SOS

Last night, when my brother called me to inquire about the attack on PNS Mehran, I was least bothered. I told myself probably it is some minor attack etc. and will be dealt with ease. Soon enough, a friend from Islamabad messaged that what the hell is happening in Karachi. That message put me on alert and thought maybe it’s another stroke on the capability of our forces after Operation Geronimo.

Obviously, like the majority of Pakistanis, I too was furious on the Pakistan Navy and its lack of surveillance and response to terrorism. My eyes were fixed on news channels till 2:30 a.m. while remarking how lame our forces can be. Despite that we got our SSG commandos on ground, we failed to save the base and aircraft from mere 15 terrorists. Probably they were far more dedicated to their cause and faithful to their promises of terror as compared to our supreme forces.

Somehow as a nation, we have blind faith in our military capabilities and assume that they are the savior. In recent months, our faith is being tried and tested and probably we are on the verge of losing it. I so don’t want to lose it.
Being a Pakistani, I am proud of various things and one of them is our Pakistan Armed Forces. They have made us proud on various occasions, either it's Battle of Mogadishu or a War against Terrorism. We have buried over 3000 soldiers and continue to do so. In return for our blood and sweat, we have got increased insecurity and orphaned generations.

It is high time, Pakistan Armed Forced buck up to their promised passion and stand for the national sovereignty. We have always believed in you and have given you our fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands. We expect you to protect us from unseen as you are one of us but above us.

We wish you a long life with the hope that it will not be wasted in barracks while planning your retirement plots in DHA or NORE.

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Pakistan (Egypt) Un(Changed)

For the last 8 days, my routine is to go home and stick to BBC to watch uprising in Egypt. It is the country in which I spent good 4 months i.e. July – November in 2010 only.

When I was leaving Cairo two months back, I had all the plans to re-visit the city. Not only for the people I have befriended there but the place itself is lovely. Cairo is indeed one of the best combinations where you have the civilization meeting modernization. It is hard to believe that Cairo, the city that never sleeps, now doesn’t stop burning.
During my stay there, I had to come in terms that any Egyptian I meet will not be happy with Mubarak’s regime and want to leave the country soonest. Also, I learned that do not discuss politics or be opinionated in public places. You may discuss anything but do not touch politics as you don’t know where and who is Mubarak’s man.

A very close Egyptian friend used to curse the dictatorship and had various stories from here and there that how this regime is eating his country. In response, all I used to tell him that not all the dictators are like that. To which he always agreed and said, ‘Pakistan may be the only country that flourished in every mean after 1999 military takeover’.
Egypt’s uprising has also risen a concern in Pakistan if we ever going to witness such change. I plainly say, no. Change comes to those who feel the need for it and ready to accept it.

Pakistan is the nation which is divided in the name of sects, language, ethnicity and what not. A divided nation can never witness a revolution or change; we always witness a takeover. On the streets of Cairo, people from all classes and backgrounds are claiming their rights. Moreover, Egyptians living abroad are also supporting their people.

Do Pakistanis have the courage to leave their comfort zone and come on the streets?

Every day, there are not less than 2 rape or abuse cases are reported in media. Food and health necessities are either missing from the sight or being sold at the highest price. Thousands of employees are getting sacked and industries shut down for months now. To all this, the nation reciprocates by becoming criminals.

The frustration of all the above is either taken out by raping a 2-year-old or by killing your own family.

We are definitely heading towards a change; a change in morals and values. We all literate people can do only yap, yap on talk shows, curse politicians, blame feudalism, abuse government, but we will never step out of our houses.

Pakistanis cannot bring the change, let alone be the change.



P.S. I too am a Pakistani.

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Caught in Catastrophe

I am not heartless or empathetic nor am I saying that Pakistan Army isn’t doing enough for flood victims. It is a mega disaster of history.

But looking at this picture, made me think how one can catch a food bag thrown from such a height?
Chances are that bag will burst and float in the flood water, making it inedible for the people who are there waiting for it to arrive, but properly. Am sure there are better ways such as repellent technique etc.

A Pakistani army soldier drops food bags for

 flooded survivors in Kot Addu, in the

southern province of Punjab on August 8, 2010. – AFP

 

At another point, they are doing more than their capacity. May be our government, keeping up with the tradition is only begging for aid but failing to provide sufficient survival aid to victims. Hence, Pakistan Army cannot do much but to manage within the available resources.

Pakistani soldiers pass a baby across a watercourse

as part of an effort to help homeless people in

Taunsa, near Multan, move to safe location - BBC

Long live Pakistan Army
 And
 May GOD be with you and the flood victims !!

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