All good things must come to an end. It has been such a joy posting to sanavision.wordpress.com I will not be updating this blog anymore. Thank you to all the kind supporters and those who respectfully disagreed with me. You have all taught me much about the issues close to my heart.
Thanks and take care!
xx
“So how was it?”
My friend Jackie asked about the “Bhutto” documentary I had just seen as we sat down to lunch.
It took me a moment to find the right words.
“Compelling. Inspiring. Raw.”
She nodded understandingly.
To all my non-Pakistani friends, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto is an enigmatic figure. They know her father had been a charismatic intellect, they know she herself had led a nation – heck, a MUSLIM nation – and they know she was assassinated. They know all about the UN report condemning the Musharraf government for gross oversight regarding her security detail (I take credit for the last part; the report was all I could talk about for a few days).
But how to describe her to someone removed from the chaotic intricacies of Pakistani politics? It seemed impossible, until “Bhutto.”
The documentary was about more than one woman, it was about her dreams for her nation. I can’t help but feel that it is exactly what Bibi would have wanted. It was, in one word, thorough.
The night before, I headed to the National Geographic Headquarters feeling lucky I would soon be watching the documentary. I had heard such great things about it; it had won critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. I walked into the main reception room and stopped in my tracks, in awe of the scene before me.
I was in a room with members of Congress, high-ranking officials from prominent think-tanks…and a slightly out-of-focus figure from history. Sanam Bhutto stood in the corner, smilingly chatting with two people. She wasn’t out of focus at all – it took me a minute to wrap my mind around the idea that Sanam Bhutto was here from London for this premiere and I would get a chance to say hello.
She proved every bit the lady I knew she would be – utterly gracious and kind. No one can doubt there is something strong in the Bhuttos, something profoundly patriotic. It was an amazing moment, one I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Soon after my arrival, the documentary began. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi – an unwavering supporter of a democratic Pakistan – spoke at length about her friendship with Benazir Bhutto. She smiled as she recalled the address Bibi gave to a joint session in Congress, and slowly said the line that gave me chills “Ladies and Gentlemen, democracy is the best revenge.”
One powerhouse woman paying tribute to another. What a moment.
“Bhutto” covered the creation of Pakistan, and the multiple military dictatorships that have wrecked our country. The film showed a Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his element – a proud, liberal leader with a vision for his people. Like all Pakistanis, I had heard the story of how he stormed out of the UN, but seeing the footage was incredible. Though he was and always will be a star in Pakistan’s history, he had his flaws and “Bhutto” does not hide them. His political deals with the right-wing clashed with his vision for Pakistan. His choice in chief-of-staff was his downfall. His execution, one of the darkest days in Pakistan’s history, would pave the way for Zia’s martial law to reign supreme law of the land.
As the film went through Pakistan’s history, I saw martial law, military dictatorships over and over again. It is frustrating to think my people had to suffer this much, generation after generation. WHY?
One fact stared back at me. Pakistan was strategically important to the United States both under Zia (Cold War raged on, and Pakistan served as launching pad) and Musharraf (Bush invaded Afghanistan and need Pakistan’s support).
In both instances, regimes that brutalized people, threw out civil liberties and even the Constitution were propped up with American dollars. I looked around at the audience. There was no denying everyone in the room connected the dots; Americans looked sad at the fact. After the documentary was over, I spoke to someone who said the following: “We have made mistakes that have cost the Pakistani people a lot. The United States can never afford to do this again. We can’t support a non-democratic government in Pakistan. Never, ever again.”
Such is the power of “Bhutto.”
The documentary showed Bibi’s family drama, her two terms as Prime Minister, and her personal life. I got the sense she wanted to maintain as stable a life for her children as possible, but was always devoted to her cause – democracy. Her brothers’ murders tore at my heart, tears stung my eyes. I was not alone; everyone around me was still, watching the screen, stunned at the deaths. “Bhutto” is not one-sided, as so many would assume so. Musharraf, Fatima Bhutto, and other critics of Bibi’s are interviewed throughout the film, allowing the audience to make his or her own opinion.
