By Nida Maqsud
The people of Pakistan aren’t vociferously outspoken enough against the terrorist attacks that have taken place, both within and outside Pakistan’s borders – or so it has been claimed by many a commentator. I have read article upon article with such a premise, and, as a citizen of the world, I have agreed. But as a Pakistani at heart, I’ve struggled with this theory for many months, only to keep knocking against a wall of inconsolable despair. Why have I not spoken out until now? Because I am a hard-working, intelligent resident of Pakistani society, a loyal citizen of the United States, and it kills me to have to suffer the incompetencies of corrupt elected governments; the conniving schemes of powerful countries trying to take advantage of “failed states”, and vice versa; the demoralizing illiteracy of a large and ever-increasing group of people who believe that their anguish can only be expressed through violence; and the heartbreaking optimism of a people who continue to work hard and believe in the nation that their ancestors fought for so tirelessly. Add to that the defeatist tendencies of my own friends and family, and there you have yourself a sample slice of a world, terrorized and speechless.
So why aren’t we, as Pakistanis, speaking loud enough for the rest of the world to hear: We condemn terrorism. Could it be a result of our confusion? I mean, what exactly do we say? Whose side are we on? Most certainly not the Indians who have always been our enemies, in all but music, film, theater, literature, student exchange, intellectual discourse… And of course not the American government, who seeks to displace all other ways of life with their own, in their on-going conquest of the world. Not even Pakistan’s own rulers, hypocrites of the first degree, murderers and high school drop-outs, thieves, embezzlers, and power-hungry dictators, painting a palatable picture of ‘democracy’ for CNN and BBC to broadcast around the world. Do we stand up for capitalism, socialism, or communism? For secularism or theocracy? For democracy that is true or staged? Do we categorize ourselves as Pakistanis, Muslims, victims or perpetrators? Should we create a facebook group with our own website, catchy title, and slogan? Or print T-shirts and wear them on our Long March into hell?
Let there be no question that Pakistanis are suffering. Some in silence, attempting to pick up the pieces and go on with their lives as lawyers, doctors, musicians, chefs, drivers, teachers, businessmen, or civil servants; some through activism, by building schools, arranging protests, vying for the underdogs; and still others erupting in fury, burning tyres, smashing windows, blowing up their local KFC, not knowing who to blame and how to vent.
Let there be no question that Pakistanis condemn terrorism. The terror you feel when the world of, first the performing arts, then international sports, is attacked within a couple miles of your home, in the span of only three months. The terror you feel when so many vested interests are vying for power to decide the fate of your country, and hence, the world. The terror you feel when you think ten times before deciding whether it’s safe to bring a new child into this world. Of the powerless under the powerful. And let there be no question, by powerful, I mean, greedy – be it for money, revenge, or just a chance to be king of the world – anything but peace which is just so profitless, bad for ratings, and, come one, let’s face it…boring.
So what can we do to help? Protest, make phone calls to our elected officials, write letters to the newspaper? – that seems to work in the US. Trust the local authorities to solve our problems? – that doesn’t seem to be working in Swat. Fight fire with matchsticks, as they’ve been doing in Gaza? Become conspiracy theorists, and spread the word about the evil of the Rothschilds? Pray? I ask you, oh terrorized people, oh terrorizers, of the world, what can we do? What, in the name of Allah, Jesus, Ram, Buddha, secularism, fuck’s sake, whatever you hold dear, can we do? How can we pull the plug on this globally televised event we call “Terror”? And end the real suffering.
