Living Through War

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Since 9/11, people have changed their entire perspective about islam and other muslim countries.Pakistan being one of them, since it has been in the media somuch. Its been hard on us Pakistanis .Esp those people who are living else where other then Pakistan itself. I have been a student in Us for the past 2 yrs. Came here a month or so prior to Sep 11. I have seen the changing attitudes of my colleages. I remmember the day right after 9/11,as I walked into my sociology class and I could literally feel alot of eyes upon me.
And Just yesterday, in my Religion class, my professor was teaching us about islam and he told the class that islam teaches one to love others. And an American girl in my class said and so thats why they kill ppl in the name of religion. I told her to look back a little at the Crusades, what was that abt?, it was done in the name of Christainity. Every religion in this world teaches one to love others, then why did the Crusades happen?. She could find no answer to that. Concluding my point, I told her that you cannot just base a generalization about the religion as a whole, if some people did something that our religion prohibits. I have tried alot of times to keep quiet about it, but sometimes they have to be told..........

Excellent and painful. You are a Pakistani Muslim but all Pakistan and Islam need not rest on your shoulders; take it easy on yourself. Pakistan and Muslims are many things, some positive, some entirely negative, and you need not defend any of these as if you constructed them.

``When my neighbor asked what I felt, I said something like I wanted to cry but crying wasn’t coming``. Admire the strong emotion in that sentence and the use of the crying-isn`t-coming theme in the entire article..very poignant.
Its true we are slowly becoming immune to these gruesome images because we actually see them now..
I am also very defensive and protective when it comes to Pakistan but I don`t feel responsible for the deeds of others. I am as much a member of ( the Canadian) society as the next person. wy should i be treated any different because of my nationality? Not everyone thinks Pakistan is all about extremists and for those who do, well, you can`t blame them but you can try and remedy some of their misunderstandings.
#6.huh? dare i ask how this became an india-pakistan issue?

My 2 cents to each of the questions of nazarhayatkhan @ # 4:

``To be honest, we have an identity crisis to begin with. Are we South Asians or descendants of the Arabs or our origins are in Central Asia. ``

We belong where our family lines take us to. We are South Asians, Arabs, Central Asians and others. The confusion is on this interactive board. Pakistan is a non-homegenous group of people. We have our own ethnic diversity.

``Are we suppose to be a secular liberal democracy or some kind of a theological state?``

This is a debate that will eventually become our political divide into right and left. I see a liberal democratic party (yes I am suggesting that parties like PPP and PML n will cease to exist) always pitted against Islamic front.

``Why the democratic traditions have failed to take root?``

Because of Army.

``Why the Army does not let the civil society to its own? ``

The civil society itself keeps inviting army to rule so that the ruling party could be removed. Imran Khan disclosed that during a session of ARD when the news came of Army`s coup against BB`s Government, Nasrullah Khan ordered sweets to be distributed among those present.

``Why the violent religious fringe keeps returning back with a constant regularity? ``

Because of lack of democracy. Since Islamists have their Government in the NWFP and Balochistan one would now witness decreasing extremism and religious violence. Whatever violence would be there it would be terrorism like killing of Shias in a mosque in Karachi, having nothing to do with religion.

A noble gesture



This refers to the letter by Arif Humanyun (March 3) in response to Narayana Hrudayalaya`s offer of free heart surgery to Pakistani public.

Being an Indian now settled in Canada I am a regular reader of Dawn. I was very happy to see such a letter in your paper about my country.

There are many charitable institutions in India like Narayana Hrudayalaya, Shankara Netralaya (Eye Clinic)and Satya Sai Hospital, most of them run by religious charities and offer free medical services to public irrespective of their faiths and geographical backgrounds. The facilities and treatment at these medical centres are at par with any good hospitals found in developed countries and are mostly funded by non-resident Indians abroad.

I hope the gestures shown by these medical centres which serve the needs of the poor people will change hearts on both sides of the border to have a friendly relationship.

United, both India and Pakistan can concentrate on education, health and economy rather than spending their valuable resources and time on defence.

India with its superior educational institutions like IITs, IISc, IIMs, RECs, medical institutes, software training institutes and research institutions can help Pakistan in the field of education also. This facility is offered to most Middle East countries, such as Iran, whose students come to India for study.

RANGA M. IYENGAR

Toronto, Canada

///above is from dawn of today. It is again the pompous indian publicising their great humanity, how they are trying to make a human bridge to the much hated pakistan. What is forgotten is the contribution of pakistanis, how they are also making genuine bridges of friendship to the indian.
Last week they cut off the noses of several indians to further the studies on nose transplants, the genetic compatibility of hindu noses on muslim faces.
There is a shortage of human organs for transplantation in indian and every where. There are reports of poor indians selling their kidneys and lungs and what not for money. To laleviate this pak jihadists have killed 24 pundits in kashmir, and it is the failure of the indian govt, the sheer hindu incompetence that lead to the watse of such good human organs, that too pur organicall grown, vegetarian stuff. It is time that pakistanis get their contributions recognised.

Ras,

We shouldn`t feel that. I agree, yet my protectiveness about Pakistan is really hard to sustain in Ameria.

Aisha

``When I speak I hear my own fear tremble in expectation that I will be recognized as a Pakistani Muslim. This clashes with my country’s pride. Pride that I’ve built brick by brick all alone in an anti-Pakistani environment.``

I think you`ve hit at something very important here. I`d like to ask some questions:

(1) What is this pride based on?
(2) How true can it be if all the benefit it has conferred, in the face of adversity, is a sense of paranoia at being recognised or found out?
(3) When you say Pakistani Muslim, what comes first? Pakistani or Muslim?

Aamir

Aisha

You are not alone in this sense of hopelessness. A number of unresolved issues continue to disturb us.

To be honest, we have an identity crisis to begin with. Are we South Asians or descendants of the Arabs or our origins are in Central Asia.

Are we suppose to be a secular liberal democracy or some kind of a theological state?

Why the democratic traditions have failed to take root?

Why the Army does not let the civil society to its own?

Why the violent religious fringe keeps returning back with a constant regularity?

Aisha,
this disturbs me

`` I know that because even today when I walk through a crowd, I peek from my downward gaze to see if someone is pointing at me and yelling I’m one of them. When I speak I hear my own fear tremble in expectation that I will be recognized as a Pakistani Muslim``

Why should we feel like that?

Ras

Aisha Sarwari:
you are right. there is far more we can contribute by fighting for or at least engaging ourselves productively in an often brutalizing environment.

why is fall of dignity funny? it seems most concepts/notions of dignity and honor themselves are funny.