3 years and counting - When will attacks on Ahmadis end?

28th May 2010 - It was a beautiful Friday. A nervous and exciting one for me. Nervous because I had an exam, and exciting because it was my last one. I come out of the exam hall at 4, a free girl and switch on my cell to let everyone know that I'm free for any plans for the upcoming summer. And suddenly my cell is flooded with concerned messages - "Is your family ok? We heard about the blast", "Call up your family and friends in Lahore, there's been an explosion", "You're an Ahmadi, right? I think you need to watch the news".

Seeing these messages, I got even more worried wondering what had happened. Rushing back home, I switch on the TV to see news channels filled with blood, torn clothes, debris of what used to be a wall, and injured people. As it turns out, there have been two major blasts on Ahmadis’ mosques in Garhi Shahu and Model Town. The attacks had been planned at the Jumma prayer time for more collateral damage. And the plan was effective. 86 Ahmadis lost their lives, and more than 150 men and children were injured.

I have quite a few relatives in Lahore, and a couple of them are quite close ones. I texted one of them, asking whether her dad and brothers were safe, hoping they had not been injured, or worse, dead. She called me right up, weeping that they were still at the mosque and there has been no communication from them. She had tried calling everyone but no one was picking up and she had no way of knowing. I could not have said anything to her to make her feel better, so I just said – bus dua kero, Allah sab behtar keray ga. (Just keep praying, Allah will make things better). And I bowed down to pray myself, hoping for safety of the Ahmadis insides those mosques.

86 Ahmadis lost their lives that day. 86 people martyred, and so many more injured. Not one of them protested against the attack. Not one of them started a protest or a riot. Not one of them came to the streets. Why? Because the leader of the Ahmaddiyya Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, asked them to be patient. And promised them that Allah is all-Rewarding and all-Watching. All of them were hurting, broken hearted; losing a family member is not an easy thing to go through, especially when they leave before their time. But each and every Ahmadi, instead of going out to protest, bowed down in prayer. It was a wonderful, yet heart breaking sight. Every Ahmadi was united in their prayer for the ‘shaheed’ and the affected families.

The news went worldwide. There was news about how a minority had been targeted at such a wide scale, about how nothing had been done to take preventive measures. The whole world seemed to be talking about it. Even in Pakistan, where there is a nationwide hatred for the Ahmadis, there was a lot of talk about Ahmadi rights and how the blasts should not have occurred at all. And as quickly as it started, it ended. Soon, there was no news about the incident; there were no talk shows about it. Pakistan and its citizens pretty much forgot about it. There was no help given from the government. No support was given to the affected families. For the government, it was just news and an incident that had happened, and nothing else.

There were so many questions. Why did they die? Why was there an attack on such a huge scale? Why wasn’t the police guarding a much-threatened community? Here’s the answer; they were Ahmadis. They are not supposed to die; it’s apparently a good deed to kill them. According to the 1973 constitution approved by Bhutto, Ahmadis are by all means non-Muslims. They are not allowed to pray, or call their places of worship mosques, or recite the Kalima. They are not even allowed to vote; if they want to, they must declare themselves non-Muslim publicly on a piece of paper. But since Ahmadis are very devoted and determined in their religion, they refuse to do so. So, as a last resort, the extremists have targeted them and killed them to serve their own guilty conscience. Forget the fact that murder is not allowed, forget to follow Islamic teachings in all walks of life, but just make sure Ahmadis are dying. Just make sure that the public is brainwashed into thinking that Ahmadis are ‘wajib-ul-Qatal’ (they deserve to be killed).

It has been 3 years. There has yet no justice been given to the victims of that tragic day. It has been long forgotten. No one talks about it now. No one even remembers something so huge happened. But the Ahmadis remember. Not only the affected ones. Every single Ahmadi remember what happened that day; it’s not something that will be forgotten easily. The sad part is that no one asks for justice because asking for justice would just mean more deaths. It would just mean that Ahmadis become a target for even more people.

To my Ahmadi brothers and sisters, I say, have patience. It’s all we can have right now, and pray to Allah. Pray to Him for only He can change this state of affairs, for He is All-Listening and He is the One you need to turn to. And Allah is the one who is the One who will give rewards and punishments. Let’s leave it up to Him to punish the oppressor.

To the news and talk show people, I say, don’t use someone else’s tragedies to make a show. If you want to make it news, then at least consider the feelings of the affected, before blatantly talking about it.

To the extremists, I say, do whatever you need to. Kill us all but not one of us will renounce our religion. We will die but we will never say we are not Muslims. We will stay bonded and united under the flag of Ahmaddiyyat, and none of your plans and attacks will change that. So, you can either stop with the attacks and the finger-pointing, or you can keep on adding to your sins, and we keep getting your virtues (if you have any).

To Pakistan, I say, Ahmadis helped make you independent. Ahmadis have played a huge role in your politics and government. I just hope you repay the Ahmaddiyya community some day by giving them their respected rights, their justice and most importantly, their right to live. You owe it to them, you owe it to us. 

