Hunting down Shias: Society’s deafening silence

[Huda]

KARACHI: Hauled off buses, targeted in their clinics, on boulevards, in alleys, in shops, in offices, in processions and pilgrimages, is there any place left safe for Shias in Pakistan? At Ashura, they were chastised for taking out Moharram processions and giving terrorists an open field in which to attack.

Till yesterday, they might have thought that the inner sanctum of their homes would provide them protection against the growing madness swirling around them. But now the killing fields are their own homes.

Yesterday’s blast in Abbas Town not only blew out shop windows and decimated shopkeepers, hawkers and customers, it also pulverised women and children enjoying the weekend evening breeze on their balconies.

Mothers preparing dinner, kids finishing homework and packing school bags, neighbours chit chatting in corridors, TV sets blaring… a scene of tranquillity and domesticity turned into an inferno in seconds.

As fires raged through the flats and buried people in piles of rubble, panicked families ran for cover, traumatised toddlers sat on stretchers with bandages on swollen heads and tiny hands, and hospitals were flooded with appeals for blood, the writing was writ large on the wall: Either you are with us or against us.

The irony is that instead of the state machinery issuing this warning to these terrorists, it is the latter who are clearly demarcating the lines for the battle to the finish for the soul of Pakistan. It is the state which has capitulated to these “non state actors”.

In short, our chickens have come home to roost.

Once upon a time not so long ago, pock marked and neurotic Karachi was beautiful and cosmopolitan where people of all faiths happily intermingled at work and home.

In school, no one even thought of asking who was Sunni or Shia, because it was irrelevant.

Today, a majority of Pakistanis have started believing that Shias are not Muslims, according to a recent Pew research poll. This bigotry reveals itself on social media forums when you are asked repeatedly why you have the audacity to believe that Shias are Muslims when they clearly are not.

The disinformation campaign against Shias can be seen in the Urdu sms received the other day: “Aik teacher nay Shia student say sawal kia: Haraf Ain say Ali aur Ain say hi Umar banta hai, tau in doonon main faraq kiya hai? Baccha bola: Jis tarah lafz Hay say Halali aur Hay say hi ****** banta hai, wohi faraq hai.”

At such times, one is reminded of Nietzche: “People don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusion destroyed.”

Known for their erudition and culture, Shias are being hunted down from Quetta to Lahore to Karachi and yet people are so cowed down by paralysing fear and cowardice that they are unable to speak up for their brothers and sisters who are in so much pain.

Even at the recently held Karachi Literature Festival, one was told off for expressing support with the Shia community. On spotting a badge which stated, “Stop Shia killings”, an acquaintance cast a fearful look around the crowd: “Beta, you must take it off right now!” “But why?” “Somebody here might kill you,” she insisted, looking over her shoulder.

It is no secret that our curriculum today teaches hatred for minorities and other sects, instead of teaching children to celebrate diversity, because in diversity there is not only beauty but also strength. The different rituals, practices, festivals, dress, traditions et al should be celebrated, not vilified.

What a boring country we would be if everyone was cut from the same cloth.

The Taliban are not known for their great love of literature, but it seems that they are taking a leaf out of George Orwell’s ominous “1984”, which was a prescient warning to the power of totalitarianism and conformity by force.

In the book, individualism was stamped out with gusto and all citizens of the Orwellian had to fit into the slots assigned for them. People were paid to be spies and turn in colleagues and friends to the state, never to be seen again. Those who refused to part with their individuality or loyalty were eliminated.

Unlike the disillusioned Hazaras, who have now started taking up arms to protect their neighbourhoods in Quetta, the Shia community in Karachi remain committed to the path of peace and reconciliation.

They are hoping for a better tomorrow, but who can blame them for losing hope day by day?

The founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a Shia but today he is called a kafir by many venomous Pakistanis.

Mr Jinnah’s prophetic words “United we Stand, Divided we Fall’’ have never seemed more tragically relevant to the country he founded with such high hopes and aspirations

 

[Huda]

http://dawn.com/2013/03/04/hunting-down-shias-societys-deafening-silence/

 

[Aslan]

The title should appropriately have been read, Hunting down Pakistanis, Society’s deafening silence. Its just not about the Shias, but Sunnis have suffered as well and at times worse then this. That does not make this tragedy any less a tragedy. So rather then highlighting it as a sectarian issue, it should be highlighted as an issue that plagues us all, and effects us all equally.

 

[Roybot]

The title should appropriately have been read, Hunting down Pakistanis, Society’s deafening silence. Its just not about the Shias, but Sunnis have suffered as well and at times worse then this. That does not make this tragedy any less a tragedy. So rather then highlighting it as a sectarian issue, it should be highlighted as an issue that plagues us all, and effects us all equally.

Acknowledging a problem is the first step to fixing it.

 

[Aslan]

Acknowledging a problem is a first step to fixing it.

And what was I doing in my post??

 

[Roybot]

And what was I doing in my post??

You are not acknowledging the problem. You are trying to give it a different twist. The problem is sectarian.

 

[Cheetah786]

These same people who are cheering today will face the same Tomorrow who will be next after shias same ones defending the terrorist will be the next target of the terrorist.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:

First they came for the Ahmedies, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Ahmedy.

Then they came for the Hindus/Christians, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Hindu/Christians.

Then they came for the shia, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a shia.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

LOL Most Wahhabi Terrorist supporters have bought Homes in U.A.E plus transferred all their wealth out of pakistan cause they don't like where pakistan is headed.

 

[Ayush]

true,these actions are unacceptable.

in a country founded by a shia,shias are being targeted for dont know what reason.

also,who knows when this well end.the sunnis are further divided into many categories,so will this happen with them too.

it is important to realise that this mind step will not stop here.

hence,this problem should be eradicated as soon as possible,before it spreads over.

 

[Aslan]

You are not acknowledging the problem. You are trying to give it a different twist. The problem is sectarian.

Thats the way u look at it, I said what I said, and meant what I said. U can disagree with it, but thats your opinion, not mine.

 

[Ayush]

And what was I doing in my post??

no,you were trying to downplay it.

Thats the way u look at it, I said what I said, and meant what I said. U can disagree with it, but thats your opinion, not mine.

true,you have your opinion,but (no offence) denying this will affect your country only,not his.
but then,your opinion.

 

[Aslan]

no,you were trying to downplay it.

If I needed an indian to tell me about what I was doing in will ask an indian, read my reply to your mate, and mind your own business.

 

[Huda]

You are not acknowledging the problem. You are trying to give it a different twist. The problem is sectarian.

There are no sectarian problem but some powers are busy in creating this sort of problems to abolish the peace of our motherland

 

[Cheetah786]

Thats the way u look at it, I said what I said, and meant what I said. U can disagree with it, but thats your opinion, not mine.

Disgusting

There are no sectarian problem but some powers are busy in creating this sort of problems to abolish the peace of our motherland

sure their is no sectarian problem but the victims are all shias.

 

[zakriaarshad]

Thats the way u look at it, I said what I said, and meant what I said. U can disagree with it, but thats your opinion, not mine.

Dont give the problem a clolor, which has been tried to tinge in the article..... Its a national issue..... The society is silent because every one knows the condition now only requires a flame to turn everything into ashes.. As being done in sYRIA.... The "patience" should not be termed as "silence".... Both Shias and Sunnies are facing huge looses of all forms....

 

[Ayush]

If I needed an indian to tell me about what I was doing in will ask an indian, read my reply to your mate, and mind your own business.

and now,you read post 13 and try mending your business.