A Pakistani Christian's desperate plea to the West: Please buy my family and keep us as your slave. Despite the indignity, we would, at least, be secure. No fear of rockets, bomb blasts, and mob violence. My kids would be able to play whatever they want and move freely elsewhere...
Following is a letter from a Pakistani Christian from Quetta to a freind, living in the U.S. (sligtly edited):
I feel difficult from where should I start and for what I would start. We are in such a vicissitudes, which even have struck the brain numb to think and act. You may find this email very strange! But we are in Trauma.
Dear you are very well aware about the circumstances we are going through. One can imagine what would be our situation, particularly as a minority in Pakistan, in this time (state of war) when one even do not know for what reason he/she has been assassinated.
Anyway we were and are not living, but struggling to live or fighting for our survival. Every second day brings something new in our country and we get into new crises, namely war against terror, political, judiciary, water, power, food, fuel and blab blab…; the law-n-order situation is never ever under control. The Government authority is no where to be seen in the country and their transgressions have taken us further into worse situation. I would say this is, totally, a potpourri Govt. On the other end, the inflation has truly broken the backbone of individual citizens.
In the sequence of different issues raised, the world recognized leader was assassinated in on 27 December 2007. It was not only shocked me but even to the whole world. My little daughter was about 3 years old at that time and she said “Papa my friend Baibazeer Bhutto ki death hogai (i.e. Papa, my friend Baibazeer has died!)” (she even could not pronounce her name). I do not why whenever my little girl saw Benazir Bhutto on the TV screen, she used to say “she is my friend”.
Anyways, later on, Tehrik Nafaz-e-Shariat brought another trauma in the country; it was obviously a situation like state within the state. This killed hundreds of innocents who had nothing to do with and forced thousands to get displaced. On the other hand, few anti-Pakistanis are raising slogan for Azad Balochistan. And, on this, they are killing the innocents rather target killing the Punjabis.
You know I really get numbed, stunned by this. My grandfather came to Quetta in the year 1890; yet, we are not local of the area, but simply domicile. I heard from my aboriginals that once the Christian delegation raised this issue in 1972, seeking status of local citizen to the Govt., but some so-called “Sons of the Soil” declined by asking to provide their real identity and contribution in the freedom of Pakistan. Anyways, many of the real patriots and true Pakistani know the contribution of the minority for this Country.
Being in this trauma over last five years, I even have not taken my kids for outing, rather would say simple outing, i.e. for hoteling in the town, in order to avoid any mishap. But for how long! Now we are getting sick. Every second day, the news of bomb blasts and firing of rockets somewhere makes us aware of how insecure we are here. When we do not here news of any bomb blast, my daughter asks me “Papa Aaj koi Dhmaka Nahi huwa” (Papa, today no bomb-blast has occurred).
You know what? This is very first time that the schools have been closed for summer vacations from Aug 1 to 17. Usually it gets closed in July every year. The main reason is that most of the schools are not even offering National Anthem in assembly, because they are threatened by some liberation army. And due to this, Govt. closed the school to avoid mishap. We are so weak that we even can’t celebrate our Independence Day. Most of the institutes have raised their boundary walls from 6ft to 10ft by taking preventive security measures.
So the Govt., just avoided the situation, forced to give summer vacations in such a time so that our schools/colleges would not celebrates our Day of Independence on August 14 in certain Provinces.
This is all ridiculous to me; I can not take my kids out for enjoying the Independence Day, or have some simple fun. Even before going to church, one is made to think twice whether we are putting our lives at risk. I would not say who are, but whoever is killing the innocents, and killing in the name of racial and religious discrimination, is not right.
You must have heard about the latest killing of innocents in Gojra, hundreds of home set on fire, many women were raped, while few of them are still missing (which is not being highlighted in the news). The Bible was burnt. If the Quran is a Holly Book, then Bible is too. Why, then, they do not drag those, who burnt the Bible. Why they do not apply blasphemy law against those concerning desecration of the Bible. Are they supreme?
I have not seen such Muslims in my whole life; they are, rather, beasts. And what was Govt. doing: neither the Police nor any other force intervened to stop the Muslim mob from the killing and brutal act. Instead, they stood by silently. Is this the fruit of what Muhammad (PBUH) said: “if we save one life we safe whole human being”; and “if we kill one human being we kill whole humanity.”
I do not know what I have written is having any sequential detail or not, but I have one thing in my mind: I do not want my family to live for survival, but want them live life at the fullest.
It seems quite awkward to say and ask for something, which might be beyond your limit, but I would request it anyway. My dear friend, living in this entire situation years after years, I get tired and see no future of my family. Sending kids to school create worries if they would return home safe and sound. If visiting the market for grocery and commodities, we fear of some mishap and get the essential item as early as possible and rush home. At night, while going to bed, again threats come in mind: if someone would shoot a rocket, and, God forbid, would land at our home.
There is only one option left for us to get rid of this situation, which is to migrate. But again, people/person like me can not afford it, although the big fishes of our country easily move and having dual nationalities. I do not have money in the bank to show, although I could have it, had I been involved in bribery.
So the only option left to me is to sell myself and my family to someone aboard, so that he/she can keep us as slave (we are, in fact, slaves and minority too over here). Despite the indignity, we would, at least, be secure. No fear of rockets, bomb blasts, and mob violence. My kids would be able to play whatever they want and move freely elsewhere.
I do not know if this would be possible for you, but I am, truly, asking you: as you are in USA, kindly do forward this email to some major newspapers, George W. Bush, Obama and Clinton, to parliamentarians, and to some churches, too.
With best regards and God Bless You.
Your friend,
George
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