Marvi Sirmed: Threatened for speaking out against bigotry and intolerance
I have been receiving death, rape, acid throwing threats ever since I appeared in a TV show where I entered into a debate with one Mr. Zaid Hamid and challenged his immensely hawkish narrative about the genesis of Pakistan as well as so many other issues affecting general environment of violence and radicalism in the country.
Based on my starkly different point of view, some people including mr. Hamid have been openly calling me traitor, anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam. I have been denying all these baseless allegations as strongly as possible, but unfortunately most of our people who are under the awe of these bigots and hawks, seldom use their own eyes and minds. They tend to think from the minds of these self-proclaimed opinion leaders and TVangelists. I have written extensively and expressed my views about what is wrong with our country and how to tackle this avalanche of bigotry and radicalism in order to progress economically, socially and intellectually as a nation. Here I want to bring to people’s attention how I have been threatened for life and honor since last few months generally and last few days particularly.
After I wrote a series of articles on Memogate in Daily Times and openly shared my views on Twitter, about why army and ISI need to be made accountable for weakening civilian government inter alia, my social networking sites have been flooded with threats of different kinds. These threats took a new turn after i called JuD a terrorist organization on a national TV (Waqt News), the video of which has been retracted by the channel from internet.
Shameful Bigotry!
After this program, someone wrote on my Facebook page something to the effect: Be very afraid because we will not shoot you dead, we will slit your throat and make you an example by releasing the video. The reason why I’m not sure about the wording of this message is, that the message was deleted from my page within few minutes and I could not take a screenshot.
Another example of xenophobia and intolerance
During all these days, my parents were being approached by many and were taunted for their daughter who supposedly is ‘encouraging nudity’ in Pakistan because of her supposed support for Veena Malik who posed nude for an Indian magazine. In a TV program, Mr. Oriya Maqbool Jan even went to the extent of saying that I should go (nude) on streets if I want to. Responding to which
I clearly said that I DO NOT support nudity, but I stand for Veena Malik’s rights to make decisions about her body, and that I would stand for the same right of going nude in streets by Mr. Oriya’s sisters and daughters.
After this, Mr. Khushnood Ali Khan, Editor Daily Jinnah, wrote a complaint to PEMRA Chairman against me asking him to take action otherwise he will take whatever action he can. Chairman PEMRA instantly forwarded me Mr. Khan’s letter along with a covering letter asking me to submit my reply. While I have not submitted any reply, but I have been facing dirtiest possible abuse on social networks.
My parents were mocked to the extent that my father and brothers have disowned me publicly under this pressure and are greatly hurt by whatever is going on. My 70 years father has been subjected to immense psychological torture by these uncalled for phone calls make to him more than few dozen times.
Finally, today my father was approached through a phone call by a señior official in Punjab government whose identity my father does not want to disclose. The said official has informed my father that my life is in immense danger and that a militant organization has decided to eliminate me. My father has called back to my husband to explain to him the intensity of danger I am in.
While I don’t consider any of these developments as scary or frightening, because I firmly believe in whatever I’m doing and I firmly believe that whatever I’m doing is in longterm benefit of my country and my people, my family nevertheless is under huge stress and have strong concerns about my security. I’m not sure what happens to me once I leave this building where I am, but by this piece of writing I request the readers to kindly keep breaking the silence.
Please keep standing for civilian supremacy. You can politically support any party, but we all must understand that democracy is the only solution. I request all of you to kindly keep standing for the rights of the weakest in our country. I request you to kindly keep speaking up against the high-handedness of the deep state and their patronized mercenaries – the one’s we call ‘religious organizations’.
They have nothing to do with religion.
They are using our love for Islam against all of us and tarnishing not only Islam but Pakistan too. I request you to implicate deep state and their proteges for not only my death, but for everything that is going wrong with this country.
I don’t want to sound like a martyr, I love my life. This love for life distinguishes us from the suicide-attackers. I want to live and work.
But in case I’m muted, I’m sure all of you are there to keep the candle lit. Those who are all set to extinguish this candle, must be taken to task. Let’s keep it up. I will. Till the last breath and last drop of blood in my body.
Pakistan zindabad.
Marvi Sirmed
Related Post: Concern for Marvi Sirmed’s Safety – by Alamdar Mengal
Shame on those who are trying to harass a bold and honest voice in Pakistan today who has the guts to speak against Pakistani establishment and their spokespersons.
We stand by Marvi Sirmed and Asma Jahangir. Shame on right-wing fascists.
They say “Anti-Islam” as if it’s a bad thing.
These Islamofascists are no different than other fascists that have gone before them. Shame to khaki and Saudi for funding and supporting this agenda of brain washing these people into taking a stand that stands against the very human rights that any civilized person would stand for. Sad – very sad. If only a secularist like Jinnah had a premonition that this land of pure will become so impure with bigotry, hate and fascism surely he would have not opted for this almost failed state we call Pakistan.
