I am not surprised on the reaction which our semi-literate urban middle class and their religo-political representatives have shown on the sad incident of Israeli attack on the Turkish Flotilla. Somehow I was expecting that reaction because it suits their ideological and political agenda.

The fact which has emerged is that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) commandos attacked the ships which were heading towards Gaza to challenge the illegal blockage. During the siege IDF commandos opened fire and about 10 people were killed in the event.

The story has different versions. Israelis says that their commandos didn’t have any intention to kill and these people attacked the commandos who then acted in ‘self defence’.

While the version of other party [pro-Palestinian groups] is that IDF attacked the ship and without any reason they killed 10 people. The UN has asked for an impartial and credible inquiry into it and Israeli government has regretted the loss of human life.

Reading the newspapers of Pakistan for the last two days, I have realised that Jamat-e-Islami, other religious organizations, so called civil society are staging protest against the killing of these 10 innocent people. In Karachi, some people tried to get into the US consulate and were beaton up by the police. Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad also saw the protests. Few pictures are below:

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These protest were arranged by the so called civil society, journalist organizations, jammat and other religious outfits and to my surprise ISO and ISF in Lahore. although there were no great number of participant in the protests but they did their usual stuff i.e., burn the US and Israeli flags, shout slogans like death to Amrika, death to Israel.

People like Mushahid Hussain, Riaz Khokhar, PML-N leadership and most of the TV anchors and their guests were also rightfully condemning the Israeli action, and asked government to take (imaginary) proactive steps to teach Israel a lesson.

Just a few days ago to be precise 5 days ago in our own heartland Lahore 100 Ahmedis were slaughtered by the barbaric Taliban. They were not there on any political gathering or any political point scoring. They were not going to war zone. They were just offering their ‘Jumma Prayer’ to their Lord which they think is as farz (obligatory) on them as on any other Muslim. They were in their mosque, peacefully standing in straight lines bowing in front of the same lord as of the Muslims, Jews and Christians. There is no different version of this story. The enemy didn’t say that they (Taliban) acted in ‘self defence’. Their enemy clearly mentioned their intention that they came to kill them indiscriminately irrespective they were men, women, children, young and old. Its pointless to mention that the barbaric didnt regretted the loss of human life because that’s what they wanted and came for. They took pleasure from the blood of the Ahmedis. In a short time span of few minutes they killed 100 Ahmedis.

Now when i compare the response of this bigger, more ruthless, more blood thirsty attack on totally peacefully non political non partisan people with a regrettable event of Israeli attack on the Gaza Flotilla, I see a drastic and huge difference. I see not a single protest for Ahmedis, not a single burning of flag or slogans against the Taliban culprits [who proudly owned the responsibility].

I also noted that the whole Pakistani media with very very few exceptions, media and journalists were calling their mosques as ‘place of worship’ , their martyrs as ‘halak’, their ‘Jumma Namaz’ as ‘religious gathering’ and their city Rabwah as ‘Chanab Nagr’.

I didn’t see any human rights organization protesting for them on roads. I must however acknowledge and appreciate bold remarks by Salman Taseer, Rehman Malik, Asma Jahangir and few other people – not to mention this very blog LUBP which is a leader in human rights and minority rights in Pakistan.

The so-called civil society was sleeping in the lap of Taliban and to my utmost astonishment few labelled the Ahmadi massacre as a handiwork of Mossad, Raw and CIA. Leaders of the rightist parties used very ‘careful’ language when condemning the attacks. Within 2-3 days, this grave incident was systemically wiped out from the media’s ‘Islam friendly’ eyes.

I think this whole episode shows a great bias which lives in the hearts and minds of most of us [if not all]. Because the people dying in Lahore were Ahmedis and as most of us hate them (deep in our heart) so if they got killed by our ‘brothers in faith’ its ok.

But when our ‘Muslim brothers’ are attacked by Isareli Jews, we protest to our full capability, we make full noise and we do what ever we can to make sure their blood doesn’t lost in vein.

But Ahmedi blood , oh that’s not our blood we will pass a condemning remark and we will go ahead. It’s so painful for people like me who see Pakistan as a country where all Pakistanis should have equal rights , equal sanctity of life , equal respect and equal opportunities irrespective of one’s cast creed, religion ,sex and orientation.

I feel my Pakistan was under attack on 28th May 2010 in the Ahmedi mosques in Lahore. My Pakistan which my forefathers and my Ahmedi friends’ forefathers got after a united struggle against an empire. Until unless we win against the bias in ourselves we will not win anything against the barbaric Taliban. we will have to stand with victims irrespective of our faith and bias.

I am sorry my Ahmedi Friends i am truly sorry.

PS: I am really displeased with the Shiites and their organizations ISO for standing with the same barbaric Taliban who soon after they get some time from killing Ahmedies, Jews and the West will come back and bite them.

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