Re: BREAKING NEWS: Blast near truck carrying Benazir. Many people Injured
Salam to all.
This is my first ever post on this forum. I have been following this forum for months now...and I prefer to take in information as opposed to regurgitating it...hence I had planned to only post when I had a clear and non-frivolous point to make. I will take this opportunity to express the following in light of today's events in Karachi.
A - Today I am proud to be an Ahmadi Muslim.
B - Today I am ashamed to be a Pakistani.
With respect to A - we as Ahmadis were unjustly declared non-muslims by Benazir's incompetent father; this disgusting act was enshrined in Pakistan's constitution under his auspices. However, Ahmadis are the most peaceful community in Pakistan--and we have never, ever been involved in any kind of violence, nor would we ever dream of involving ourselves in any attacks that would hurt civilians. We were an integral part of the founding of pakistan; we have contributed in innumerable ways to Pakistani society and honor. For example, Professor Abdus Salam, a Pakistani Ahmadi, was the world's first Muslim Nobel Laureat. His prize was in Physics. Also read about Ch. Muhammad Zafrullah Khan...These are the kinds of people that our community is famous for. However, like the innocent victims of the attacks in Karachi just a few hours ago, we have been killed by biased, thoughtless, and heartless animals who claim to be Pakistanis and Muslims. And our death toll is well in the thousands. We are jailed in Pakistan for merely saying the kalima--la illa ha illallah muhammadur rasoolullah. Thus...with this being the heartbreaking state of justice in our country, I am not entirely surprised at the lawlessness that just took place near Benazir's motorcade. However--I am deeply, deeply saddenned by it. The scenes of dead Pakistanis on the streets are just too much to bear. This is not Islam.
As for B - I love Pakistan and what it stands for. However, it depresses me almost to tears to see the state of the nation as it is today. Needless to say, I am ashamed to be a Pakistani on this day, as I'm sure are many of us. We know that most of the dead and wounded were likely under-educated, familiar to some extent, with poverty, and somewhat brainwashed by those at the top. Islam is an egalitarian religion of universal brotherhood and love. However...what we see so often in Pakistan can only be called a shell of Islam. Within that shell is what is in fact...the polar opposite of Islam and all that it stands for. I am ashamed, and it in fact behooves all of us, on this day, to hang our heads in shame. There is no need for fragile egos and sensitivity...no need for pointing fingers before facts are proven...no need for thinking of excuses...while our brothers and sisters lay dead in the streets. Women and children...young men with their futures ahead of them....
We should all be ashamed on this day...because: to some extent, even if to a relatively miniscule extent, we are all to blame. The first step towards building a strong society is for all members of that society to take ownership of that society on a holisitc level. Regardless of their inherent differences...whether they be of ethnicity, of religion, what have you...there must exist at least some over-riding platform upon which they can all agree and consider themselves a whole. Then, once some degree of ownership over the society can be claimed by all, with that ownership comes the intrinsic attribute of responsibility for that nation on which the claim has been made. Case in point: we do not take ownership of Pakistani society, therefore we feel limited responsibility for it. The result is the apathy which facilitates the continuation of events such as transpired today.
...Perhaps the administrators and owners of gupshup/paklinks could organize a simple network of donations (or some other form of advocacy) specifically aimed at those affected adversely by today's events. Maybe the network could take off from there and expand its scope in the future. I can be instrumental in this regard. If interested, please contact me at [email protected]. Also, solicit other members of gupshup to see if they would be interested in this plan, if you find it feasible.
All Pakistani Muslims, as well as all Pakistanis of other faiths, must strive, with humility and love in their hearts, to learn to separate what is clearly right from what is clearly wrong. Let's all pray for the dead that they may be granted heaven; for the injured, that they may recover speedily; for the families and friends of both; and for Pakistan, the muslim ummah, and humanity as a whole. Ameen.
-Abid Agha Khan
Welcome to the forum... Hope we can organize a way to help the victims...