Marvi we are with you.They are fascists and narrow minded.
We are with you aapa don’t worry. They have to face a team not a single marvi to attack. Liberals are more powerful than the cheap jihadis. A word from mouth is more powerful than the fire from gun 🙂 Let them realize how strong we are! We Appreciate your spirit and your efforts!
Damn these militant pigs and their stupid ideas and damn the stupid pigs in the army that patronize them. But most of all, damn progressive Pakistanis for not speaking out enough.
Progressive Pakistanis need to up the ante in their fight for civilian supremacy and against religious extremism. Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and Saleem Shahzad paid the price for our apathy with their lives and if we’re not careful, Marvi Sirmed might as well. It’s necessary that lots of people speak out against injustice and cruelty so that the dangers of speaking out are evenly distributed among lots of people. Letting just one person take all the dangers upon herself is pathetic.
Marvi, I beg you to take whatever measures you can to protect your life. Leave this stupid country if you have to! No cause is worth dying for, Marvi. Would you throw your life away for a country of cowards who won’t share the burden of speaking out with you?
Dear sis!. . .proud to be ur brother. . .in geedar bhabkion say nahen darna!
Secure your safety first. As Ali said, do not risk your life over people so atrociously worthless. Otherwise be assured that your life is only worth a month or two of protests & vigils and that too by handful of odd out-of-their-sane-wits people like you.
Please, I beg you to kindly protect yourself and you family.
This is plain wrong firstly I don’t support nudity but Doing what the medias done to veena malik is just wrong. So what if she posed nude does that give us the right to discriminate her and condemn her to he’ll I’m pretty sure only god and his chosen representatives can do that. Lastly I don’t think what happened with veena malik is all such a serious issue were giving it more publicity then we are the Shias in hazara it’s just plain wrong
Marvi, I support you. Good Luck.
WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012
This is the first time I heard Marvi Sirmed on youtube. I’m impressed. A girl in Barbaricstan dare to speak the truth. Its real amazing. I salute your courage. You’re the Godess and I worship you from head to toe. Every word coming from your honorable mouth is way more worth than platinum. Please keep hope alive and take care of yourself after all Pakistan is Babaricstan.
These days only women have taken upon themselves to show courage in the face of religious extremists based hostility.
Where have all the good man gone?
We support your ideas Marvi jee and SHAME on Mr. Oriya for his dirty mentality, foolish comment and brainless personality. We want a society free of these EXTRIMISTS. The electronic media should band Oliya.
We Are Fully Supporter of All Social,Democrats,Liberal Journalists, Intellectuals Go’s, Activist
We stand by Marvi Sirmed and Asma Jahangir. Shame on right-wing fascists. !
I am greatly shocked to see how dirty a country can be in following orthodoxy of fake social values.If I speak more loudly in support of you,you will be justifiably termed a national traitor because a person of their enemy country has praised a woman who is striving hard for the benefit and upliftment of society from the clutches of religious bigotry and illogical inhuman orthodoxy.How weak is the base of social and national fabric of Pakistan that mere a discussion of a woman on visual media has shaken the stability and foundation of the society and people have been encouraged to abuse ,threaten the life and chastity of a woman of the society.Never fear those morons and believe in Allah who is the mightiest,and the true judge.
hahahhaha
please , dont pretend you want army to be more “accountable” thats a non issue . what you really want a is a secular country, part of your beloved india centric world view
your a hippie and fake liberal
” Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and Saleem Shahzad paid the price”
30,000 Pakistanis have died in terrorist attacks. Shahzad died for being an opportunist and he nothing for the good of pakistan, the other two died in terror attacks
Do what you got to do Marvi, as long as the power of faith is with you nothing from the realm of darkness can harm you. Who are these people? They’re people in the darkness. Their virtue has become their evil and evil they’ll continue to do in the name of religion. If you could reply me I’ll show you rising Pakistan. They want revolution, they don’t know it’s meaning. It means change! They can’t stand it, they can’t stop it.
We all know dear what’s the right thing to do.
Anyone saw this?
http://www.express.com.pk/images/NP_LHE/20111225/Sub_Images/1101409089-1.jpg
Going a few steps back is not cowardice while you are at war.Calm down for a while. You will be able to fight only if you are alive. So, take proper care of your person and sure keep it up. Why not write a book till things cool down?
Marvi, Stay firm and be bold! I know you’d think that it is easy for me to say that since I am not affected, but I am not! More on this later, but be steadfast!
Instead of running to LUBP for support maybe she should request her good friend Mr Ali Dayan Hasan for protection. Look what a bang up job he did in Saleem Shahzad’s case! 😛
Dear Marvi,
Take good care of yourself. May God be with you. You are great. The struggle against extremism must go on.
Regards
Farhat Taj
We stand with you. These bastards cannot harm you. We stand for democracy, rule of law and the basic fundamental rights of all the citizen. Keep it up!
