Dr Aafia — when will we stop playing to the gallery?

[TechLahore]

Intelligent, honest and balanced people like Ms. Memon are a great hope for Pakistan. She is an uber nationalist, if there ever was one, but her thoughtfulness shows through in most of what she says.




Dr Aafia — when will we stop playing to the gallery?


The writer is a PML-Q MNA marvi.memon@tribune.com.pk

It is so easy to follow the popular mood of the country. But it is so morally wrong to do so, if one knows it is based on a lie. That was my dilemma last week. Having heard plenty of evidence corroborating Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s alleged links to CIA and al Qaeda, from all those who had held important and relevant posts then and now, it became incumbent on me not to follow the herd. It became necessary for me to call a spade a spade and for that reason I was not part of the National Assembly walkout in her favour. Having said that, I have always maintained that she should be brought back to Pakistan and be tried here because she is a Pakistani, even though there are doubts that she may now have American nationality. Her trial in the US was far from fair with many human rights violations against her, but till allegations against her dangerous links are proven wrong she could not be called ‘qaum ki beti’. I also added that real leadership did not ‘cash in’ on wrong popular moods.

In the process I was targeted by certain vultures inside and outside my political party. I was the victim of a character assassination campaign and it reminded me of McCarthyism. This was the kind of bullying that scares most people. But I held my ground. I noticed that even though many people had not taken part in the walkout no one wanted to challenge the popular mood since they feared a public outcry. Each one of those vultures wanted to ‘use’ Dr Aafia to earn votes. The kind of labels that were tagged on me for those couple of days were unbelievable. Why? Simply because I challenged a cashing in strategy based on lies.

What is Pakistan losing as a result of this McCarthyism? It is losing the liberalist agenda to the jihadists. It is losing focus of what the real issues are — it is now clear that every single political party inside and outside parliament would rather take the popular course of action rather than the correct one. And that to me is the most distasteful truth of the current Pakistani political set-up. It means that we don’t have leaders. We have users.

Pakistan spent a key week holding rallies in support of Dr Aafia. During that time I didn’t see any huge rallies for real causes such as in support of the incredible new Kashmiri intifada standing up to human rights violations in Indian Kashmir. In the process we lost out on focusing on the miseries of flood victims.

The point is, do we set the agenda on haq or do we follow the wrong agenda? Pakistanis today have a choice. They can truly kick out the cowards and users and rally behind those fighting for haq. If not, then the future options for fixing the problems in Pakistan will be bleak. And yes, it takes courage to do correct agenda setting. But it is Pakistan’s only salvation. I am not in for a popularity contest. I am after ‘haq’, in which it is important to accept that certain choices made in the past may have been wrong. It is better to fix the wrong course of direction rather than to follow it for political expediency. That is the difference between ‘new politics’ and old politics.
Published in The Express Tribune October 6th, 2010.

 

[Luftwaffe]

Totally agree with Marvi Memon.

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

the liberalist agenda? The same liberalists who have destroyed our country? I m no fan of Takfiris (the term is Takfiri madam not Jihadists) but the damage to Pakistan has been far greater at the hands of the liberalists...

this shall come to an end soon... All members of national assembly should be placed in a hidden jail like Begram (including this madam)... and Pakistan will be a much better place...

 

[niaz]

the liberalist agenda? The same liberalists who have destroyed our country? I m no fan of Takfiris (the term is Takfiri madam not Jihadists) but the damage to Pakistan has been far greater at the hands of the liberalists...

this shall come to an end soon... All members of national assembly should be placed in a hidden jail like Begram (including this madam)... and Pakistan will be a much better place...

Honourable Sir,

Many thanks for letting us know dark side of the Pakistan polity.

You claim that you are no fan of the Takfiris yet you believe that liberals have done greater harm than the extremists and destroyed Pakistan!

Pray tell us what harm has liberals done to Pakistan?

How many liberals blew up girl’s schools or planted bombs or blew themselves up in suicide attacks or fired on visiting cricketers? Did you hear any liberal beating up women taking part in the marathon? Did liberals ever engage in sectarian killing?

Despite everything you believe that Liberals have destroyed your country! Don’t know how old you are, to me you appear to be a product of the Zia or post Zia era when bigotry is praised but tolerance considered a crime.

If by being a liberal you imply that I am for free ***, you can't be more mistaken. Pakistan was a far better place to live and visit until JI thugs and Zia destroyed the fabric of Pakistan's soceity thru forced Wahabization of Pakistan.

You are of course welcome to your views, no matter how misguided the same may be; a luxury you can only enjoy with liberals. With your favorite people, you will end up dead or in prison if you dare to declare your disagreement openly.

