1/3 Letter from Abba April 1981 to 11 year old me. Roots of my Political Education and Patriotism September 13, 2011
2/3 Letter from Abba April 1981 to 11 year old me. Roots of my Political Education and Patriotism September 13, 2011
Letter from Abba April 1981 to 11 year old me. Roots of my Political Education and Patriotism September 13, 2011
A loving message from a Pakistani Christian sister. March 6, 2011
I know this is not the place to do it but I do not know a better way to communicate with you. However I would like to send our deepest regards to you and your family and share with you that we feel your pain as though it is our own. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed, we were stunned into silence and confusion. That will only get worse I assume. Please know that as Christians we give thanks for your family and how you have given even your lives for the sake of our sister Aasia. God knows your pain. The Word of God says in the Pslam, that he sees your tears and will collect them. Thats how precious they are. I have always believed that to Jesus they are like diamonds – they matter to him. May He dry your tears and comfort your hearts. Amen. All our prayers, M
Putting my baby at risk with the deadly guards who murdered my father. Summer 2010 January 11, 2011
Putting my baby at risk with the deadly guards who murdered my father. Summer 2010
SUMMER 2010 IRONIC.My brother and I, playful trusting times with the very elite force that assasinated my father January 11, 2011
IRONIC Playful trusting times with the very elite force that assasinated my father
Sabina Pasha Jewellery Shoot In “ME & MY WEDDING”. In Cooperation With L’Oreal, Nabila & HSY January 4, 2011
Reply to Vir Sanghvi’s – The same people….. Hindustan Times. August 22, 2010
The Same People
I am writting in reply to Mr Sanghvi’s ediorial: The same people Surely not…the tone of which was condescending and offensive to say the least. I had written this article a year ago in response to Mr Sanghvi. As he goes for Pakistan again, I find it fitting to re publish it to my blog today.
I am a daughter of Punjab, born in Lahore. My father currently serves as Governor Punjab. Pakistan.
When I say we are the same people, I refer to common language culture and tradition shared by the two societies across the border. The tragedy of the subcontinent was not that it was divided at the time of partition, but in the deep political divide hereafter, resulting in a non porous border, thus giving rise to hatred, distrust and suspicion, of the variety Mr Vir Sanghavi is so gallantly brandishing.
Having traveled extensively across India and also hosted a myriad of Indian guests in Pakistan. I beg to differ from Mr Sanghavi’s right wing and parochial view born from lack of knowledge and therefore a trifle misguided.
Firstly, I take exception to the assertion that Punjabi’s or Pakistani’s for that matter are a bunch of extremists. We are victims of it no doubt, as India has been in the past. There have been many extremist and rightwing organisations in India. To say that all Indians are like this or the Indian establishment supports this is a brash assertion. This cancer is spreading not only within Pakistan but across the globe. The Pakistani people suffer every day, and there is no popular support for it in society. Musharraf used extreme force during the Lal masjid saga, Pakistani troops lay down their lives and are in daily combat. For your information it is widely rumored in Pakistan that these anti state elements are funded by Indians to destabalise the country. I choose not to believe this, however that does not mean that there are not people of this viewpoint.
Examples of extremism within India are many. On 9 July 1992, the UP regime allowed 300,000 Hindu militants to storm Babri Mosque in Ayodhya. In Surat, some of the gang rapes were committed under floodlights with video cameras documenting the crusade. Muslims of Indian State of Gujarat suffered hair-raising carnage 2002. In occupied Kashmir todate, over one hundred thousand Kashmiris have been killed, and thousands of women raped . This continues todate. Hindu extremists are now on the rampage against the Christians in Orissa where hundreds have been killed, nuns raped and churches desecrated on the self-created suspicions that the Christian missionaries are involved in converting untouchable Hindus to Christianity.
Every year thousands of people get killed in India on account of home-grown terrorists. Bomb blasts are a regular feature. 2009 in Ahmedabad, as many as 21 synchronised blasts took place within 70 minutes. Latest in the series is the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.. From 1994 to 2005, 47371 people got killed in acts of terror. In 2006, 2765 were killed, in 2007, 2598. The list goes on. Maoist rebels in South India have created a hybrid form of terror on their own. Till the arrest of Lt Col Prasad, India had held Pakistan’s ISI responsible for Samjhota Train episode. Prasad is said to be a founding member of Abhinav Bharat, a radical Hindu right wing group. All my Indian friends are saddened by these incidences. Mr Sanghavi, has chosen to gloat in our distress. Shame upon you Mr Sanghavi, you must take a minute look around you as you too live in a glass house.
The attack on the Lankan team was a tragic incident for a nation of cricket lovers. In our press there are personal apologies from members of the public who had nothing to do with this incident. My father was at the scene within minutes of the incident and we made sure that the team was safe as soon as was possible. To insinuate that the Punjabi or Pakistani public is party to this is wrong and misguided. We are and we remain, apologetic and heartbroken.
Secondly, this entire dialogue with name reference is childish and says nothing this way or that. My eldest daughter is called Meera, that should suffice for Mr Sanghvi.
Having put aside the rightwing and sarcastic assertions of Mr Sanghvi, I would like to talk about the way in which we relate to fellow Punjabi’s in India.
On my numerous visits to Delhi, I cant help smiling when my Sardarji taxi driver turns around to me and says “ mujhe patha hai, tusi Pakistan say ho”. They pine to visit their beloved Lahore where many still have memories, homes and friends. My Delhite friends know my love for chaat, movies, sari’s and jewellery. I have hosted many Indians who are amazed at the similarities of custom, food, dress, music in Pakistan
I personally have a jewellery business where I deal with manufactures in Jaipur and Hyderabad. The degree of comfort on both sides is something I don’t share with my Chinese, or American suppliers. Sharing jokes, masala chai, parata’s, jhumka’s, teeka’s, churis ….Get it Mr Sanghavi? There is a commonality that noone can take away from us
The most similarity I faced in recent times was when I was sitting in Gari Khuda Buksh 27 Dec 2008, at the first death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. The pathos in the eyes of her young children having seen their mother murdered by extremists in front of the world, in broad daylight was one of the most painful sights in the world. There is only one other place I recall having seen that before. In the eyes of Rahul Gandhi, when as a young teenager saw the photographs of my father and Benazir Bhutto in India condoling the untimely death of Rajiv Gandhi. I hope I have been able to bring forth the pain we are in today. There are extremists everywhere. I am glad that at the time I did not colour all Indians with the stereotype that murdered Mr Rajiv Ghandhi. I would never have forgiven myself as today the children of my own country writhe in the same pain.
Furthermore, the attitude today has changed. Globally we must turn away from the politics of hate and move towards compassion and understanding. President Obama is headed this way. His predecessor went the other way, resulting in the backlash from fundementalists worldwide. An example is his Nauroz speech where he came to the Irani people with compassion and understanding. It’s not the time for hatred spreading mistrust, and threats. In the same vein the Pakistan governments is attempting to create a situation in Swat where they can progress better. Know your friends well my friend, but know your enemies better. Force has not worked anywhere, it’s time for plan B.
On the sad incident of he bombing of Rehman Baba’s (a sufi poet) mausoleum in Peshawar. A friend of mine translated this verse . I will leave it with Mr Sanghvi .
Sow flowers so your surroundings become a garden
Don’t sow thorns; for they will prick your feet
If you shoot arrows at others,
Know that the same arrow will come back to hit you.
Don’t dig a well in another’s path, In case you come to the well’s edge
Humans are all one body,
Whoever tortures another, wounds himself.