I am not surprised that you have received open threats to your life. I watched that episode where you made deep state’s blue eyed boy zaid hamid look like the frothing idiot that he is. It was expected. It would be unnecessary to say that you must take all possible safety precautions.Also make as much noise as possible about this. Deep state will have to rethink their counter to you and hold back their killing squads. They can not afford bad publicity at this time. Saleem Shahzad episode is fresh as well.
As an aside I am sure you realize that the position you take is diametrically opposite to the official narrative around the theory of Pakistan. If Hindu’s and Muslims can live together and if India and Pakistan have to be friends , why have Pakistan? You are diluting the fundamental glue which has kept the country together ( not so together,but that is another thing). So you are proposing a new Pakistan which is not anything like this one and which is more like a mirror image of India. This is the crux of the matter. Why have Pakistan then ? Hence you are facing this enimosity
Dont feel you are alone…we stand next to you… We thank Allah that finally we have people who have courage to speak truth and to “guide” directions…
Allow me to say sorry to you on their behalf… I know we need all of you to literare them so they can judge right and wrong… Feel so sorry about those who are misused by their own internal powers…
Allah inko akal dey…
Dearest Marvi ji,
God will protect you. You are really a blessing in our time. Hats off to you
I LOVE U AND SUPPORT U, MARVI SIRMED!
Keep up the good work Marvi Sirmed.I’m from India and I know of journalists in my own country who have been victims of senseless abuse and rhetoric by right wing,communal extremists.Keep yourself safe and out of harm’s way.
please please marvi come to india you will feel at home.you can do whatever you want to.why even you look talk and think like us.you can eat dossa here with cows muttar.its very tasty dish you will like it speacially when it serviced by the ghaleez singh.you will not be a stranger here at the end KHULLA KHAOO TEY NANGAY NAHHAOO. NAMAZKARR.
Dear Ms. Sarmad,
Greetings from India. We need people like you who can look beyond rhetoric and can think for themselves. May your tribe increase.
marvi is such a indian bitch,what the hell she is doing in pakistan,she should be back to her country and persuade and advice the hindu s to avoid drinking cow URINE.IN INDIA FISRT SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM..FIRST CHECK HER COUNTRIES PROBLEM,SHE MUST LIVE OUR COUNTRY..THERE IS NO PLACE HERE FOR THAT KIN OF BITCHES………..
i thing this lady who talk against Islam and Pakistan after this her countdown is started.i don’t think now her masters can save her. poor fool lady. now maybe dying every day.
@Aleem
I have never seen Marvi Sirmed speaking against neither Islam nor Pakistan. Your hate speech and lies will hurt no one but yourself.
Dear in Muslim community there is two section one true Muslims and one Munafiqs if you are a true Muslim you will see many thing against Islam in her videos if you are not see anything against Islam then you know where is your place.
Marvi is just brilliant and speaks the truth. I have watched most of her you tube videos. Carry on your fight against these bigots. Pity she does not get more TV coverage/invitation to shows day to day. Perhaps the TV companies would be under threat. I want to see the day when we can rid ourselves both in India and Pakistan of these extremists(we have a few Hindu & Sikhs also – Marvi could sort them out too) who have got us hating each other for no reason at all. We are the same people look at our genes,imagine Mr. Zaid Hamid saying that Muslim world should get together. What common does Pakistan have with the Arabs/Muslim world – language, culture, food etc. but for religion which is sacred – all common with north India. Open the borders and get on with enjoying life. Only if the privileged Pakistan armed forces let go perhaps they will be out of a job. Keep it up.
how come not a single pakistani journalist is granted visa to work in india and report from India and the world media is not allowed to even enter Kashmir or see the human rights violation there and we allowed a whoring buffalo Marvi sirmed to work in pakistan everytime she opens her mouth she spits fireballs and venom against Pakistan while sitting in pakistan she praise the corrupt ruling party but her target is to malign religious parties and Muslim religion
You are one of the rare visible sensible voice in Pakistan who can see things from today’s world view & humanistic perspective which will often clash with a view & practices which was relevant 1400 years ago in a tribal society. There are many things which were relevant & seemed right at that time such as family/social honour killing, slavery, subjugation of women to men, keeping multiple wives, killing anybody who’s has views different from the tribe, attacking your enemy to spread your own religion etc.
None of these practices are acceptable in today’s worlds where the right & respect of individual right to make choices is supreme and must be honored by everybody.
Time has come esp. for Muslims to understand this difference and focus on the intent/meaning of Quran and re-interpret it in today’s world and leave aside those aspects which are meaningless today.
All the old civilization is going through this phase of adaptation but Muslims in particular are stuck due to high emphasis on exact & AS IS adherence to religious scripture. In nutshell, use your own mind rather than blindly following what is said by any book/person.
And most important, you have to respect the right of other people to exercise their own individual choice