One of the most frequent tragic causes of headlines on Pakistani news channels is bombs. Bombs in the mosques, bombs at religious or political processions, bombs at other gatherings and even hospitals…
What is the common thing among them all?
Doesn’t take a second to get it – all these situations are heavily populated.
Here, a few e-clippings illustrate my point.
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| http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7181042.stm |
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| http://www.newstatesman.com/2010/03/suicide-attacks-busy-city |
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| http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/01/pakistan-lahore-bomb-blasts |
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| http://www.samaa.tv/News24920-YaumeAli_procession_ambushed_several_injured_.aspx |
Since, the increase in frequency of bomb blasts in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad and even in the northern cities of Pakistan for the past three, four years, quite many a sensible people have started avoiding initiating or attending large gatherings. Avoiding such events isn’t a sign of cowardice, but as a way of protecting life, which is an asset from God, something we are bound to protect.
Given the situation of our country, I wonder what logic drives people to still plunge into processions, that too of the ritualistic sort, and jeopardize their own lives and their families’ future.
old habits die hard. one thought is that why should people give in to the motives of these blasts i-e. to hold them back from their beliefs and cultural rituals.
ReplyDeleteon second thoughts, maybe you are right. When the circumstances of your country don't allow all this, you shouldn't put everything at stake.
But then again, we never know when the circumstances might be favorable again
I agree with you, ZEe, when you say that people shouldn't give into the motives of the blasts and also when you say that we shouldn't put everything at stake.
ReplyDeleteOne on side we try to prevent ourselves from being in such high-alert situations, and on the other we wonder how long this will go on for, let’s live.
In the end it all depends on which is more important, our life or the moment we are trying to live and also, on the probability of losing our lives living that moment.
just a thought,
ReplyDeletestopping processions would fulfill the purpose of those who're behind these blasts.
do you think that people behind these blasts do it because they are concerned about how Shias practise their religion? Think again.
ReplyDeleteIT's all done to create distrust, bitterness and resentment in the hearts of the victims of these violent acts. Just like any other victim of society's injustice, the Shias too are left unnoticed.
The result: a divided nation. That's what they want.
i don't know about motives behind other blasts, but the culprits this time, lashkar-e-jhangvi, have been definitely concerned, for more than a decade, about how Shias practice their religion.
ReplyDeleteI just read your blog Maryam. sorry for the delay! I agree with you to a point. However, whatever the disagreements, you were only expressing your opinion. You ended the post with a question. You deserved an answer more than the criticism and the sarcasm you got.
ReplyDeleteWhenever there are gaps in understanding, they should be bridged with a sense of mutual respect and empathy. Perhaps if you would have been more sensitive, this could have been accomplished.
@amna, seeing the mourning and distressed faces of the people affected by the bomb in the rally, i can't be sure if they really were ready to give their lives up in order to fight against those who have been intending to stop their religious activities or against those who have been trying to create conflicts between Muslims.
ReplyDelete@ ambreen, that's the problem. if you come up with an issue like this, you get what i did, in turn.
and honestly, i don't know how i could have been more objective and less opinionated. i mentioned two facts; about the bomb blasts trends and tendencies and about my prediction.
and it ended in me wondering.
"seeing the mourning and distressed faces of the people affected by the bomb in the rally, i can't be sure if they really were ready to give their lives up in order to fight against those who have been intending to stop their religious activities or against those who have been trying to create conflicts between Muslims."
ReplyDeletei'm really sorry but i completely disagree with that. if you get a chance, ask personally to a family member of someone who got martyred in a Shia Procession. ask them if they think that all these religious processions should be stopped as they cause loss of innocent lives. and let me know what you get as an answer.
i, myself, have seen such families. don't you think it's natural to cry and wail for your beloved when he's gone. but that doesn't mean, it'd make them go against their beliefs and their right to register a protest and their right to tell the world about the oppression and injustices done to the family of the Prophet [may peace be upon them all].
The biggest proof of people not caring abt the fact that they mite get martyred in these processions is the chehlum procession carried on right after the attack on the ashura procession where there were more ppl than the ashura juloos, tell me then marium were they nt afraid of losing their lives?
ReplyDelete