PTI's arrogance might have just cost them their votes

Before I start, I should let you all know that I am not a political person. And I never have been. Maybe it's because every time any leader comes into power, they always get addicted to power and money and succumb to greed of possibly everything. So since this has been going on since way before I was born, I have never shown an interest in politics.
However, in the general elections 2013, since I'm working with FAFEN, I have to be politically aware. I have to read newspapers and observe electoral and political incidents taking place in Pakistan. Most of my work relates to recording violence related to elections, but when you're already reading newspapers, you start reading other news as well.
Anyway, so I started noticing this hype about these elections mainly because most of the people my age were voting for the first time so I kept hearing political party stances' from them, asking me to vote for PTI because Imran Khan is the voice of the nation, or support PML-N since Nawaz Sharif had a political background and he's been PM twice already. Regardless of who they supported, everywhere I turned, I saw discussions, slogans, arguments, talk show - there was a certain hype everywhere I looked. It was fascinating and intimidating at the same time.
Since most of my friends were all die-hard PTI fans, I somehow became a PTI supporter, thinking that maybe IK is the change we need, maybe he'll be our savior, maybe he's the leader we've all been waiting for. He was so determined in his speeches and was always talking about a "Naya Pakistan". An energetic vibe flew every single time he gave a speech.
Until the day he publicly announced that he would not support and/or protect Ahmadi rights and that he does not want them to vote, and he does not intend to change the 1973 constitution, according to which they have been labelled as non-Muslims. Regardless of what they believe in, if you want to lead a country, you have to take everyone side by side, you just don't get to leave anyone behind. You don't get to royally screw a community who has already been persecuted enough times already and now because of your stance, even more hatred is being spread against them. You don't get to do that just to make sure you get more votes and you are more popular for spreading hatred against minorities. Singling out a single, persecuted is just not done.
This just not end here. Soon after his speeches were less of a motivation for Naya Pakistan or how he intends to change Pakistan, and were more about how corrupt Nawaz Sharif was and how he is going to suck people's money into a black hole. Every word he spoke was a hate speech against PML-N. Even if PML-N were doing the same thing (and I don't appreciate that, either) but if people are looking up to you, and supporting you cause and your party, you should have the decency to give them the motivation they need instead of fueling their hatred.
Election day came and PML-N stood victorious. Yes, there was a lot of rigging in a lot of areas, but I have read about at least, AT LEAST 50 difference incidents in which PTI workers or supporters created violence or disrupted peace during and after polling. Is that the change you're bringing to Pakistan? If you can't control your own supporters and workers, how can any one expect you to control a whole country?
And maybe people really did not vote for PTI, because a day before the elections, I heard a lot of people commenting about how arrogant Imran Khan sounded and how he already thinks he has won even with the controversial statements that he has been making. I heard a lot of people vowing not to vote for Imran Khan because of his attitude and his way of dealing with specific political issues. So, technically many of the registered voters did NOT vote for Imran Khan and PTI.
I know this sounds more like a hate post about Imran Khan - but it's not. It's just a post from a citizen of Pakistan who had been motivated by what she expected would be a new emerging leader, who has sorely disappointed her.
All I hope is that Imran Khan realizes that he needs to put his act together and instead of making hate speeches against people, unite everyone under the same flag regardless of their race, caste, religion and status and emerge as a united nation. And THAT will be the day Pakistan itself emerges victories.

Election Day for an Ahmadi girl

I'm writing this post, after two days because back on election day, I didn't really have the strength to write this. Nor the patience. I was, for the first time in my whole life, angry at everyone.
May 11th was Election Day for Pakistan. A lot of hype was created through televisions, banners, rallies, and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The reason why these elections seemed to be more important were because a lot of Pakistan's youth was getting out of bed and going out to vote. A lot of the youth was fighting for their rights. A lot of them wanted justice and peace and a Naya Pakistan as Imran Khan calls it. Anyway, a lot of hype was created. Every day I would get messages and mails from my friends asking me to vote for this candidate or that, and that no matter what, I should vote for "balla".
A lot of people in my social circle don't know this, but I'm an Ahmadi. Therefore, they don't know that under the 1973 constitution, I, along with the whole community, was declared a non-Muslim, and can not exercise my right to practice my religion freely, or to say Salam or Bismillah or any Quranic verse. I am not allowed to call my prayer Namaz, and I am not allowed to call my holy book Quran. I am not allowed to call myself a Muslim even if I recite the Kalma Tayyaba. I am not allowed to call my place of worship Masjid. However, if I call myself a non-Muslim, publicly declare it on a piece of paper, I will be allowed to vote and I will have a say in the country's politics.
I was never a political person but this time around, I was very interesting in who would win, because I was following the elections for an internship I was doing. However, as the elections got closer, everyone got even more hyped up. People at work and friends on text kept asking me who I'd vote for. And I was constantly saying - noone because according to Pakistan, I am not illegible to vote. Why? What does religion have to do with who becomes the leader of the nation? I will never know. But the truth stands that I was not allowed to vote. And much as I was against the system, deep inside I wished that the constitution had not been so cruel with us. That it should have let Ahmadis vote. That it should not have rejected us, just like that.
Election day came and everyone was going off to their respective centers to vote while I was stuck at my chair in my office, pretending it didn't hurt me, pretending not to care. Then, everyone started showing off their inked thumbs at work, and on Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook. And for the first time, in all the time I've lived, I felt left out. And I felt that I didn't belong even though I wanted to. I think that's one of the worst things ever. And then when people kept asking me why I didn't vote, there was a time when I just wanted to shout you know? That I'm an Ahmadi and Ahmadis have no rights AT ALL, that I want to vote, I would LOVE to vote but I'll have to give up my religion, the only thing that I stand firmly on. I have loved Pakistan to the core, despite its shortcomings, it's the best place I could have grown up. But on May 11th, it seemed that Pakistan did not want me to be a part of it. That Pakistan wanted me out.
So I guess all I wanted to say was this - Pakistan, I know you have disowned me and my community, and you are not going to give us any rights in the near future, but you should know that despite all of that, despite me not having a say in the elections, I will always love you. I just hope someday you'll love us back as well.