To me, there is only one opinion of the distinctively named Benazir. She was a woman with a steely resolve to help her people, a woman who carried a humanity instilled in her by her father. She was flawed, she made mistakes, she suffered public agony but her love for Pakistan was always in her eyes and her actions. The laws to help the poor in Pakistan have her name to them, and that alone serves as a testament to her love. Others may differ, and they are welcome to. But that is my sincere thought on her.
The strangest thing is, while I knew she was assassinated, I couldn’t help but sit there and pray for her success. I wished with all my heart she had lived to be elected, had guided Pakistan with her hand and heart.
But she didn’t. She died. A martyr for her country.
I walked home with a heavy heart, a prayer on my lips for all those who have died for Pakistan: the leaders killed due to politically motivated agendas, the brave tribal leaders who have stood up to the Taliban, the unsung heroes of our army, whose numbers astound the US and NATO forces, and the civilians – the ones who were praying, walking, shopping, living their lives, when a terrorist’s bomb went off. We have lost so much.
Then I remembered something. Bibi said that when she returned home, that parade in her honor was magical. That people were singing, dancing, joyous, hopeful. To her, that was Pakistan, and that was the Pakistani spirit. The blasts that occurred ruined it and killed so many, but right before that, that moment showed her what she was here to do.
I realized that losing heart and being melancholy was too self-defeatist. The Taliban will already have won if I give up, and that thought is too unsettling. I am inspired by this woman, her actions and her message. In “Bhutto,” Bibi herself narrated her life, shared the most traumatic moments of her life, and offered her dreams. I have taken them as my own, and will do what I can, in whatever small way, to bring them closer to reality.
The horrific tragedy of the Ahmadi mosque bombings has shaken something inside me and caused me to question what the very soul of my country even is. Bombings are a commonplace occurrence, a dime a dozen, in today’s Pakistan. People live their lives with the once-shocking explosions now a mere hum in the background of their day to day activities.
Yet the targeted killing of a harassed sect of Muslims has hurt me beyond words I can express. As many have pointed out, the white stripe of our flag is there for a reason: it symbolizes the minorities within Pakistan. With that stripe, we say “You are all Pakistani. You are all welcome here.” That was the message and plan of the Quaid. Rooted in Islam, the principle of equality was to be the very foundation of this country.
All that seems laughable now! The Ahmadis were targets because they are a persecuted sect. Extremists have no sense of respect for a house of worship, the sacredness of Friday prayers, or the innocent lives that will be destroyed as a result of their actions. Pakistanis are united against them, we are all working to rid of our country of these monsters.
However, the Ahmadi mosque bombings have revealed our other fight: against ourselves. As I watch the media reporting on the bombings, as I read the newspaper articles, I am struck with the sense that we as a nation are equally to blame as the terrorists.
Our society has made it socially acceptable to discriminate against an Ahmadi. We have laws branding Ahmadis second-class citizens, depriving them of their right to call themselves Muslims. Who are we to call another person a good Muslim or not? Who are we to have the right to judge? We are a nation of hypocritical Muslims – casting judgment, playing the role of God in deciding who is a good Muslim or not. These words are harsh but my anger and hurt at Pakistani social attitudes is deep as well.
We have to stop the judgmental attitudes. We have to respect each individual’s right to live, dress, worship as chosen. We cannot create the perfect environment for bombings like this to go on.
We are just as much to blame as the terrorists themselves.
My friends Anas & Farhad join me to discuss the appalling news story of Hamid Mir and the general state of Pakistani journalism.
We all want to feel like we belong to something.
From the moment we enter adolescence and begin to understand society, we wonder “Where do I belong?” We look to something to identify with, a cause we can chain to the activist era of our lives. For that is youth – an exciting time where we learn of the world and tackle the problems, realize our goals and work towards them.
