face 2 face with terrorism

Terrorism takes away lives, unfortunately counted in numbers ” 100 dead, 200 injured“. We all stop for a second to see the flashing “news alert” on tv and then move one with our lives.

No one cares that these were 100 living people who are no more alive and who bothers about their loved ones. Loved ones who are living but their life is taken away! Loved ones who are so suddenly snatched away from them! They are emotionally shaken and worries of an insecure future (for women) do not let them mourn in a poor country.

200 injured gives a little relief and we thank Allah that these precious lives are saved but in what condition are they? Without a limb? half blown up? injuried all over? which may take months and thousands of rupees to heal. Who will support their families in the mean time? Who will pay for their medical expenses?

People who come face to face with terrorism, either they have lost someone or are physically injured go through mental turmoil. I just read the feelings of a husband who lost his wife in suicide bombing in the United Nations World Food Program country office in Islamabad. I am speechless….

He writes….

Reality (by Tahir Wadood Malik)

the call called me out
and i ran.
a scene of chaos
before me i saw
no one familiar
no one known
pell-mell running feet
stopping all from going in.

a hand held my arm
i looked at a face
worn and sad
she is taken from here
to the medical centre
or the hospital
hurry sir
he said.

i turned and ran
the medical centre was near,
first there i thought
and walked briskly
a voice called out
i turned
the medical centre sir
she is taken there.

a hop and i was there
running to the steps up
when another voice called
sir here
turning i saw him pointing
he came close and said
be strong sir
and turned his face.

down the slope i went,
entering a small room,
packed full with people
smelling of antiseptic,
gurneys covered in white sheets
a doctor looked at me
i took your name.

she looked at me
sad and sorry
pointing to the nearest
white sheet, she walked to it.
i stood as if riveted to the floor
is she gone i asked
she nodded,
and held the corner of the sheet.

leaden feet one after the other
just three steps
to see your face
drained of life’s color
the smile gone
nothing to give me hope.
just an endless dark tunnel,
with no light at the end.

you had left the world
you had left me, who you said
was your world,
i was left
without a thought
without any idea of next.
looking at your white face
closed eyes, look at me i said.

did you smile?
did you know i was standing there?
did you feel the tear
that fell on your cheek?
did you feel my hand on your face?
could you feel my willing you to wake?
or was it all cold, all dark,
and finished for you?

i stood there,
suddenly tired and racked with sobs
no one to hold me
no one to console me
no one to say hush
all alone.
not even you to say i am here.
together we will overcome.

and then the haze
people coming and going
a leg lay on the table next to you
supposedly of the bomber
people came and looked at it
no one bothered about us
but that leg was it for all then.
and i was frozen in pain, anger and angst.

ormalities
ambulance ride
people gathering
crying.
wailing
intruding in my feelings
despair, grief, anger,
and a loss infinite.

rituals,
more people,
waiting for the inevitable
arrivals
more and more
but where in all this are you?
lying cold and unconcerned in a bed
draped in a white coffin

i looked at you
wanting you to smile
wanting you to open your eyes
desperation
wishing for the noise of the wails
beating chests and prayers
to wake you
from the depth of death.

but your face
serene, calm
without worries at last
fresh like the morning dew
not even lines of any hue
eyes closed,
even the white cloth,
pale against your skin.

and they came also
who had not come before
all standing
some silent
some crying
all sad
all lost
no words no actions enough.

and then it was time
picking you up
one on each of the four posts
reciting the oneness of god
who had taken you from me
so cruelly,
still being exalted and called to succor,
knowing i had but to suffer.

and then the prayers,
and a ride to the last resting place
a pit dark and dreary
i shuddered
you would hold my arm
even to step a step up
and this was so much down!
how could i hold you now?

and it was all over
dust to dust
prayers
consoling words
a dirge
another prayer
dispersal
how could i leave you?

but i did leave you
alone
in a pit covered with fresh dug soil
put on there with my own hands
my prayers mixed with the rest
a feel of death, a pain, a void,
in my heart
where you lived.

and food was served
people forgot death
food, the source of life
for the living was being taken
no one bothered to say
sorry
the food was important
my loss was reality and not.

and then they left
leaving me to my self
my thoughts
my feelings
my emptiness
my fight with my god
my forlornness
and my grief

and good too that was
for there was too much
going on in me
fears
feelings
remorse
thoughts
nostalgia

and the night passed
just as you had passed from this
to another world
just as i had passed
from a happy man
to a sad being
wondering why
this had come to pass?

but then life reared its head
wanting to extract its pound of flesh
not wanting to wait for the next
but wanting me not to rest
and i shrugged
and i looked
and i picked up the shackles of life
and i went to put my shoulder to the plough.

Technorati Tags: Allah, life, love, News, terror, terrorism, tv, US, victim, WHO

misrial road

At least 5 people were reported killed in a blast at Rawalpindi while 8 others were injured. The blast is reported to have occurred at Misryal Road in Dhok Sidan here, said CPO Rao Iqbal.

According to an eyewitness, a police picket seems to be the target of the blast and the suicide bombers came in Toyota Corolla 1986 model.

