Hero’ and it would take a long time before this Nation would decide the course of action was justifiable or otherwise!

There are no words to describe the shock and horror of the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. This is yet another high profile murder of a political figure from Pakistan’s People’s Party (PPP) after Benazir Bhutto. The governor could not survive 27 bullet injuries, which were inflicted when one of the guards of his security detail opened fire at him as he came back to his car after having lunch with a friend at a restaurant in Kohsar Market in Islamabad. The autopsy has revealed that his death was caused by a bullet wound in his neck. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has told reporters that the assassin, Punjab Elite Force member Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, confessed to killing Taseer for criticising the blasphemy laws. The governor held an open stance against the blasphemy laws promulgated by General Ziaul Haq and had called for their repeal, or at the very least their amendment to guard against the misuse and abuse of many years since the law was promulgated by a dictator and then made more stringent by successor governments of the right. However, it would be premature to say that this indeed was the motive behind the assassin’s act. This explanation sounds too pat. If history is any guide, such minor operatives act as tools in the hands of their cloaked masterminds and are usually killed after the deed is done. The strange circumstance is that the assassin was able to unload his gun into the victim without being fired back on or even accosted by the rest of the governor’s security detail. So far, the assassin and the entire security detail are in policy custody and being investigated. Only time will tell whether this was an individual act or someone orchestrated it to create political instability in the country at a time when the federal government is already teetering after losing its majority in parliament with the departure of coalition allies JUI-F and MQM.

If indeed it was an individual act and done to avenge the governor’s opposition to the blasphemy laws, then this murder is a grim commentary on the state of affairs in Pakistan. If the religious extremists who consider themselves the guardians of the Prophet’s (PBUH) honour can go so far as to take the life of someone who opposed man-made laws, then society is heading for anarchy and barbarism. This means that there is no space for a rational discourse and even a person of such high profile as the Governor Punjab cannot escape their wrath. It also speaks of the weakness in the security regime of the Punjab government.

The Punjab government is responsible for the provision of security to all VIPs in the province. It is strange that a person with such extremist inclinations as Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri was deployed in the governor’s security detail. The Punjab government cannot absolve itself of part of the blame for this murder. Its call for a judicial inquiry has yet to be responded to by the federal government, which has so far set up an inter-agency investigation team to look into all aspects of the assassination, including whether the assassin acted alone or a deeper conspiracy was at work.

Salmaan Taseer was an entirely self-made person and created a career as a businessman and politician by dint of sheer hard work, courage in the face of adversity, and a fearless stance even when threatened by malign forces. He was a highly qualified chartered accountant, having obtained his qualification from England, and initially made a business fortune in the Gulf. He relocated to Pakistan and established the First Capital Securities Corporation, a full service brokerage house in 1994, and next year founded WorldCall Telecom Limited in 1995. The company has since become a major private sector telecom operator and expanded its network to the Gulf region. However, business was not his only interest. Politically motivated since his student years in London, Taseer participated in politics from the PPP’s platform and experienced the tribulations of the martial law of Ziaul Haq during the Movement for Restoration of Democracy in 1983, including a spell of incarceration and torture in the infamous Lahore Fort. He also authored a biography of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1980 titled, Bhutto, A Political Biography. In 1988, he was elected a member of the Punjab Assembly, eventually taking over the slot of the Leader of the Opposition. Due to his trenchant criticism of the PML-N government in Punjab, he was rounded up and tortured by the security forces on the directives of the Sharifs. His later attempts to enter the National Assembly in successive elections during the 1990s did not succeed. He, however, continued to exercise considerable clout within the party. After developing his successful businesses, Salmaan Taseer ventured into the world of the media, a project close to his heart. He launched the Daily Times newspaper and television channel Business Plus (now renamed B-Plus). This was followed subsequently by the launch of a liberal Urdu daily, Aaj Kal. He was appointed Governor Punjab on May 15, 2008, much to the chagrin of the PML-N. He had since gained prominence in the political arena and served as the strongman of the PPP in Punjab and therefore a thorn in the side of the PML-N.

His murder has been strongly condemned by leaders across the political spectrum. The PPP workers have reacted by staging a demonstration in front of the Governor’s House in Lahore and various locations in most major cities. Markets in Lahore, Faisalabad and other parts of the country closed as soon as the news of the assassination spread. The prime minister has announced a three-day mourning, the PPP two weeks of mourning, while the Punjab government has decided to close all educational institutions in Punjab today, partly as a mark of respect, partly out of security concerns. The nation suffered a great loss in this assassination. A liberal and progressive voice in a political scene infested by rightwing politics has been silenced. Now justice and the very well being and future of the country demands that the culprit/s be punished to the full extent of the law as a deterrent to such fanatics who seem to be teeming in the very entrails of our state and society.

