Sectarianism and the media

Since the trailer of Safeer-e-Ishq on HumTV, I had been curious to watch the drama. First of its kind to talk about sectarian violence. I was interested in knowing how sectarianism would be dealt with, as it is a very current and politically charged issue. Last month at least 29 shias were killed in different parts of the country at the hands of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipap-e-Sahaba and Tehreek-e-Taliban. While in November so far, already 53 people have died because of target killings and bomb blasts all over Pakistan. 

Tujhe ehsas-e-karbala bhi ho jayega kabhi

Tanha kisi aziz ki mayyat utha kar dekh

Before I digress too much and go into more statistics. 

Apart from every other scene punctuated with crying and speeches about not backing out, the drama was pretty decent. But, in my opinion, instead of showing the whole emotional side of the issue, it would have been constructive to make it educational.

For example, I have had a tough time explaining to people (specially the ones who get influenced by the Tableeghi clan) that Shias do go for Hajj, they don't spit in water, they don't have 40 siparas in the Quran, Ali is not considered the prophet, etc etc. Breaking away these myths is far more important. Cause they make the basis of legitimizing attack on Shias.

The problem is not emotional, rather political. I do not think that one can counter the Takfiri ideology by merely showing crying orphans and widows. 

PS Let us hope to see something similar for the Ahmedis, Christians, Hindus and other minorities in the near future.

Xenophobia, internal-racism deadly combo!

OMG, I went to Pakistan and it is so dangerous. Agreed!

It is impossible to live there as a liberal/secular person. Excuse me? I have been living here as a liberal, atheist whatever for the past 5 years at least.

I thank my lucky stars I came back alive! Excuse me?

Pakis are so pathetic and illiterate, it is impossible to reason with them. Err? I understand you have a blue passport now, but were you not once a Pakistani? How did you manage to get out of that rut of pathetic-ness and illiteracy?

A few of the gems one gets to hear from closet atheists, so-called liberals and the ones who love sucking up to the Right Wing BS in the West. Yes, you got it right, these are the types who went through their teen-years reading xenophobic material off faithfreedom.org or packs of lies spewed by the likes of Hirsi Ali types.

Then you have those who are merely apologists. Not much different then some of the religious people. People who when they read the news about a 14 year old getting raped say, "Why was she even roaming outside at 3pm? She knew this will happen to her, and she chose to get herself raped." Here's an example from one of the supposedly 'sane' voices. Oh and please do not forget the class difference between the religious and not so religious. Or the ones who follow the right form of religion, compared to the poor who follow the 'poor form of religion'. Class never ceases to be the basis of how one behaves in society.

Why should the Shia take out a procession when the situation in Pakistan is so bad? Next probably we will get to hear, why do the Christians and Hindus live in Pakistan? The problem of Shia Genocide is not because of the Takfiri ideology. No Shia is targeted right in front of his/her house. Wait a minute, why do they get out of their house when they know there are Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahab target killers backed by ISI roaming about all over Pakistan? Be it Quetta, Karachi, Parachinar, Gilgit or even the GHQ city Rawalpindi.

It is wrong to be a Shia in Pakistan. Since it is not an Islamic Republic any more, but the Salafi-Deobandi Republic of Pakistan.