Hamari Jazbati Qaum :/

After checking all the updates,  I have something to say to you all. I'm sorry if this offends you but it must be said.
IK lost. Yes, it's bad, bohat support kiya tha unnko facebook per, bohat jhanday lagaye thay, PTI ki shirts pehan ker phiray thay, but yes IK lost. But it was expected. Even if it wasn't, ye jo poori kaum uth gayi hai kay ji hamain tou idhar baray politicians bethay hain, like seriously? Just accept it yaar, ho gaya tou ho gaya. I know bohat rigging howi hai likin phir bhi a lot of people did not vote for PTI as well and it's THEIR choice. NOT yours, just like it was your choice to vote for PTI. The thing that matters is kay you voted. Your vote counted and instead of blaming the entire universe for it, just think kay logoun ki apni preference hoti hai.
And for IK, this is such a huge win considering everything, likin nahin Punjab ko tou hum nay disown ker diya hai aur hum sirf KPK ko hi "own" kerain gay. Pehlay kum disunity hai kay ussmain aik ye bhi lay aao kay aap nay vote PML-N ya PPP ko diya hai tou hum aap say ab baat nahin kerain gay?
Secondly, Sab say hilarious baat tou awaam ki ye hai kay koi aaye ga tou tabdeeli aaye gi. Khud kuch nahin kerna. Kuch honest nahin kerna. Khud beth ker poora din facebook use kerna hai. Khud apnay aap ko theek nahin kerna.
When you're not even willing to change yourselves, tou IK or anyone else for that matter, power main aa ker kya ker lay ga? Will he be able to change your values and morals? Will he be able to get you off your bed to be a part of the change? Well.. that he already has =p but it's not just for the elections. IK power main aa jata tou usskay baad sab nay ja ker so jana tha kay ab hamara kaam khatam. THAT'S what's wrong with our nation. And THAT noone can fix except ourselves.
I know most of you will just forget it in a day or two and usskay baad you'll be like - meh, who cares. Jazba agar waqayi main hai tou work for it. Don't just show enthusiasm for something you don't know, or for something you're just following as a growing trend in Pakistan. Do it if you actually, really want to.
We seriously need to figure all of this out before we can even EXPECT a change in Pakistan.

Imran Khan kay followers ka jazba jawan!

So today, me and my mum were on our way to Blue area for some shopping when we saw all a couple of PTI banners, floating past us. My mum, seeing them, got all worried - oho phans jayain gay, ghar pohanchtay pohanchtay raat ho jaye gi. Anyway so we took an alternative route, did our shopping in Blue Area and went to Jinnah - only to be surrounded by PTI cars and loud music and people raising slogans like - Jeetay ga bhaii jeetay ga, Imran Khan jeetay ga, or Daikho daikho kaun aaya, sher ka shikari aaya.
Now I'm not a huge fan of politics, or any political party because of the way they twist things, but I had to admit, the "jazba" of the youth was worth watching. While I sat there waiting for our car to get out of the blockage (and my mum's constant worries kay ghar nahin pohanchain gay time per), it was a whole new experience to see a majority of Islamabad's youth waving PTI's flag, and singing songs, sitting in their car windows and hooting and screaming and waving everyone they passed by. Now I may seem too pro-PTI (which I'm not =p), it was something of a very heart warming feeling to see everyone on a united front when their leader suffers a fall and is in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital, and can't really proceed with his election campaign. So instead of him carrying out the campaign, his supporters were carrying it out for him. They were seen all around Islamabad today, with their music, and their slogans, and their flags - but mostly you could notice them because of their enthusiasm.

On a side note, I could see a PML-N car caught in the whole jam. I hope they don't beat him to death =\