 

[HAIDER]

I really don't under when we stopping singing the song of muslim brother hood or ummah crap or Islam ka qila. This Islam ka Qila should be role model for the rest of muslim world, instead this qila is qila of extremism,breeding ground of terrorism etc etc...
And this Afia Sidqqui think is just a media hype, nobody pays attention what her husband is saying. Specially mullah and Hamid Mir is not getting tired of singing the song of quam ki batti. Well, some one should tell Hamid Mir your quam ki batti, left the house and divorce her husband and marry someone else with her own will. She is mature and responsible of her own acts. Not whole nation is responsible for the act of one.....

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

I really don't under when we stopping singing the song of muslim brother hood or ummah crap or Islam ka qila. This Islam ka Qila should be role model for the rest of muslim world, instead this qila is qila of extremism,breeding ground of terrorism etc etc...
And this Afia Sidqqui think is just a media hype, nobody pays attention what her husband is saying. Specially mullah and Hamid Mir is not getting tired of singing the song of quam ki batti. Well, some one should tell Hamid Mir your quam ki batti, left the house and divorce her husband and marry someone else with her own will. She is mature and responsible of her own acts. Not whole nation is responsible for the act of one.....

Pakistan is not a Qila... definitely not of Islam anyway...

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

Honourable Sir,

Many thanks for letting us know dark side of the Pakistan polity.

You claim that you are no fan of the Takfiris yet you believe that liberals have done greater harm than the extremists and destroyed Pakistan!

Pray tell us what harm has liberals done to Pakistan?

How many liberals blew up girl’s schools or planted bombs or blew themselves up in suicide attacks or fired on visiting cricketers? Did you hear any liberal beating up women taking part in the marathon? Did liberals ever engage in sectarian killing?

Despite everything you belive that Liberals have destroyed your country! Don’t know how old you are, to me you appear to be a product of the Zia or post Zia era when bigotry is praised but tolerance considered a crime.

If by being a liberal you imply that I am for free ***, you can't be more mistaken. Pakistan was a far better place to live and visit until JI thugs and Zia destroyed the fabric of Pakistan's soceity thru forced Wahabization of Pakistan.

You are of course welcome to your views, no matter how misguided the same may be; a luxury you can only enjoy with liberals. With your favorite people, you will end up dead or in prison if you dare to declare your disagreement openly.

heh... not really... the liberals that you are so fond of have created an atmosphere in Pakistan where children are beaten and lynched to death by mob in Sialkot... Where relatives of members of assemblies bury women alive because they chose to marry by choice...

As for schools... how many schools have liberals opened in Pakistan in the first place in the last twenty years... be my guest and tell us what improvement they have made in the education sector...

These liberals dont even pay their taxes bhai... what are you ranting about?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/world/asia/19taxes.html

Stop blaming every opposition to liberalism on JI and Zia ul Haq... The world has moved on and so should you...

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

the Takfiri problem is the direct result of the idiocy of the rulers and the liberal elite... if they had any sense of dignity and honor they would never bring down the country to the level it has gone...

 

[niaz]

heh... not really... the liberals that you are so fond of have created an atmosphere in Pakistan where children are beaten and lynched to death by mob in Sialkot... Where relatives of members of assemblies bury women alive because they chose to marry by choice...

As for schools... how many schools have liberals opened in Pakistan in the first place in the last twenty years... be my guest and tell us what improvement they have made in the education sector...

These liberals dont even pay their taxes bhai... what are you ranting about?

YouTube - World: Tax-Free Living in Pakistan - nytimes.com/video

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/world/asia/19taxes.html

Stop blaming every opposition to liberalism on JI and Zia ul Haq... The world has moved on and so should you...

YouTube - Properties of Pakistani Politicians in London

My my… what a point of view and what a twisted way of thinking.

What happened in Sialkot is direct result of the intolerant mindset which has steeped into society because of the extremist and jihadi influence. People who carried this out were not liberals but had backing of the police officers hand picked by PML-N.

You have also given example of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Shabaz Sharif. By no stretch of imagination can you call Sharif brothers liberals. My kind Sir, PML-N is not a liberal party. Their party is right of centre party. PML-N ministers are friends of SSP and Lashkar Jhangvi; banned sectarian organizations. PML-N even voted against a very minor amendment in Hudood Laws. Women are not buried alive by liberals but by ignorant tribals who are Taliban sympathizers. You count these people as liberal? Good God you must be a real had core Takfiri to think that.

You replied my question with question to justify your friends’ destruction of schools. You ask how many schools liberals established?