Take this excerpt from a: recent piece in the Daily Times
Muhammad Amir Rana, a terrorism researcher in Islamabad, told the Washington Post that his recent surveys indicated that radicalisation was on the rise among privileged Pakistani youth, who relate neither to the West nor to Pakistan’s impoverished masses.
“They feel alienated,” Rana said, director of the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, who added that such feelings have rarely led to violence. “So they try to identify themselves through religion.”
I understand that the youth are seeing their nation in turmoil – we are fighting a bloody war with terrorists while at the same time trying to solidify. A lot is happening.
But to take to radicalism amidst all this improvement? It is nothing short of appalling – this is the very radicalism that has created the cancer of extremism in our country – the very radicalism that has killed thousands of our people, and paralyzed the public into fear. This is the same extremist Islam that has caused the current instability that we are trying so hard to get out of!
I cannot think of these privileged people supporting radicalism without getting frustrated at their lack of compassion for fellow Pakistanis.
I always heard of the “drawing room politicos” as people who sat in their silk cushioned lounges and talked airily of what needed to be done. How many of these people go out into society and see first hand the traumatic poverty of millions of their countrymen? How many of them volunteer to help in their community? Do they write letters for better roads, better schools? Do these people actively work to improve the quality of life in Pakistan?
The answer is “no.” We cannot forget how welcome General Musharraf was in Pakistan. Once upon a time, he had supporters in drawing rooms across the wealthy neighborhoods. But he blocked the media, dismissed the Courts, and threw out the Constitution. Looking for a new identity, the youth have not set their eyes on radicalism.
To these people I say this:
Your identity is first as a human being. You are born a human, and you are then given a name. You belong to your family, your friends, your country and your religion. You can pledge your allegiance to any entity or idea that appeals to you. All great movements have had the support of the young, and that is the way humanity has progressed through time. We have pushed for equal rights for women, fair treatment of minorities, and equality under the law for all. That, actually, is all enshrined in Islam. To believe in an interpretation of Islam that goes against love and compassion is wrong. Someone is lying to you, feeding you ugly lies about our pure faith. Do not believe it. You are blessed to be wealthy. Now, think of your fellow man and how to help him. Do not fall to extremism, not when we are getting closer to ending it in our country.
Pakistan Zindabad.
We talk about the facebook ban, the sad story behind it and in our opinion, the Court’s erroneous response. While I understand and share the anger at the ignorant facebook group, I can’t help but feel banning websites hurts Pakistanis most of all 
We talk about the facebook ban, the sad story behind it and in our opinion, the Court’s erroneous response. While I understand and share the anger at the ignorant facebook group, I can’t help but feel banning websites hurts Pakistanis most of all 
We talk about the facebook ban, the sad story behind it and in our opinion, the Court’s erroneous response. While I understand and share the anger at the ignorant facebook group, I can’t help but feel banning websites hurts Pakistanis most of all
Right now I’m listening to the Pakistani National Anthem. You might know the one – it’s instrumental by Junoon. It’s also pretty fantastic.
I caught myself with a melancholy expression looking out the window whilst the last chords faded away. This anthem always makes me think of all the potential, all the possibility within Pakistan. It is all ruined by the actions of a few scummy individuals, who paint a picture in the minds of the world of a violent, brutal people.
When will we let them stop speaking for us?
In my last blog, I wrote how on the political level, anti-democracy forces were losing badly. It looks as though Pakistan’s government will change hands only through elections. We have done well with that and we should all be immensely proud.
But change needs to happen not just from the top down but also the bottom up. We have to make sure that just as the anti-democracy ideology has subsided, so must the anti-humanity sentiments. We cannot have people living in or outside of Pakistan, who claim to be part of our nation, attempt to murder innocent others. The attempted bombing in NYC shocked everyone. That the suspect taken into custody is Pakistani was truly appalling to me. I felt we had suffered another blow – another one of us, misguided, ignorant, disturbed.