Pakistan was still reeling from the shock of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer’s assassination when his murderer, Mumtaz Qadri, revealed that he had informed his colleagues about the murder plot. Qadri said that he had asked them to let him finish his ‘job’ and then arrest him alive. An FIR against Qadri was lodged by the governor’s son, Mr Shehryar Taseer, wherein it was stated that some political and religious groups were giving threats to the governor and should be held responsible for his murder. A one day remand of Qadri has been granted. There are speculations that more than one magazine of bullets were fired on Governor Taseer. The post-mortem report is not being made public for the time being due to investigative concerns. It seems that the security staff was complicit in Mr Taseer’s murder, which is why there was no response from any one of them. The implications of such a huge security lapse are grave. How could no one possibly find out about Qadri’s plan to assassinate a sitting governor is something hard to digest. The security for a VVIP has to be vetted first by the authorities. If a lunatic like Qadri was allowed to ‘guard’ Governor Taseer, there must be deeper reasons behind it. Qadri might have been a lone assassin but the investigation must find out who masterminded this plan. We of course have no dearth of religious zealots. There are reports that some other liberal, enlightened people are next on the hit-list of these bigots. This means that there is a wider conspiracy afoot and unless Qadri is meted out the punishment that is due under the law, and that too quickly, this murderous trend of issuing senseless edicts and subsequent assassinations would continue. A deterrent message is necessary to curb further threats to the lives of liberal Muslims in our narrow-minded society.

Punjab Governor Taseer had been condemned by the right-wingers since the day he met a Christian woman charged with alleged blasphemy, Aasia Bibi, in jail. Aasia Bibi had been given the death penalty by a lower court. Mr Taseer wanted President Zardari to grant her a pardon on humanitarian grounds. He also asked for the Blasphemy Law to be amended or repealed. The mullahs bayed for his blood after that and issued fatwas against him, declaring him wajib-ul-qatl (worthy of murder). Governor Taseer argued that the law was misused and not only affected the minorities but many Muslims too were implicated on false charges under this flawed law. Religious scholars like Ghamdi are of the view that the blasphemy law is a man-made law and can be amended. Death threats did not deter Governor Taseer, who vowed to fight bigotry even if, as he put it himself, he were “the last man standing”. Even in death, the mullah brigade did not leave Mr Taseer alone. The Jamaate Ahle Sunnat Pakistan (JASP) not only praised Mr Taseer’s murderer but also issued a statement that said, “No Muslim should attend the funeral or even try to pray for Salmaan Taseer or even express any kind of regret or sympathy over the incident.” If this is not uncivilised behaviour, then what is? Islam does not condone murdering innocent people and to use the religion card in this derogatory way as JASP has done is not just disgusting but completely contradictory to the teachings of our Prophet (PBUH).

Some sections of the media too were complicit in inciting hate against Governor Taseer. They virtually asked for some sort of reprisal against him, which is the height of irresponsibility. Even after Mr Taseer’s death, some television channels and print media tried to justify his assassination. Governor Salmaan Taseer’s was a voice of reason and sanity. When our media and right-wing parties stoop to such levels and most people just sit idly and watch silently, it points to our collective failure as a society. Mr Taseer was a man of valour and great courage. He stood up for the rights of the oppressed when no one else would. We should not dishonour his sacrifice. We must all condemn the killer and the barbarians who are out to mute the liberal, progressive voices of Pakistan.

OLD IS GONE- WHAT IS NEW?

Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
03335363248
Islamabad

Today is the first day of the year,  another round of beginning and end, another slice of eternity to count our days all over again. It is just another year, putting the eternity in motion like frames of photographic images are spliced to produce a movie. We shall call the same name of the days, the same name of the months, repeating our daily chores, body functions, habits and mannerisms. We shall still get hurt by our mistakes, we will again be befooled by the hollow promises of political actors, we will smile and weep, fight, curse, scream, shout and draw each other's blood again.

Still the advent of a new year brings excitement. It's like turning the page of a spellbinding book, pulling the reader to find out about the characters, the plot, the turns and twists which throw the mind into surmises and surprises. We look forward to the New Year because of our fascination for the new, the new, which brings change, and the change, which brings hope.

Is that all there is to the New Year's Day? Valentine's Day celebrates romance; Twenty-third March celebrates Pakistan Day, 14th August- Independence Day, 25th December, the birth of founder of nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Then we have religious days like Eidul Fitr, Eidul Adha, Eid Miladun Nabi, Shabe-e-Barat, Shab-e-Qadar, etc. What exactly do we celebrate on the New Year's Day? What do we signify with fireworks, champagne, singing and dancing? Is the New Year just another excuse for getting drunk?

