Novelist Bapsi Sidhwa recalls the events of the past and looks for answers to our present dilemmas.
One cannot look in upon events in 2008 without reflecting on the fateful moments that held Pakistan hostage to a horrendous roller-coaster ride through 2007. The turmoil that spilled over from Afghanistan into the lawless maze of mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan intensified, and suicide bombers, not on our radars before, exploded like grotesque fire-crackers in the northern areas and in major cities, including Lahore, killing thousands. The radicalisation of the peaceful Swat Valley by the Taliban and their dire edicts was another development:
“If any ‘nai’ shaves or trims a beard, his shop will be blown up!”
What could the poor barbers do but obey?
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(Submitted by a site reader)