Honorable sir. Even if liberals did not set up single school, doesn’t justify your friend blowing up schools. Secondly, no doubt liberals did not set up any madrassahs brains washing young minds to become suicide bombers. In this instance your are quite correct. However all the schools, especially those where Pakistani girls/women are being educated, were set up by the liberals. No Taliban loving bigot will ever set up girl’s school, in actual fact they are totally against female education.

You haven’t replied my question as to how liberals have hurt Pakistan because both the examples you gave were incorrect. You are however right that world has moved on. Thanks to your favorite fundamentalists, Pakistan has moved backwards. I can vouch that Pakistan was an enlightened liberal country until ZA Bhutto era when I was living in Pakistan. I can’t leave Zia alone, because his policies have made what Pakistan is today.

There are many in Pakistan having your view point who favor setting up a dark age Islamic Emirate as was Taliban Afghanistan. I would say that we need people like those like we need a hole in the head.

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

My my… what a point of view and what a twisted way of thinking.

What happened in Sialkot is direct result of the intolerant mindset which has steeped into society because of the extremist and jihadi influence. People who carried this out were not liberals but had backing of the police officers hand picked by PML-N.

PML N... PML Q... Same coin different sides...

You have also given example of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Shabaz Sharif. By no stretch of imagination can you call Sharif brothers liberals. My kind Sir, PML-N is not a liberal party. Their party is right of centre party. PML-N ministers are friends of SSP and Lashkar Jhangvi; banned sectarian organizations. PML-N even voted against a very minor amendment in Hudood Laws. Women are not buried alive by liberals but by ignorant tribals who are Taliban sympathizers. You count these people as liberal? Good God you must be a real had core Takfiri to think that.

When you have no discussion you resort to accusations... Try something better next time... Tapeesh?

You replied my question with question to justify your friends’ destruction of schools. You ask how many schools liberals established?

My friends... Ahem... Is this your liberalism speaking now?

Honorable sir. Even if liberals did not set up single school, doesn’t justify your friend blowing up schools. Secondly, no doubt liberals did not set up any madrassahs brains washing young minds to become suicide bombers. In this instance your are quite correct. However all the schools, especially those where Pakistani girls/women are being educated, were set up by the liberals. No Taliban loving bigot will ever set up girl’s school, in actual fact they are totally against female education.

So you are so shallow minded (Moderators do allow me to say this since he is accusing me of being even worst)... that the only things you see in the world are liberals and/or Takfiris...

You haven’t replied my question as to how liberals have hurt Pakistan because both the examples you gave were incorrect. You are however right that world has moved on. Thanks to your favorite fundamentalists, Pakistan has moved backwards. I can vouch that Pakistan was an enlightened liberal country until ZA Bhutto era when I was living in Pakistan. I can’t leave Zia alone, because his policies have made what Pakistan is today.

Do you want me to start giving you examples of corruption of PML Q now? The author of the initial post belongs to that "Liberal" class and group that you are defending here..

The hell with Zia and the hell with JI... the only good thing Bhutto did was start the A Bomb project... otherwise he was as messed up as any other politician in Pakistan...

There are many in Pakistan having your view point who favor setting up a dark age Islamic Emirate as was Taliban Afghanistan. I would say that we need people like those like we need a hole in the head.

You do have a hole in your head... considering your accusations...

 

[niaz]

My my… what a point of view and what a twisted way of thinking.

What happened in Sialkot is direct result of the intolerant mindset which has steeped into society because of the extremist and jihadi influence. People who carried this out were not liberals but had backing of the police officers hand picked by PML-N.

PML N... PML Q... Same coin different sides...

You have also given example of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Shabaz Sharif. By no stretch of imagination can you call Sharif brothers liberals. My kind Sir, PML-N is not a liberal party. Their party is right of centre party. PML-N ministers are friends of SSP and Lashkar Jhangvi; banned sectarian organizations. PML-N even voted against a very minor amendment in Hudood Laws. Women are not buried alive by liberals but by ignorant tribals who are Taliban sympathizers. You count these people as liberal? Good God you must be a real had core Takfiri to think that.

When you have no discussion you resort to accusations... Try something better next time... Tapeesh?

You replied my question with question to justify your friends’ destruction of schools. You ask how many schools liberals established?

My friends... Ahem... Is this your liberalism speaking now?

Honorable sir. Even if liberals did not set up single school, doesn’t justify your friend blowing up schools. Secondly, no doubt liberals did not set up any madrassahs brains washing young minds to become suicide bombers. In this instance your are quite correct. However all the schools, especially those where Pakistani girls/women are being educated, were set up by the liberals. No Taliban loving bigot will ever set up girl’s school, in actual fact they are totally against female education.

So you are so shallow minded (Moderators do allow me to say this since he is accusing me of being even worst)... that the only things you see in the world are liberals and/or Takfiris...

