The Difference?
Just came across this article by Orya Maqbool Jan on Uni-aza's blog. Tempted to share on mine too. Very thought provoking!
Speed-breakers
I have been thinking of resuming writing for quite some time now and today I finally mustered up the courage to visit the 'create post' page of my blog. I feel a certain anxiety knocking down my senses at the moment. Writing used to come so naturally once and now it comes with effort. What is good about it is that it is still has not abandoned me altogether. Like old friends, who have all gone about their ways, it still, at times, comes back and reminds me of the connection we once shared. All good things eventually come to an end - I just hope that does not happen with me and writing, at least not until this transient life comes to an end... What prompted me to write down this post after such a long time is my recent meeting with one of my teachers, with whom I had absolutely lost contact during the last five years. Life is very demanding. Its phases, very complicated. The responsibilities it encumbers us with, endless... زندگی تیرے تعاقب میں یہ لوگ اتنا چلتے ہی...
Comments
ایسے لوگوں کے دلوں پر بے شک مہر لگی ہوئی ہے جو صدیوں کی حقیقت کو بھی یہ ماننے سے قاصر ہیں۔
Thank you for the splendid read. :)
Oh and our Afghan brothers did 'defeat' three super-powers within a century - only, they lost just millions of life, life is no longer normal there, peace and tranquillity is a forsaken dream and we, the proud Muslim neighbours (alhamdulillah) have reaped the benefits in the form of terrorist bombings within our lands, the millions of Afghan immigrants and a culture of arms and drugs. The kind of intellectuals who want to brand this as a great 'fatah' are as deluded as they love to brand those who called US the 'saviour' when it attacked Iraq and Afghanistan. Critical eye and a knack for not 'adjusting' facts to suit one's ideology are pertinent for a rational discourse - sadly, the author of the article cited merits none of these qualifications.
After reading the article and the comments I have a few questions to ask from Mr. Salman to learn exactly where his objections actually lie: -
1. ISI helping Haqqani networks OR not helping Americans against Haqqani networks?
2. Pakistan’s concerns about Kabul’s future in US absence OR Kabul’s future with complete absence of anyone?
3. Demands for the likes of Orya Maqbool Jan for the need of reality check OR for the pay cheques of Ahmed Rashids, Hassan Askaris, Hoodbhoys, Aisha Jilanis or Marvi Sirmeds?
4. Army being in bed with the Haqqanis OR not in bed with the Yankees?
5. That Afghan brother did ‘defeat’ 3 super powers within a century OR that they were thrice occupied by 3 different arrogant powers?
6. Or that Afghan brothers’ victory came after losing millions of lives OR those millions of lives were lost under a foreign occupation?
7. Afghan immigrants (along with their culture of arms and drugs) coming to Pakistan because WE invited them OR we invited the Russians to occupy Afghanistan and send all those immigrants to our lands?
8. On the intellectuals who want to brand a certain kind of ‘fatah’ OR the pseudo-intellectuals who drum it as the ‘freedom for democracy’ when Iraq and Afghanistan went into occupation?
9. Does a critical eye need to adjust on ‘known facts’ OR the critical eye needs to adjust on ‘hidden facts’?
10. And finally how a rational discourse should base upon?
i. Personal opinions based on certain ideologies.
ii. An original analysis based on historical facts.
"Words like "extremist" carry little meaning besides being lexical waste baskets to throw anyone whose ideology you don't like."
I read it somewhere and this fits in here.