Chowrangi

Another suicide bomb blast rocks the Capital, Islamabad roughly at 8 PM killing at least 37 and wounding more than 150 people. This blast was carried out by colliding a mini bomb-laden truck with the main entrance of the Marriott Hotel situated at the heart of the city. The bomb blast left behind a crater more than 100 feet wide and 20 feet deep with fire and destruction all around it, the intensity of the blast was such that all the buildings within a radius of 500 meters received some damage and was heard all over Islamabad. This five-story Marriott had been a favorite place for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize in Islamabad.

As an ordinary Pakistani, the question as to who is doing it keeps rambling in my mind. Somehow I am ambivalent to admit that our own people are doing it. I can never accept that the patriotic tribal who never let the British conquer them in the pre-partition era and who liberated part of Kashmir from India wants to break away from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I fail to admit that people of Swat, who live in such a beautiful valley would want to kill their own Muslim brothers in the holy month of Ramadan. I refuse to admit that the beautiful country of ours that was created on the blessed day of 27th Ramadan is heading towards disintegration.

Yet, I am crying as my country is bleeding and no one is there to appease me. I am crying as my fellow country men are sad and in misery, this is a bad augury. I am crying because me and my country is suffering. When is it going to stop? When are we going to be at peace from within and without? Are these the consequences of being the castle of Islam or are these the consequences of our own acts?

I fail to answer any of these questions.

Why do we run away from our responsibilities? Why don’t we hear outright condemnation of these terrorist acts from our clerics and religious scholars during the Jumah khuthbas? They always talk about the evil and the noble, hell and heaven but never about suicide bombings. Why do we let lose our children to be brainwashed, misguided, and used as an instrument to kill? Why do we create animosity from petty differences? Why is there hatred, envy and hunger for money? Aren’t we the followers of our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who gave us a practical demonstration along with the Holy Book Quran to be acted upon? Why have we gone astray?

Let’s unite and defeat all the evil forces that want to see us apart. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah won us freedom along with sacrifice of hundreds of people, with the blessings of Allah, we created our own homeland. It was created to stay till eternity, let’s join hands and never let go of each other. We are brotherhood united under the green flag of our magnificent county called the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Other posts by Yasir Khan

• Under the Rubble - October 8th, 2008
• Pakistan - July 2nd, 2008
• Growing population of the world and its effects - July 2nd, 2008
• Where are we heading? - June 30th, 2008
• Ash... - June 25th, 2008