By B. R. Gowani
Sexual frustration?
Lusty-exhibition of power?
Terrorization to thwart disobedience?
Yes, all of the above
These screams are not only
Of Chand Bibi
(The teenage girl who was flogged publicly on suspicion of having an affair)
These are the screams of multitudes of other victims also
Violence against whom didn’t get splashed
Across world newspapers and TV screens
And of those who are
Blown up in mosques
Gunned down on streets
Stoned to death
Disfigured with acid
And
…
Pakistan is gradually losing its territory, its sovereignty
To jahils, ignorants
They are intolerant of
Entertainment
Minorities
Tolerance
Civility
Humanity
Lesbians
Women
Arts
Gays
Almost all of life …
Punished these jahils must be;
Not, however, with violence;
First, snatch away the Qur’an
From this rotten progeny, of
The even more rotten parents
(US, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan)
And replace that book
With the knowledge of
The World as a Mosaic:
Embracing the plurality of
Peoples, Ideas, and Cultures
(In large print, so that
Even the weak-eyed could read)
Traditions
Goddesses
Gods
Customs
Prophets
Religions
All pale in front of
Human dignity and human life
Nothing is more important
Tolerance is the key to human survival
Nature is the living example of pluralism
Multiculturalism brings the world alive
Five times a day
The founder of Pakistan
M. A. Jinnah’s first speech
To the Constituent Assembly*
Delivered on August 11, 1947
should be read and memorized
* speech given below
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com