by DR. AZRA RAZA
A moment comes, which comes seldom in one’s life, when staying silent and uncritical is tantamount to suicide. That moment for us is here, now. Today, instead of telling a few light hearted stories of our innocent days at Dow, with jokes and poetry, I want to take the road less traveled by, and speak about the painful truth piercing at the heart of every one of us. Today, you have bestowed upon me a fantastic award and I am humbled by this, but frankly, at the same time, I feel greatly saddened to be lauded for my achievements while inside I feel like an imposter, a phony, a fraud. How can we be celebrating knowing full well that while we are congratulating each other and carrying home awards, our fellow doctors in Pakistan are being forced to carry guns with their stethoscopes? With these very achievements, if I was to be in Karachi today, I would be in danger of receiving a barrage of bullets from a Ghazi’s AK47 who could gun me down in broad daylight in a public function and walk off without being apprehended. Why? Because I am not just a doctor. I am a Shia doctor.
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Here is the writing on the wall: the minorities, the moderates and professionals being targeted are not a small fringe community; they make up a substantial number of Pakistanis and are represented in every segment of society starting with the founder of the nation, and the only Nobel laureate we have had. They are deeply woven into the fabric of the state. Their elimination through a final solution is simply not a realistic option because they are entirely capable of armed rebellion. Their continued persecution will eventually lead to retaliation and civil war with ensuing mayhem the likes of which has not been seen since the partition of the subcontinent because:
Jinn kay jabroun pay apnoun ka khoun lag gaya
Zulm ki sab hadein paatnay aaien gay
(Beasts who have tasted the blood of their own kind
Will return to cross every limit of brutality)
3 Quarks Daily for more
(Thanks to Robin Khundkar)