I don't know about the average number of resolutions taken by people in other countries. But people take resolutions all over the world, which should add up to hundreds of millions. Many people take vows to quit smoking or drinking in the New Year. Others resolve to plan their lives better, to avoid the mistakes of the past and look forward to healing their wounds in time.

In essence, the New Year's Day is the time for optimism, hope against hope in mankind's fierce struggle against the futility of fate. It's a symbol of renewal, revival and revision, a celebration of the fresh start to correct past mistakes and capture future opportunities. We toast, we boast, our minds rejuvenated, our hopes revived, we indulge in the expectation that life gives a second chance like amnesty offers clean slate.

We have welcomed the New Year already, despite the bomb threats, despite tight security, despite political confrontation, terrorism, economic and financial hardships hanging over us like mushroom clouds. Nothing stopped us from the celebration of one night, from wishing each other a Happy New Year, our mobile phones bleating with SMS to exchange goodwill.

We all know it would not lasts forever, our resolutions mostly forgotten by the time we get done with our hangover, by the time the sun goes down on the first day of the New Year. By that time the flower shops, mobile phone companies, liquor stores, hotels and restaurants have done brisk business. Some people buy new dress, new shoes and then cook rich food. Many people are superstitious. They believe that how they live on the first day will determine how they also live for the rest of the year. There are those who don't incur any spending, because they believe they would squander throughout the year unless they start saving from day one.

In a way, the New Year's resolution is a selfish business. Everyone wishes what is best for him, may be also for his family, but the larger interests don't count. People don't think of the country, their community, neighbours or friends. Perhaps it's a time for reflection, but that reflection is confined to parochial interests, each for his own, and none for all.

It is this selfishness, which made it possible to welcome the New Year in the midst of so many tragedies. Our nation was still quivering in the impact of suicide bombs like the body of a slain beast in its last spasms. We welcomed the New Year while hundreds of thousands of farmers, teachers, flood and earthquake victims are still freezing in the cold, fasting to death in the hope that the government was going to pay attention to their pitiful plight.

Yet we danced and sang in drunken frenzy, flesh pressing flesh, limbs going up and down, bodies twisted in the senseless reflex of primal instincts. The liquor brewed storms in our head, our blood boiling in the heat of ecstasy, our minds howling like raging beasts. There was unprecedented security in the capital. God knows how much it cost the taxpayers to keep some people in their drunken stupor!

At the philosophical level, nothing was wrong with it. Nothing was wrong with having an extra day of party. We need to have more fun to sublimate the pain and anxiety that are wasting away the vitality of our nation.

The question is whether we have resolved anything. Have we had the time to think of the common good as we got incrementally drunk, and the music got louder with our hysteric bodies? Did we take the time to talk about our woebegone country and its fraying future? Or did we behave like the village idiot who sawed off the same branch of a tree on which he was sitting astride? If we rejoiced on the New Year's Day, did it occur to us that we were immersed in the sea of sorrow, our past depleted, our present diminished, our future threatened?

What faith is to ritual resolution is to the New Year. No relief without belief. A conversation without a concept is nothing but an empty prattle. When men and women are inebriated, their minds fermented with inordinate ecstasy, it shows nothing more than their own hollowness. It goes through the night, left and right, dark and light, dim and bright, idle talks and drunken walks. Then the countdown at midnight comes as if we can't wait to drop the old and pick up the new.

Now, if the old is gone, what is new? What is new that we have resolved before walking into the dense cloud where our minds plunged into false pretense? What have we got to celebrate when the parliament doesn't protect, the government doesn't rule, and the people don't have power? What have we got to celebrate when the faithful are ferocious and the devout are deluded? What have we got to celebrate when education doesn't give knowledge, wisdom doesn't give foresight, and character doesn't give courage?

In the drunken spree between the last night of one year and the first morning of another, did we get to think of it? Probably yes? Probably no? Let us have this one resolution for next time. When we wake up in the morning, we shall at least remember if we thought of it.

MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION for 2012

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: As I always make it and break it

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

At the end of the year 2011, I am greatly indebted to those who abhorred me- for they made me a stronger person. Thanx to those, who loved me beyond the fact what I am- for they made my heart bigger. My massive thanx goes for those, who got pain for me- for they have shown care for me. I'm also grateful to those, who left me alone in a lurch- for they made me realise ‘Expect the unexpected’ & ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’. And I'm deeply obliged those, who entered in my life and get intact- they made me aware ‘Who I am’. And last but surly not least, I apologize to all my mates, if I ever hurt them and made them cry, ‘Please forgive me’.