You haven’t replied my question as to how liberals have hurt Pakistan because both the examples you gave were incorrect. You are however right that world has moved on. Thanks to your favorite fundamentalists, Pakistan has moved backwards. I can vouch that Pakistan was an enlightened liberal country until ZA Bhutto era when I was living in Pakistan. I can’t leave Zia alone, because his policies have made what Pakistan is today.

Do you want me to start giving you examples of corruption of PML Q now? The author of the initial post belongs to that "Liberal" class and group that you are defending here..

The hell with Zia and the hell with JI... the only good thing Bhutto did was start the A Bomb project... otherwise he was as messed up as any other politician in Pakistan...

There are many in Pakistan having your view point who favor setting up a dark age Islamic Emirate as was Taliban Afghanistan. I would say that we need people like those like we need a hole in the head.

You do have a hole in your head... considering your accusations...

It is the ultimate irony that some Hon. Members of this forum, members of the National Assembly and nearly all the media pundits have made so much noise over a woman who is married to a known terrorist and whose connections with terrorists are difficult to ignore. Anyone who even vaguely throws aspersions on her innocence is denounced by the bigots as “Liberalist”.

However nearly 25,000 Pakistanis have so far died in the terrorist attacks over the last 10 years. Even today two suicide bombers have struck at Abdulla Shah Ghazi shrine killing about 60 innocent Pakistanis. Suppose you will blame this on liberals also because in your book terrorists can do no wrong.

Pray tell me what would it take for people like you to see reason?

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

Dear Niaz Bhai. Sorry for the late reply. I have been busy with an important project.

Allow me to explain myself a little more. I think you are misunderstanding me on some issues.

Firstly please try to understand that not everyone who shows Islamic sentiment is automatically some terrorist/takfiri or their sympathesizer. I am really surprised that my little discussion of our Islamic roots has caused some offense to people on the forum. Dont we say Pakistan Ka Matlab Kya La Ilaha Il Allah?

Secondly my dear, half of my family is in Pakistan army... Either serving or retired... How could I ever in my sanity defend the atrocities that have been done against my people... or my army? and on top of it all in the name of a twisted and downright wrong interpretation of Islam? I do NOT support terrorism and never will... Be it against Pakistan or America... Its a different matter that people get upset at the very mention of showing America or traitors like Musharaf some opposition...

Lastly we need to be clear on the issue of liberalism... I am myself a very liberal person and believe that I do not need to enforce anything on anyone... The concepts of our ideology... the beauty of Islam is such that it draws people to itself and people themselves devote their lives to this deen... the only reason why I opposed this woman who is writing against Aafia Siddiqui is because just the fact she is sitting in the parliament and associated with this PML Q group is enough to tell me that she is the worst amongst our nation... Brother Niaz do I have to tell you that Pakistan is a Kakistocracy? Cant you see these Dacoits looting us in the name of government? If that is liberalism then hell with such liberalism... That was what I wanted to say when I mentioned liberalism... the context is the thing to understand here...

As for Ms Siddiqui... I know what you are saying but for God sake try to understand that it is very obvious that she did not attack any American soldier and it was the soldier who shot her in his panic... So this whole trial is a sham and please no matter how liberal you might think you are and no matter what sins you have committed in life, God is most merciful but remember that the one thing God will never forgive is if a person wrongs another person and acts unjust towards them... So be just in your judgement...

I wish you a good day and lots of salams!!!

Oye T Faz... Niaz called me a takfiri something in his anger and you actually THANKED HIM for that?

Right... time to declare war on someone me thinks... lol

 

[BATMAN]

Let us clear some confusions.
Marvi is not a liberal in any sense... as you quoted her in beginning.
Perhaps you have different understanding of very thing ranging from liberals and takfiris.
While Marvi refused to join the walk out she gave her point of view very fairly in her message.
So speculation shall stop.

Afia may not have attacked the US soldiers and she might have been victimized and may have denied justice but she did had baggage attached with her and in no sense was a matter of greater importance than rest of other dying in the country.

It is same stupid logic as those who die in political rally are shaheed and who dies in target killing and terrorist attacks of TTP are just a head count.

All your discussion are point less rants going in different directions showing your venom and objective.

I don't trust you have any members of family in Army and you and your fake skirmish with T-Faz! i repeat what you said..... two sides of same coin.

 

[Muhammad-Bin-Qasim]

Oh and let me tell you something... You dont want to taste my venom...

 

[BATMAN]

Very unwarranted!!!!
Acting like one of my many admirers...., venom queen.
I see where you are trying to take it.... so lets just for get it... for now.

I like to apologizes to your friends at higher ups for the sheer disappointment, i may have caused for not taking the bait.