Hate is so strong that it sometimes has no barriers and Shakespeare did say We Hate what We Fear! Can this be said about the current situation of Pakistan and Muslim World? Quite frankly ... YES!
Whether it be Malala Yousafzai, Altaf Hussain, the Arab Spring, protests against movies that offend religion, blowing US embassies which include killing innocent Christians or bombing on the tomb of Bibi Zainab (Granddaughter of Holy Prophet Mohammad PBUH), there is one route cause to this display of hatred, and that is fear.
Before you start judging writer's accusation, let us put things into perspective and the first question would sprout is; what events have led this writer to this conclusion about her own people, how did she has the audacity to accuse her kin of this nasty allegation?
Let us look at Malala, who is a young girl who fought for her educational rights, and she stood up against Taliban, when no one else did. She voiced her opinion in times of fragility of Pakistan’s Democracy after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. However, people there had other ideas, so what happened to her? SHE WAS SHOT! AND IN THE HEAD! (Along with two other young females)
Tragic, and disgusting... is it not? While the world poured their hearts out to helping her, a group of people in her own country had second thoughts about the shooting. Reason? Because "The Girl with the Book" is 'Darling of West'. The West is feared and therefore they are hated, henceforth making people hate a sixteen years old. She was called a Jewish Agent, an American Spy, a Freemason and what not… Though for the first time in history Pakistan was given a massive privilege to shine in The United Nations because of her, when whole World's media broadcasted her LIVE, her own country's media boycotted her broadcast as they hate what they fear. What they fear is the fact that today only one Malala rose, but tomorrow there will be dozens, hundreds, even thousands more, so how many would need to be silenced by being shot? There is a growing assumption that perhaps the Pakistani media is sold to Western Interests, if yes, then what stopped that media to show a young girl who started her speech with Islamic style and ended the same way, who covered her head fully, who wore shawl of Late Benazir Bhutto (The Daughter of East) and who was dressed up in the same way like an ordinary villager would.
We hate her, we condemn her just because she is commended for her bravery?, Just because other young ladies all over Pakistan would look up to her as the vision of the future?, Just because that she stated her vision loud and clear that the education of women can defeat fanaticism, extremism and terrorism?
Chuck Palahnuik once wrote "When we don't know who to hate, we hate ourselves." This writer is not going into the details of how we have burnt our own buildings, destroyed our own cities, universities , industries and tourism on the name of Arab spring. That Syria, Egypt, Libya and other countries are nothing but in ruins. This writer is not going into the discussion about how the second heaven on earth situated in northern areas in Pakistan and has become so insecure that even Army is not safe by the attacks of our own people. This writer so far only stuck to the girl with the book.
So, back to the original point, who is the hater and what do they hate? It's not only Malala Yousufzai we hate, who is, infact our own kin, but we hate everyone including our own selves, look at the bloodshed in Karachi, the gang war is not initiated by India. There is no Israeli or American who is killing men, women even innocent children daily, No RAW or MOSAD is inciting us for the genocide of Shia community, these are our own people, our own agencies involved into conspiracies, our own Muslims who are doing this on the name of Taliban or whatever. Thousands of army men, country men and leaders are killed yet we say its USA's war. We hate the US, we hate the West, though it is ourselves that cause all the damage to OUR OWN NATION!
Hate has no boundaries, and it has no vision, no respect, and no love. It is said that devils are chained in Ramadan, then why not terrorists, just because they are Muslims? Why wasn’t there a catastrophe upon those attacked tomb of Holy prophet's granddaughter? Why aren’t the Muslims protesting against this as they did with the movie which offended our prophet? That all was just because the producer belonged to USA, we fear USA, therefore, we protested in hate? This outrageous attack was not by USA, therefore, no need to hate this act of blasphemy?
What are we and where are we heading to? Why aren’t we capable of controlling and suppressing erupting negative emotions, why do we issue fatwaz that person X must be killed as he is not a good Muslim? Who are we to say this, and why are we so judgmental? Why are we so strong to hold the burden of hate to bear on our shoulders and inhale only hate?
This writer is in despair, she feels powerless to witness such terrible things happening to her people however she sees a glimpse of hope and that lies in those who stand up for the rights and prove to the world that indeed the pen is mightier than the sword and therefore this writer concludes by providing her final verdict, as Martin Luther Jr. said; “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear”.
