Hoping, Without Hope

``Who will stop this? Or rather, what will stop this?``

For all other violent deaths in the world, do people in general have ready solutions to offer? I suspect yes.

For dead Afghans - Since you drove out the Taliban, don`t expect us to protest your deaths now.
For dead Indians, well you deserve to die anywhere anytime until we declare that you have stopped oppressing Muslims.
For dead Saudis, well drive out the infidels from Muslim lands and quit the global capitalist system then we will see. (western-educated alternative - it is justified to keep killing you until you are allowed to vote)
For Iraqis killed in bomb blasts, stop cooperating with the occupier Americans, simple.
For dead Thais, you need to let Muslims secede or keep dying.
For dead Indonesians, all the bombers want you to do is to wind up your nation and submit to a SE Asian Khilafat, what is so bad about that?
For dead NY`ers - in a democracy people need to take responsibility for the actions of their government and Army.

So similarly, to those who die violent deaths in your own country it should be AS easy to say what to do, no?

Stuka

It is simple as 2 plus 2.

Mullah Shamzai was the staunchest supporter of Talibans in Pakistan and as a matter of fact this 79 year old lead hundereds if not thousands of Paksitanis across the border to fight Unietd State`s state terrorism on the state of Afghanistan. And even after the war he was supporting Afghan freedom fighters against crusaders occupation army. The man was strictly a non-sectarian mullah and actually strived for sectarian harmony. The man was a direct CIA hit because he was opposing Afghan collaborators and puppet regime who happen to be shia. Given the sectarian nature of this violance in city of karachi CIA tried to kill two birds in one stone:

1. They killed Mullah Shamzai in a targeted killing

2. Tried to shift the blame on shias of Karachi of that murder by plotting a bomb in their mosque giving an impression that it was sunni retaliation. It will further the rift between shias and sunnis of Afdghanistan and thus help occupiers to divide and conquer.

The shia sunni violence in Pakistan should be viewed with this perspective.

You have to understand the undertones of the western propaganda machinery who started paroting the phrase ``a sunni scholar`` as soon as Mullah was murdered. Why would they characterize Mullah Shamzai as ``sunni scholar`` while his non-sectarian credentials are well estableished they could have just said `` a mulla, a taliban supporter, or a scholar``. And then within 24 hours a bomb explodes at a shia mosque which leaves everyone wondering why.

Urstruly:

Your defence is bogus. At best it can be used to defend attempts on Musharaff as an individual. What does killing a 5 year old in a mosque have to do with top brass lying down in front of US?

Omar # 14

Please do not blame Pakistanis. People of Pakistan from the day one warned Mushraf and fauji janta not to lie down in front of US completely. But did he and his goons listen to the voice of people. No. And since then people have been trying to kill him. So what is happening now is the effect and not the cause. Senator Javed Hashmi correctly pointed out to faujis that young officers in Army will not tolerate the unconditional surrender of top brass in front of US. Did anyone listento him. No. And now yesterday Musharaf was whining that sveral young officers will be tried for attempted murder on him. Moreover, he said that army will be purged of the people who have any association with anything remotely religious. It will definitely make the things worst. Do you think that the people who will be `purged` will just quietly go purged? Its anybody`s guess. The point is that this stupid fukk has become the biggest security risk towards the integrity and security of Pakistan. Having absolutely no support among the masses he wouldn`t let anyone, including his own quislings to approach people and solidify their support against war on terrorism. The fact of the matter is that people are totally averse to the concept of `war on terrorism`. You cannot challenge the collective wisdom of people. No one can. People know very well that unless the big satan mends its ways the scourge of terrorism will be there to thrive.

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unfortunately all people do is talk -- talk its so bad, talk how depressing everything is and talk how much they hate mullahs -- not that i would ever defend musharraf but blaming him for not acting is no worse than those people who cry hoarse about how bad things have become and do nothing -- a bomb happens in madrid and millions of people come out on the street to show their disapproval -- who will do that here in pakistan ?

