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Ironic
As a principle I stay away from all matters that could embarass my nation or my people. I try to put on a happy face for the world, while my heart bleeds for my people. This morning, on my drive back from Dawn, I saw this little girl struggling with a wheelbarrow which was too heavy for her to even keep up.
I pulled over and took the following pictures as she walked past me with great effort. In one of the pictures, a political party’s election campaign banner is visible as the child walks past it. The banner is of course promising unconditional paradise. For a moment I felt like cursing the nation, as my heart bled for the little girl. But then I conveniently drove away, with a heavy heart feeling sorry for the child, in my shiny car. Just like thousands of cars that probably drove by her, and do every morning, I too just drove away.
What an animal I am. Even animals would probably feel sorry and do something about what they understand. I understood what I saw, but simply drove away, thinking “what can I do”. I want to admit here on my blog, that I’m a miserable, wretched, unforgivable Pakistani, who may take a moment to bring the plight of my people to the world’s attention, but I did not stop for a moment to maybe help the child.
We keep complaining about the governments, but what did I do myself? What did I do to help a human being in pain… a little child?
The elite are busy talking about human right violations of politicians, and demands of democracy. I just spent one hour listening to Mr. Shahbaz Sharif’s interview on Geo TV where he reminded the world of great work down by him and his brother during their past regimes. Then I saw clips of late Benazir Bhutto, talking of “Food, Clothing, and Housing” for the poor. The same slogan her late father was screaming in the 1970’s. That was followed by Ch. Pervaiz Elahi’s election advertisement talking of how he has educated Punjab, and how under his rule every Pakistani is now living a better life.
And then I see these pictures I saw yesterday, and I want to commit Seppuku, for I have committed serious and heinous crimes against humanity, against the people of my nation.
I’m reminded of a picture of the Prime Minister apologizing to a group of victims who contracted Hepatitis-C at his office. His bowed head. His shame.
And then I think of our leaders - past, present, and future; and I think of the attrocities committed by the them in the name of democracy, politics, and national interest. I wonder when even one of our leaders will stand in front of the nation, as does the Japanese prime minister, asking for forgiveness for crimes much much bigger and graver than those of the honorable Yasuo Fukuda. “I believe you have all suffered, mind and soul, for many years and have had feelings that can’t be expressed into words, I take this opportunity to apologise from my heart,” is what the Prime Minister said to the suffering patiehts, while he bowed humbly in front of them while international media watched.
The first Pakistani leader to accept his crimes against humanity, and to ask for this little girl’s forgiveness, will be the one I will follow and support.
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in the sub-continent the poor is only a vote bank… the middle class is apathetic the elite knows how to use the system to its advantage and dont they say, we get the governments we deserve…
Comment by gulnaz — February 12, 2008 #
I 100% agree with you that we are a nation which just look around and sometimes find some heart and soul threatening scenes but ignore it using the same phrase oops I can not help it as to how many people I can help… I have my own life my own busy schedules too, my clothes will crumple and I wont be able to go in this condition to my work place or in an important meeting, we are not original, we have lots of coatings on ourselves and on our souls too.
We become tender hearted seening such depressing moments but this sadness is just for few minutes, then back into that world where we have to prove ourselves an intelligent, successful and prosperous person.
I wish I wish a Human could born in us and we feel the pain of others the way we feel it for ourselves.
Comment by Uzma — February 12, 2008 #
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Pingback by Pages tagged "ironic" — February 23, 2008 #
The fact is that every people get the leaders they deserve. We haven’t imported our problems, nor have they been imposed upon us by outsiders. Our leaders are corrupt and self-serving because we as a nation are corrupt and self-serving. And you can see this everywhere, from the poorest of the poor to the kings in their palaces, it’s each Pakistani for himself, and to hell with the soil. Until that changes, nothing will.
Comment by Sabahat Muhammad — April 26, 2008 #