Like birds, let us,
leave behind what we don’t need to carry…
GRUDGES
SADNESS
PAIN
FEAR and
REGRETS.
Life is like an Ice Cream- Enjoy it, before it melts!!!

My New Year pledge is to write a Book or Memoir … & yeah that’s true!

Obviously, this one is more dedicated to a writer, but I believe if Paris Hilton can write a book, anyone can write a book. It can be about anything, your work experiences, your friends or your goals in life. It doesn’t have to be anything that will get published, but something that you want to keep for yourself and look back 10 years from now to see what has changed or remained the same. Or you can pass it around to friends and families just for a good laugh.Keep praying everyone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

A New Year's resolution or a commitment is done to make your new year a better one than the previous one. If someone makes resolutions to reform a habit, then there are people who want to make changes in their lifestyle. These promises are made on New Year's Day, the first day of a brand new year. These resolutions are supposed to be either fulfilled or abandoned by the end of that year.
Here are 39 tips for the New Year 2012!

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants (factory).
4. Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make Time for Prayers.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2010.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day & meditate/pray.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/ her mistakes of the past, that will ruin your present happiness.
11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't overdo; keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day - and while you walk, SMILE!
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. The best is yet to come.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 7.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch. 32. Do the right things.
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. God heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel; Get up, Dress up and Show up!
37. Smile and Laugh more often.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your inner most is always happy, So be Happy!

Let us pray that
it will be a year with New Peace of mind,
New Happiness, and prosperity
and abundance of new friends,
God bless you all
throughout the New Year.

MAHTAB BASHIR
03335363248
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
ISLAMABAD

SMILING DUO GETS APART

Those we love, never go away
They walk beside us everyday
Unseen, unheard, still near
Still loved, still missed & still very dear

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

There are several prominent incidents, which took place on the day of Aashura- the 10th of Moharram-ul-Haraam, making their place in the glorious Islamic history. This is the day in which Adam- the first man on this universe was created, Ibrahim was born, it rained for the first time, Mercy was revealed for the first time, Noah’s ark rested at the mountain of Joodi, Ibraham was released safe from the fire of Namrood, Ayub was relieved of his illness, Moses (Musa) was born, Yunus was born and later was freed from the belly of the giant fish, Yaqub regained his eyesight, Yusuf was freed from the well and also from confinement, Isa (Christ) was born, and also was raised to the skies, Muhammad (pbuh) was married to Khadija, and Imam Hussain attained martyrdom.

This is supposedly a day on which the Qiyamah (dooms-day)- a Day of Judgment will take place. This blessed day of Friday (10th Moharram), December 17, 2010 was proved out to be a Judgment Day for me as nature snatched my beloved friend Tahir aka Uncle- as I call him.

As I opened my eyes this Friday morning, I extended my hand towards cell phone and started checking the miss calls and text messages on its screen. Tahir’s miss call was there followed by his text message ‘Mataabi, pichli masjid may aa ja, udhar hi ikathay Juma Parhtay hain’, I read the text with one eye closed. I slept again. When I opened my both eyes next time, It was 1:20 pm. I hurriedly off to washroom, took bath and whil e taking my brunch I realised the time of Juma is out of my hand. I slowed down the pace and took out newspapers to read.

