Pakistan: A Responsible Nation?

It was early morning hours when I heard of a NATO strike and the death toll was 5 soldiers but as I write this and the day proceeded  28 soldiers have been confirmed dead and scores injured. This is called: history repeating itself - every now and then. These brave soldiers, serving in Pakistan Army, are the unknown and unsung heroes of the post 9-11 era. These soldiers on frontlines are facing the brunt of hatred (in the name of collateral damage or misunderstanding) not just of the foreign forces (here I mean: American/NATO forces and our 'first love' and 'obsession' Afghanistan) for 'not doing enough' and for being responsible for all the evils that plague the world but also from the ordinary Pakistanies and Taliban to whom these soldiers are an accomplice to America's WAR ON  OF TERROR.

Today, I was expecting an appeal 'from so-called political elites' to hold an organized and civilized protest at all levels in Pakistan, not the same old 'lame' Talk Shows on TV - which mostly confuse and mislead Pakistanies. Today, I was expecting a 'nationwide candlelight vigil' or a 'peaceful rally to condemn NATO bombings' in an all-out manner to mourn our dead family members (fathers, sons, brothers and husbands). Today, I was expecting that out of the ordinary, every single Pakistani man, woman and child will come out of their comfort zones to show solidarity with the bereaved families and also to make an effort to send a message to the perpetrators that we are NOT a country of the living dead but NO, I was expecting too much and YES, I was dead wrong!

Sadly enough - nothing of sort happened here in Pakistan and nobody seems to care (at all) either - young boys are playing cricket outside, men sitting in front of TVs, women busy cooking and life is on the go as usual. Why is that? Why, we as a nation, can NOT feel the loss, suffering and pain of our fellow Pakistanies? Do we have any self-respect?? Are we NOT equally responsible for what ails us?? Are we really a nation in the first place??? Are we eligible to call ourselves human beings, still??

I feel that we are more of a crowd than a nation. We have make mockery of our founding fathers, of Islam and Islamic values in Pakistan. I don't know if we are a failed state or not but we are definitely a 'Failed Nation'. Islam that emphasizes on "Haqoq ul Ebad" (what we commonly know as Human Rights) is almost a rare commodity in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We don't RESPECT LIFE - period.

I know that the response from Pakistani  government will be a lame one - may be President Zardari will write an article in the Washington Post (or may be NOT because Pakistani life is not even worth it) and the Prime Minister will call for the cutting of NATO supplies (which he already did, probably for a week or so but it will be restored soon). They will create a drama (and this government is surely not the first to do so). A drama for the masses and for our media. A drama to divert attention from hundreds of serious issues that equally need attention. A drama where a common person's sufferings (here and here) are always hijacked by the corrupt politicians and the Pakistani elite for their personal gains and not for the issue itself or the victims per se.

As a nation, we have failed again to register our protest in a civilized manner and this is apathetic and shameless. No wonder, this sort of a tragedy will happen again - because we are not a nation but in fact a conglomerate of feudals and industrialists - who can not and will never feel the pain of a common person.

Today, I blame NATO, AMERICA, AFGHANISTAN and PAKISTAN for all the mess that we are in. All the countries mentioned above  are the partners in the creation of angry, radical and violent non-state actors not just in this region but globally.


ADDENDUM

Koreans Protest the Death of School Girls by American servicemen in a road accident.

More pictures of Korean Candlelight Vigil (the whole country was crying)

"It all went very well"said a NATO General in 1999 after bombing ethnic Albanians in 1999 here.