My prediction about the vicious cycle seems to have come true.
#1-HP:
when i wrote this article, it was in protest of the behaviour of the mullahs over the detah of their spiritual leader. you have mistaken my expression here. i do not consider shamzai to be much of a spiritual leader or otherwise. but these men did so and that is why much destruction took place in Karachi. who will stop these men? who will stop these hooligans from destroying our peace in the name of Islam? and who will stop these men from killing innocent Shias, praying in a mosque. Samzai was not worth this tribute. it makes you wonder where he would be now? rotting in hell?

#8-feedback:
you don`t know what scary is. scary is when your brother, father, son or husband goes to a mosque and never returns cause a bomb blasts exploded and he was shred to pieces. that`s scary.

#5-Tmk:
General Musharraf has no vision. he is a coward and a hypocrite. he doesn`t have the balls to eliminate all madrassahs that have become a den for breeding sectarian elements. infact, it was he, who ran around, begging the mullahs to lend his puppet govt support so that he could rule-undisputed. what can you expect from a man who waged a war on India without any cause or purpose (kargil), killing innocent soldiers and then had the audacity to become a hero in agra?

#4-Syd:
i agree-all i or you can do is write. but something is better than nothing. the pen is mightier than the sword.

The following is what the world reads about Pakistan day in and day out. Everything is about destruction. This is not only madrissa thinking. This is the dare devilishness to think of yourself superior to any prevalent law and order. In civilized countries you are penalized to be on the road with a cell phone while driving. Users start buying hands-free equipment to avoid any penalty. Why? By avoiding the penalty, it`s not that the user saves his/her money. It`s because the penalty is a reminder that life is way too precious and should not be taken for a ride. And, it`s not the life of the cell phone user only. The life of those who are on the same road in different vehicles is equally precious. Sense of responsibility is inculcated as soon as you are on the road. In countries like Pakistan, life is not precious to begin with and it`s always taken for a ride. You do not need any algorithms to determine the why(s) and the what(s). The writing is very much on the wall. It`s just the matter of reading it for god`s sake.

This week one of my friends` old neigbors in Islamabad lost their young son (27-28year old) in kidnapping for ransom. The neighbor`s son had just returned from UK after his higher studies and somehow got into the hands of mentally disturbed people who made sure to prove their true mettle. And, they did. He was killed and his family is left for mourning.

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Bomb Blast in Pakistan Mosque Kills 16
Mon May 31, 9:18 PM

KARACHI, Pakistan - A bomb ripped through a Shiite Muslim mosque in Karachi during evening prayers Monday, killing at least 16 people and wounding 38 others. A top Pakistani official said the blast could be revenge for the assassination of a senior Sunni cleric.

Hundreds of Shiite youths rioted after the explosion at the Imam Bargah Ali Raza mosque, which came a day after unidentified gunmen killed the Nazamuddin Shamzai.

The rioters burned shops and vehicles and blocked highways and the main rail line. Provincial police chief Kamal Shah said two men trying to steal an ambulance were shot and killed. Seven others were injured when police opened fire to disperse the crowd.

The explosion was the latest in a series of terror attacks in Pakistan`s largest city. It was not clear yet if it was the work of a suicide bomber.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdur Rauf Chaudhry told The Associated Press that the bombing ``could be a reaction to`` Shamzai`s slaying, which triggered riots Sunday across this eastern city and stoked fears of more sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites.

The blast cracked walls, destroyed an inner office and badly damaged a room where people wash up before praying at the mosque, which is located near the city center on Karachi`s main highway.

It also shattered windows in a tall building opposite the mosque, leaving shards of glass on the asphalt.

Karachi police chief Asad Ashraf Malik said at least 16 people were killed and 38 injured. He said a body retrieved from the scene was being examined to determine whether it was that of a suicide bomber.

``We have not reached any conclusion yet,`` he said. An investigator at the scene also said there did not appear to be a crater, which suggested a suicide bombing.

A worshipper inside the mosque, Ghulam Ali, said he thought a bomb had been thrown inside from a passing car. He described hearing a thud and seeing a speeding car drive away before the blast.

The mosque then filled with smoke and people inside ran around in panic, said Ali, who was bleeding from his wounds.