At 3:20 pm I rang the bell of Uncle’s home. ‘Kon Hay Ye Choti Tango Wala’ a voice came out; it was uncle’s favourite one-liner, whenever I pushed the bell of his home. I smiled and replied absurd answer that made him smile. Within few seconds, uncle opened the gate and came out with his trademark smile, wearing Bright White Shalwar Kameez and Black pullover. ‘Chal yar Uncle’- he understood my 3 words & there we were off to our walk. Taking just few steps Uncle asked, “Aaj Juma Kidhar Parha Hay, Mataabi,” I stared at his face and bend down my head. ‘May Samjh Giya Hoon, Tu Nay Parha Hi Nahi’, Mainay Tujhy Phone Bhi Kia Tha Subha or Text Bhi, Uncle said smilingly. ‘Bus Yar Uncle, raat deir may soya tha, ankh khuli to Juma hony wala tha’, I said with extreme innocence. Yaar Aaj to Bara Khaas Din Tha Mataaby, Aaj to Tujhy Juma Nahi Tha Chorna Chahiay, chal kheir hay, Uncle said. ‘Idhar say aa Yar- Upar ki Taraf chaltay hain’, uncle said pointing towards Rajput market in I-10/2. I said ok. While reaching to market, Uncle said Yar Matabay- Hamaray or Goron ki research may kitna farq hay. ‘Kia Hua Uncle? I asked laughingly. Yar may kuch din pehlay TV pay dekh raha tha Goray bata rahay thay ‘Chocolate Heart Patients Ky Liay Bohat Achi Cheez Hain’- Taqat Milti Hay is sy dil ko - or hamray Doctors pata nahi kia kehtay hain. Mainay to pichlay mahenay sy Choclate khana Shuru kar di Hay’, he said. I laughed again and said bus Uncle harmary or goray ki treatment bohat contrasting hay, or diagnose to hay hi nahi yahan pay. Hum beemar ko kehtay hain, Pankha Band kar do or garam kapra lay lo, Paseena ay ga to theek ho gay, Gora kehta hay, jo kuch pehna hua hay sab utaar do or jab body ka temperature environment temperature ky equal hua to theek ho jao gay. Phir uncle- hum Khansi may bhi isi tarah kartay hain, Koi Khatti cheez nahi khani, or Gora Aisy Syrup or Drinks suggest karta hay jo Khattay hon or jismay Citric Acid ho, I kept on talking…. Uncle laughed and said … Tu bari cheez hay Matabi and said ‘Chal Mujhay Choclate ly ky day’. I put my hand on back pocket and gave 50 Rs to shopkeeper, Tu nay bhi Khani hay’, Uncle asked me. Kio g mujhay kia hay, may apka Moonh dekho ga kia, I said, and found Uncle laughing again. On our way back, Uncle said to me, Yar Mataabi, Kal Kashmir Chaltay Hain, ground may ja kay larkon sy mshwara kartay hain. Monday ko Tyar Raheen Yar, Blue Area jana hay Paisay lenay. Gari ka Kaam karwana hay phir,” ok Uncle, may tayar hoon. Kashmir janay kay liay to Garam Kapray parso hi nikaal liay thay. Or haan Abhi Cricket khel kay motorcycle nikaal, mainay aik pharmaceutica l store ka pata kia hay, wahan chaltay hain apni medicine lenay. Shaheen or D-Watson bohat mehngi detay hain yar, Uncle said. I said yar uncle dekh lay kaheen 2 number na hon jahan ka address day rahay hain, I replied. Nahi yar check karwa lain gay kisi sy. Cricket khel kay chaltay hain bus. I said ok Uncle.

It was the first over, I was keeping the wicket while Uncle was fielding on straight boundary line. Just 2-3 balls delivered and we found two boys of our team scuffled with each other. We all came closer to them and tried to untie the boys while Uncle with his full volume hurried near to them. He was in sheer anger over the boy who started the brawl- the things were settled down soon with our interference. Again a boy (an associate of the one who started the fight put down the wickets- Uncle got furious and shouted ‘Wicket kis nay girai hay- Khari Karo Wicket’- these were the last words I heard from Uncle. As soon he uttered these words, he fall down the ground. We, without wasting a second ran towards Uncle. His eyeballs were not visible, his face changed colours first in yellow than red. I started rubbing back side of his feet, few tried to pump his chest, one of boy appeared with a glass of water. We put Uncle in a car and off we went to Hospital. After 30 minutes struggle to keep Uncle breath going Doctors pronounced him dead. And Uncle made this smiling duo separated. It all occurred in a blink of eyes that gave me a message of man being a mortal and planned never works for anyone- for me and Uncle for sure.

Before doctors of Family Health Hospital says it all- and all hands outside emergency were in the air for Uncle’s recovery, one of our senior colleague hinted me from a distance, its Over! Hiding tears in my eyes, I went straight to Osama, a darling of Uncle and family. ‘Mahtab Bhai, Uncle theek ho jay ga na- Ya Allah Meray Uncle ko Theek Kar day’, this angel faced little fellow pleaded. I caressed him softly and said Osama beta, Uncle ky liay Dua kia kar, yar- and I widened the distance to get a spot where no one could see my drenched face.

As soon I reached to the road outside, Uncle’s Bhabhis hurriedly got off from vehicles crying and asked me ‘Mahtab, kia haal hay Tahir ka, theek to hay na wo’. I knew its all over but I don’t want to break the news- not atleast for Tahir to whom I spend my major chunk of life. ‘Emergency room may hain, Treatment ho rahi hay, Bhabhi. Ap please Dua karain’, I told them and left the hospital premises.

Later, the ambulance appeared on the main gate of Hospital- many believed that Tahir is going to be shifted some another hospitals- PIMS, or Shifa or Nescom while I remained busy in maintaining my composure. The news of Uncle’s sudden and uncertain demise, however leaked down within few minutes later. This is how I remember this blessed day of 10th of Moharram when Tahir embraced martyrdom. I often heard, people saying ‘Kahmiri Bewafa Hotay Hain- and I became stanch believer of this one-liner the moment Uncle left me in a lurch.