Tonight, at 11:00 PM EST, I will host my online radio show – it is a special one, regarding solely Faisal Shahzad and his attempted terrorism. To call in, the number is 347.637.1859.
Otherwise, you can listen to the show tomorrow, inshallah, I will post it here.
Right now I’m listening to the Pakistani National Anthem. You might know the one – it’s instrumental by Junoon. It’s also pretty fantastic.
I caught myself with a melancholy expression looking out the window whilst the last chords faded away. This anthem always makes me think of all the potential, all the possibility within Pakistan. It is all ruined by the actions of a few scummy individuals, who paint a picture in the minds of the world of a violent, brutal people.
When will we let them stop speaking for us?
In my last blog, I wrote how on the political level, anti-democracy forces were losing badly. It looks as though Pakistan’s government will change hands only through elections. We have done well with that and we should all be immensely proud.
But change needs to happen not just from the top down but also the bottom up. We have to make sure that just as the anti-democracy ideology has subsided, so must the anti-humanity sentiments. We cannot have people living in or outside of Pakistan, who claim to be part of our nation, attempt to murder innocent others. The attempted bombing in NYC shocked everyone. That the suspect taken into custody is Pakistani was truly appalling to me. I felt we had suffered another blow – another one of us, misguided, ignorant, disturbed.
Tonight, at 11:00 PM EST, I will host my online radio show – it is a special one, regarding solely Faisal Shahzad and his attempted terrorism.
Otherwise, you can listen to the show tomorrow, inshallah, I will post it here.
Vast challenges lie ahead for Pakistan. With the threat of terrorism, an unstable economy and power outages, it surprises no one that our leaders have ambitious plans to resolve these issues. The President, Prime Minister (also known as “The Magic Man” for his ability to get things done) and the entire legislative branch have the experts, intelligence, and motivation to accomplish much for Pakistan.
But above all, we now have a chance. The country has reached a consensus that all must be done, all progress realized, under the mantle of democracy. The constitutional reforms have taken Pakistan to a much more democratic level. The 18th Amendment has moved powers from the President to the Prime Minister and Parliament. Further, our Presidents can no longer adjourn Parliament as he deems fit. The Amendment has transferred certain authority away from the federal government and to the provinces, allowing the people easier access to the people responsible for their daily way of life. Provincial governments are not exclusively in charge of a wide array of issues – societal needs, criminal law among them.
We have restored the 1973 Constitution, and while it has not perfected the system (and what country’s political system is perfect at all?) it has allowed democracy to jump leaps ahead of where we were prior to the restoration.
Let us analyze the fact that we have a President willing to curb his own powers. The executive’s powers increased exponentially under Nawaz Sharif and Gen. Musharraf. After all, the latter felt it was his right to throw out the entire judicial system at his discretion! Whether one approves of him or harbors old resentment still, it cannot be denied that by signing the 18th Amendment the President of Pakistan has done what no leader in recent history has been capable of – handing over his powers for the sake of democracy.
Passing the reforms was not a walk in the park, by any stretch of the imagination. There was at times open hostility, barbs traded back and forth, from all sides. This dissent is a matter of public record. However, it is in the overall interest of a functioning democracy to have a vibrant debate before reaching consensus…and consensus was reached!
Looking at the end result, we can see that the push for reform came from all parties. That is the united attitude we need to continue in Pakistan.
We can also be proud of our newly free and (sometimes too) dynamic media. We are a country not afraid to voice our opinions and we are not living under a government too afraid to hear them.
Let us remember that this is Pakistan’s third attempt at democracy since its inception. Let us also remember that democracy is its own teacher, it learns and adapts with experience. We must now implement the reforms and solve the people’s day-to-day problems with the lessons we have already learned.
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