``I heard a big explosion, followed by flames from the front of the mosque. And I saw two injured people falling on the road, bleeding, and one had no legs,`` said Ghulam Hussain, a fruit vendor.

Ali Abbas, a young worshipper, tried to push people out of the area, afraid an abandoned bag inside the mosque contained another bomb. Bomb disposal experts later took the bag away.

Saqlain Raza, a worshipper who was parking his motorcycle outside when the blast occurred, estimated that 30-35 people were inside the mosque at the time.

``One 3-year old child was bleeding from the head and stomach,`` he said. ``I carried the boy out and a car took him to hospital.``

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said President Gen. Pervez Musharraf expressed grief over the killings and would take an ``important step`` in response. He did not elaborate.

Karachi - Pakistan`s largest city of 14 million people and the country`s commercial center - has been the scene of recent sectarian violence and terrorist attacks. Those include two car bombings near the U.S. Consul`s residence last week and a May 7 suicide bombing at a Shiite Muslim mosque that killed 20 people.

Police have formed a special task force to investigate the slaying of Shamzai, a cleric in his 70s who had been a strong supporter of the former Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan and had met al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.

Witnesses said his assassins included as many as six gunmen riding in two cars and a motorcycle. They sprayed Shamzai`s car with bullets Sunday morning, killing him and wounding one of his sons, a nephew, a driver and a police bodyguard.

Much of Karachi`s violence is blamed on Islamic militants, angered by Musharraf`s support for the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism in Afghanistan, but clashes between rival Sunni and Shiite Muslims are also common.

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Bulle Shah had said:

Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de, jo kujh dhenda

Ik bande da dil nah dhaween, rab dillan wich rehnda

This is humanism par excellence. But what is taught in the mad-rassas is hatred and bigotry in the name of Islam. They are destroying mosques but only to kill innocent human beings whom they call `kafirs`. The only way to stop this carnage is to close these terrorist factories or modernize and humanize their crriculum. But who can do that? These madrissas are producing Firouns and Yazids in thousands but the teaching which produces Musa and Hussain is non existent. So, dumma dum mast Qalandar! Khuda ki khudai khatam, nabi ki nabuwat khatam, musalman ki musalmani khatam, insan ki insaniat khatam, firouny mulla ki mulla gardi zinda baad. Yih he hamara Pakland.

This is scary, very very scary indeed.

//....Who will stop this? Or rather, what will stop this? ....//

Here is a TO DO list , if followed in letter and spirit, will stop it:

1. Close all madrassas, bar none.
2. Fire the generals, disband the army - with money saved, open ``normal`` schools.
3. Anybody with beard longer than half-inch - send them to Gitmo.
4. Keep the saudis at arm`s length. Ban their money. Ban all arabic korans - only urdu and punjabi,sindhi korans are allowed.
5. Ban following words: jihad, kufr, Kashmir, palestine, chechnya.

That`s a start.

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You answered all your questions in the first sentence: we are a backward, third world nation where barbarians live
A friend of mine who runs a small factory in Karachi informed me that he could only do 6 days of work due to the problems and hartals. I guess the people of Karachi need to vote in a different party in the next elections that will try to solve the lawlessness.

Can we coin a new word to replace `religion`/`Islam`? I grow tired listening of Islamist Terror groups, Islamic militants, Islamic Jihad, Islamic traditions, Islamic this Islamic that.

I understand that you, the author, write about things that leave an impression on you. But really, where`s the point in this piece of writing - numerous articles of this nature have been generated, numerous arguments and thoughts on Religion/Islam/Sectarian Violence float around us, but has any of that ever made a difference? Are you going to go to those Madrassahs and tell little impressionable kids that the ultimate Jihad is against one`s own demons and that killing people is an unintelligent, uncivilized way to get your message across? Are you going to do any of that? Am I going to do any of that - definitely not. I am out of that country. The only reason all this does more than just disgust me is that this is utter stupidity. There`s no end to it, many will die and many will kill. And trust me, nobody`s a jihadi here and nobody`s going to heaven - if killing/getting killed in the name of Islam was all that was needed, then no one would worry about civilization.

Till then, let`s try to live.