And just before the cracks of dawn got wider, around 4:00 am we were heading towards Kashmir- the village of Uncle, near Rawalakot, a place we both planned to visit few hours ago. I was sitting on a front seat of a vehicle right behind the ambulance where Uncle was sleeping cool and calm and with the tears in my eyes I whispered to Uncle, “Uncle hum Jaa To rahay Hain Teray Gaon- Par Tu nay Ambulance may janay ka to nahi bola tha.”

Our friendship started blossoming right after the moment I was shifted to I-10/2, from F-6/4 back in 1999-2000, and since than there was nothing hidden between us. We shared everything relating to socio-economic to religio-political to sports, from domestic issues (national) to international- and yes of domestic (home issues).

I haven’t seen a person more avid observer than to Tahir on this planet earth. Whenever I met him he straightaway had a quick glance from head to toe and then initiated the talk- most of the time funny. On a serious note, he was a man who could think beyond his heart and mind. Whenever, I discussed him an issue he promptly jumped to the conclusions and with his reservations and suggestions, we concluded the topic. And every time I found the result was the same in a longer run as Tahir fancied long ago.

Tahir thought I am the most mature, sagacious and confident boy whom he could always spend his time- Perhaps that’s why no matter wherever he went, he telephoned me to join him, be he is going to a barber shop for cutting, going to Sabzi Mandi, or shopping clothes or buying interior stuff for home or going to a bank. I distinctly remember, the day (December 16) prior to his martyrdom (December 17), I told him- ‘Uncle, I want to get some furniture- a 4 seater for drawing room’. And then I forgot. The next moment he forced me to get bike and there we were first in Islamabad furniture markets and later to Rawalpindi. He was a perfectionist, as he went through all minor aspects of anything within few seconds. I just told him the requirements of furniture and he started peeping the windows and inside the show rooms of markets. Finally, Uncle hinted me to go inside a showroom where an elegantly wooden made 4 seater was waiting for us. I started bargaining with the owner as I always did and uncle kept on smiling as he always did. After spending half an hour we finally ‘Lock’ the price and I told Uncle you better go on a Suzuki pick up with furniture and I am following you. He did the same. Reaching my home, Uncle told me laughingly ‘Yar Matabi, Tu nay kis banday ky saath bitha dia tha mujhy’. I asked what happened Uncle? ‘yar toba toba- Itni gapain marta tha bus kia baton yar. Yar ye dunia kis taraf ja rahi hay. Aik banday ko pata bhi hay kay may lambi lambi gapain chor raha hoo, or log samjh bhi jatay hain- phir bhi wo baaz nahi ata’. I smiled and asked again Hua kia Uncle? He said yar mujhay kehta hay, meray sath 5 larkiyan phansi hui hain, or sab ki sab kehti hain, may nay shadi karni hay to sirf teray sath. Warna sari umar nahi karni’. … and then the air around us filled with the mixed voice of our laughter.

Soon after, I pushed the furniture inside my Drawing Room, Uncle was standing outside my gate. Ammi Abbu and my sister appreciated our choice yet again. I came outside home and Uncle said Chal Yar Mahataby- kuch fruit lena hay. I started my bike and there we were in a fruit market. It was around 9:00pm and was freezing. On our 5-8 minute drive Uncle asked me, Han Matabi, Pasand aya Furniture, Ghar Walo ko, I said Han Uncle. They said it is elegant and updated’. Than again Uncle started smiling sharing pick up driver’s tale. On reaching fruit market, Uncle got 6 dozen fruiter and Kinnu. At that moment my wallet was virtually empty after the furniture purchase. I had just 150 Rs, out of which Uncle voiced me to give him Rs. 50. I said meray liay aik darjan fruiter lay lain Uncle- Wo zyda meethay hotay hain. He was holding 4 black shopping bags and jumped back behind me. I smiling said Yar Uncle Black Shopping Bag to Ban Ho Gay Hain. And he said chal yar yahan sab kuch chalta hay. I stopped my bike in front of Uncle’s home. He got down and handed over one black shopping bag to me ‘Ye teray Liay Hain’. I asked O yar Uncle Mainay Mazak Kia tha. Inka Maza Dhoop may beth kay khanay may hay, or wo bhi Chat Masala laga kay. Or apko pata hay, ajkal to dhoop may bethnay ka time hi nahi milta yar, I said. ‘Woay Pakar Ye, Zyda Chur Chur Na kar- Kal Chutti Hay, Kha Lena’, Uncle said in his lovely Kashmiri Urdu accent. He handed over the bag forcefully and I came to my home and put oranges on a dining table where few of apples and guavas were already resting.