Technorati Tags: blast in rawalpindi, News, Pakistan, suicide attack, terrorism

My “counter point” is that Mr. Vir Sanghvi very rightly pointed out that we should start talking about more urgent issues like Gaza attacks and carry on the investigations of Mumbai attacks along with it.
With so many movements being carried out in India no one can deny a complete absence of local elements in Mumbai blasts but yes why Muslims in Gaza, Palestine, Kashmir and in Frontier areas of Pakistan are frustrated after being terrorised by huge and strong oppressors? This is a question which needs to be answered.
Lets accept that Ajmal Kasab is a Pakistani “brainwashed”. But why by some jihadi elements and not by Indian intelligence agencies? Jihad does not mean killing innocent people and you should not talk of “terrorism” and “jihad” in the same breath. They are NOT the same. I am amazed at the frequency and ease with which you use word “jihad” in terms of terrorism when you are pretending to be an advocate of Indian muslims! You are hurting and tarnishing the image of Islam.
Mr Vir writes “When Pakistani politicians go on TV and say that the terror strikes were indigenous, they are — in effect — saying that Indian Muslims are terrorists, something that no responsible Indian politician would ever consider saying”.
Why Indian muslims? Why not any human being without the discrimination of religion. This is how you people give the message of hatred and spread it. Thinking ill about Pakistan is a way of life for Indian media but we, the people of Pakistan wish Indians all the best and are with them in their time of sorrow. Lets see who goes deeper and deeper in chaos.

Please read this link below and you will get the response of Indian muslims too.
http://indianmuslims.in/letter-to-mr-vir-sanghvi-and-hindustan-times/

Technorati Tags: ajmal kasab, hindustan times, india, indian muslims, jihad, jihadi, mumbai attacks, Pakistan, terrorism, Vir Sanghvi

Kalava: A Yellow Saffron Band worn by Hindus

Before I begin this rant, I must out-rightly condemn all terrorism activities, be it from a ruthless terrorist in India or even in Pakistan wherever there is loss of life it must be condemned regardless of who is suffering The Mumbai attacks were shocking for everyone, for the three days the killers were on rampage killing over 200 innocent lives everyone specially in India was shaken to the core. While we in Pakistan sat watching in earnest prayer hoping that this bad dream would simply go away, we too are sick an tired of these terrorist and truly do not wish this plague to get worse

What followed soon after the dust settled in Mumbai, was an all out aggressive propaganda waged by the Indian Government against Pakistan trying its best to pin the blame on Pakistan. Generally the accusations were based on some scanty evidence that the bureaucracy could muster up in the short few hours, it was for us, as if the entire book of conspiracies were suddenly cracked open by RAW and brought into quick production simply to exploit this disaster for its own gains, all in an attempt to bring Pakistan on its knees and into Indian submission [being a patriot Pakistani, I assure you that will not happen, Indians would agree vice versa if they were in the same spot] To believe that this highly professional group of terrorist could conduct a fully coordinated attack while leaving a blatant bread crumb trail seems too dubious. A team of terrorists hitchhiking a boat ride from Karachi to land smack in the middle of Mumbai and take the city om a target shooting spree, seems all too James Bond’ish. To have a confession by a person allegedly a Pakistani, is definitely a poorly enacted video, as the accent completely defies all dialects spoken anywhere in Pakistan.
But the most funniest is the tale of the Versace dressed terrorist caught on a shooting spree was in my opinion the biggest blunder that the Indians failed to throughly analyze before the finger pointing session started. The so-called Amir Qsaba [if we are to genuinely believe the Indian government to be honest in providing us with the 'right' name] would wear an orange armband on his ‘right hand’ while going on a public killing rampage, all Indians must know that this saffron band called Kalava – is worn while performing Hindu rituals like Yajna or Puja. It is tied by a priest on the wrists of all the people attending the prayer ceremony. Kalava is tied on right hand of males and unmarried females, and on left hand of married females. Somehow the evidence is weak, simply to take accept these allegations on a scouts honor given by the Indian government is not going to cut it.

Many Indian’s might hurriedly defend my allegation to say Amir Azam Qsaba used this to distract and throw off the investigators while he was being photographed at the train station, I sincerely doubt the significance of such a small token in this larger plan, if he was so convinced to pin the blame on Pakistan, he could have very well worn a ‘Green and White’ t-shirt with Pakistan plastered right across the front, carried a Muslim skull cap and a foot long beard would have been more too the liking of RAW. So short of all that this saffron band does signify that he was a Hindu and not Amir Azam Qasba etc etc

The above rant was a light hearted poke at what the Indian government bases its entire set of publicly revealed allegations on Pakistan, rest is still under investigation [read is still being cooked up]. I truly believe India has enough extremists within its borders that outside elements don’t need to physically walk in and take them out, likewise Pakistan too has enough problems within its own borders that picking a battle with India is not a wise decision to make but even if the ISI or the terrorists were so committed to hiting out at India then the apparent bread crumb trail is all to suspicious. Do we believe everything the Indian government chooses to say, I dare say NEVER. In that same light would I believe every word my Pakistani government chooses to hit out at India, I also am first to say NO. Its all a game of propaganda played by both sides over the past 60 odd years but lets not have the people fall for this mesmerizing trap so quickly.

The nail clincher by India recently has been to ask the Pakistani government to hand over a number of terrorists have been residing in Pakistan, firstly even if we ever decide to play roll over and play dead, I would first like to try them in our courts before even thinking of handing our people to India. That said, while the Indians are busy contemplating on the Pakistani terrorists please have a look at this list recently compiled by Pakistan to hand over to the Indian, would you please cough up these 35 terrorists living in India in this international exchange program, after all they too are terrorists who killed hundreds of Pakistanis and are now conveniently living in India. A tit-for-tat reaction, sadly yes, We could do this endlessly but if wisdom were to prevail we both could take a gentle step back seize the baseless propaganda, fix our own internal threats and then reinforce our borders to prevent the other side from creating yet another havoc.

Technorati Tags: india, mumbai, terror, terrorism