Genocide is a very strong word to use. It is important that all the condition attached with this word is justified to apply it. In Pakistan killings of Shiite and Ahmadis by unidentified people is going on. Also there is increased number of blasphemy cases registered against Ahmadis specially. Within the span of a month more than three cases were registered In November last year. When I went down to the core of it I realised it is not just as simple as it seems from surface. At the same time I recalled how I came to know what “genocide” meant actually. I felt it was the time when I should use this word about the killing of Ahmadis. Part of learning this word and its implication was the idea that sometime this sound might be ignored, it might be suppressed but when the right time comes the voice is heard and remembered.
I think I have come to a point where I want to “scream bloody murder” and I want to make sure that it reaches the levels where it should be heard by those who are still sleeping or deaf. I believe there is a “systematic genocide” being carried out in Pakistan against Ahmadis and Shiites. Why I decided to say it now specially when the country seems to be driven back to the good old days of Jihadi mullahs ranting on taxpayers’ money. I was talking to an Ahmadi official today who told me about a recent attack on one of their community members. This particular community member is a lawyer and the attack when it happened was a time when he daily goes to office. He takes his security very seriously but how much a single person could do? It is the same point, which takes me back to the brief comments the head of Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan Mirza Khursheed Ahmad made when a stupid journalist asked him idiotic questions. Here is what he said:
This one with a clear voice but in Urdu
This one with English subtitles
I think after reading countless news reports of murders and killings you might think I am still crazy to write this. Quite contrary to that I take full responsibility of screaming about this, as I believe that all the other channels of reporting the right situation have expired. Pakistani Ahmadis are left to the butchers to face the worst. Shiites have Iran to look for solace, Christians have Western powers who up their ante if matters cross a line. Pakistani Ahmadis have no such support or rather all those who claim to be the holders of human rights are accomplices in this vicious game of death. They keep silent on all this or just resort to issue brief statements.
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