We both were good shoppers- of anything, as we and majority of our family members thought. And we were doing it since over a decade. This furniture followed by fruits shopping proved out to be our last purchase. The next day was Friday- a day of our separation. I took the breakfast and straight went to Uncle’s home where as I mentioned earlier we had a walk, played cricket and than came the final moments. Later moments of Friday went off in mourning and praying for Uncle’s salvation. Saturday past in Rawalakot where we handed over Uncle to Almighty. On the same day –Saturday night I reached back to Islamabad. I straight went to my drawing room to see the furniture that was selected by Uncle and on which he was sitting few hours ago, while purchasing. The moment I reached my dining room- tears role down my cheeks as I saw all the dozen oranges Uncle purchased for me are lying intact on the table- and none of them was missing.

He cherished every second when I was along him. We had joy, we had fun, as we had literally never left any restaurant, shopping mall, recreational spots, and down town of twin cities unfolded.

Three years ago, again in a month of Holy Ramadan and blessed day of Friday, Uncle got cardiac arrest. I was working in Lok Virsa those days and my schedule was too hectic from 9-5. I remember the day, when I was on official task of purchasing bulk of CDs/ DVDs from Saddar, Rawalpindi for my project Pakistan Monument. Captain (Kamran) our mutual friend called me on a phone and shared this news about Uncle’s heart attack. I was surprised but knew well it won’t work for me had I go to my boss to leave the office immediately. Captain told me he is going to Rawalakot and I must go with him. It was hard to me to say YES or NO instantly. With the prayers on my lips, I called on Uncle’s cell number to enquire about his health. Some relative of Uncle picked the call and told me he is getting better, and you keep praying. This quick call brought back relief inside me and I went back to my office instead of going Kashmir.

We were fond of dining and Bar-B-Queue was our favourite dish. Soon after Uncle got recovered, our menu changed drastically. I have never tasted Chicken in my life while Uncle was suggested to get away from spicy fried food. Time went by and things settled down, though our menu was split but our heart and mind never.

Our houses give a picturesque view and offer an impression of a Fort like ambience, with 10 houses each side of all four corners with shady trees infront of them, and a ground with children’s swings, slides and seesaw in the middle. Tahir used to say ‘Yar Matabi Pooray I-10 may iss tarah ki location tujhay kaheen nahi milay gi, and I always backed his words saying there’s no iota of doubt Uncle.

Whenever I stood right in the middle of ground, there were either beggars or someone standing outside my gate or Uncle’s. He repeatedly said to me ‘Matabi- in 40 Gharon May Aik Tera Ghar Hay or Aik Mera Ghar Hay, jiskay samnay ye to koi na koi khara hota hay ya phir koi na koi Shopping Bag utha kay Andar Ja Raha Hota Hay, Baki Kasam Say Pata nahi ye Log becharay Kaisay rehtay hain. Garian sab kay paas hain magar ajtak koi khanay ki cheez lajatay nahi dekhi, I smiled again but I knew he is talking sense. Bus Uncle yahi bat hay yar. Siyanay kehtay hain Khay huay ko koi nahi dekhta par pehnay huay ko sab dekhtay hain’, I replied. ‘Par Matabi in may aisy ghar bhi hain jo bohat paisy walay hain par khana theek nahi khatay,” Uncle explained. I laughed again saying bus Uncle aisa hi daor hay aaj kal. ‘Yar tum or hum agar in logo ki tarah kanjoos ban jain to aaj hamaray ghar bhi 4-4 garian khari hon’, I said I agree Uncle. ‘’Par Na tum logo ki aisi adat hay na hum logo ki. Sab kuch khaany peenay or pehn-ny may hi laga detay hain’, uncle kept on saying.

I said chal yar Uncle markaz chaltay hain, kuch chezain leni hain. After taking a big pause Uncle asked me ‘Aaj kia Khaya hay Matabi’. I said yar chicken paka hay, or apko pata hay, may wo khata nahi- isi liay markaz ja rahay hain’, I said. Uncle never forgot to ask me this question at night before our regular walk got started. And I told him the menu. ‘Yar Matabi to waisy bara sacha or acha insan hay’, he said. O ho Uncle Khairiat hay, aaj bari tarfain kar rahay hain, I asked Tahir smilingly. And he in his typical style said, ‘Woay Matabi yar tu aik wahid banda hay, jiskay ghar Daal pakay to Daal hi btata hay’ warna idhar aisy log bhi hain jo saal may 2 dafa mutton khatay hain par jab bhi unsy pocho kia kha kay aya hay, wo foran kehtay hain mutton. And I laughed out to my belly full. ……. TO BE CONTINUED

BITTER TRUTH

Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza is a loose cannon and, if rubbed the wrong way, will fire away. At the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Dr Mirza was hit by a barrage of complaints by the city’s industrialists and traders for failing to give them adequate protection. Obviously stung by the criticism, he said that “people cast votes for extortionists; they should now talk to their elected representatives for law and order”.

Dr Mirza pinned the blame for the deteriorating law and order situation mostly on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). “Dr Imran Farooq was murdered in London, but buses of Pakhtuns were torched in Karachi. Did Asfandyar Wali kill Dr Imran Farooq?” asked Dr Mirza. He went on to allege that when “they [the MQM] want to kill any Pakhtun, Sindhi, Punjabi or Baloch in Karachi, they go about executing their plan methodically”.

What Dr Mirza said is politically inappropriate given that the MQM is a coalition partner of the PPP government both at the Centre and in Sindh, but nevertheless is a well known truth. The timing may be wrong, his method of delivery may be unsuitable, but these charges against the MQM are neither new nor something that many can deny. The MQM is notorious for spreading violence in Karachi. In recent months, the security situation in the city has deteriorated and the heat is definitely on Dr Mirza since he is the province’s home minister. However, Dr Mirza did injustice to the businessmen by saying that they were complicit in this regard because they pay extortion money to such parties. If truth be told, since the government has so far failed to protect the business community from the bhatta (extortion money) mafia, they are forced to pay ‘protection money’. The victims and the terrorisers should not be lumped in the same basket. The businessmen pay the money for their survival. It is the responsibility of the Sindh government to bring the culprits to book so that the people can breathe a sigh of relief. Dr Mirza was also wrong on another count when he tried to provoke the situation by stating that “the situation in Karachi will worsen and a large number of Urdu-speaking people will lose their lives if these ethnic groups [Baloch, Pakhtun, Sindhis and Punjabis] come forward and make an alliance”.

This was not just irresponsible of the provincial home minister but could also lead to a political fallout. The PPP’s coalition partner, the JUI-F, pulled out of the coalition yesterday. The PPP is already facing a tough time getting the RGST bill through parliament and with this sort of provocation from Dr Mirza, the MQM may well threaten to pull out as well. On a number of occasions, the MQM has threatened to leave the coalition government but they always retreat from the brink, which suggests more pressure tactics than intent.

The MQM has decided that a delegation would meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after Muharram and protest at Dr Mirza’s provocative speech.Karachi’s situation is already fraught with tension. The city has many armed groups present on its soil. The MQM is the largest political party in Karachi. How the MQM wins the elections and continues to terrorise the citizens, especially the Pakhtuns, is no secret either. Given the party’s penchant for violence, the PPP will have to tread more carefully in the future.

SPEED THRILLS - BUT KILLS

Love of sports and thrills is not bad in itself but some sports like drag races could prove hazardous if all humanly possible precautionary measures are not taken to prevent injury and loss of life. With no developed institutional mechanism for holding such races in Pakistan, youths belonging to the rich and influential class, in their hunger for thrills and excitement, often indulge in this roadside fun illegally.

In one such incident in Islamabad on December 5, five spectators lost their lives when a racing car went out of control and rammed into spectators. It is unfortunate that the Supreme Court (SC) had to take suo motu notice to get those responsible for this illegal activity apprehended. Initially, the city administration and police denied giving permission for this race, which was held in Phase VIII of Bahria Town. The presence of sponsors and a large number of spectators suggests that it was properly publicised well in advance. How could such an activity take place without prior permission from the local administration?

At the SC hearing on Monday (December 13), it transpired that the city chief police officer (CCPO) of Rawalpindi gave a green signal to the organisers of this race and even issued a security plan, despite the fact that the district coordination officer (DCO) of Rawalpindi had denied permission to the organisers. The nominees in the FIR include the son of a real estate tycoon, who is reported to have fled the country with the help of his father after the incident.

In a society where wealth and influence hold more importance than the lives of innocent citizens, it is not surprising that police declared this incident an ‘accident’ and tried to close the case. Another reason for this haste was that an impartial inquiry would have established the local administration and police department’s culpability. Had the SC not intervened, the case would have been forgotten by now.

Now that the SC has taken notice, it is incumbent upon the police department to hold an unbiased investigation and bring those responsible to book. This would serve the ends of justice, give some relief to the victims’ families, and help in preventing such misadventures in future.