Whats up with Hatim!

It was elections day in Abbottabad on 18th Feb 2008 and I had the chance to vote for first time in my life. Elections always have negativity surrounded around them, people think that it has already been decided that who shall win and who will loose. Most people believe that it's no use to go out and vote as even if thier opnions were taken into account, they would no doubt choose some one who eventually turns up to be a corrupt person and does nothing for the nation, A few days back I was having a discussion amongst my colleuges that we are not a nation and we still need nation building. Even though there was a 40% turnout in the present polls I still believe that we are not a nation, yet. With democretic forces hopefully coming into power in Islamabad, there is a chance that there will be some nation building. As for me I am happy that I exercised my opnion, but I am skeptical as to how the new government will handle the current situation of Pakistan.

I never adorerd Benazir, neither did I ever like her political party. But her assasination has made me quite upset today. I am sure there are many people in the world who are upset by it and probably a few of them were her rivals as well. It is just not right for a person to be killed like that. First off she was a mother of three, then she was a leader of a party which represents a smaller province. Her father was also hanged in the same city not far from where her assasination took place. But It makes me think why am I not upset even to half of what I am now when I hear about all those people dying in bomb blasts. I think the reasons are simple, I knew Benazir more than just an anonymous person. I had seen her pictures and knew about her history (where she got educated etc). I knew about her (dysfunctional?) family. Then I saw a video of how she died. It is still unknown how she died exactly, but the very fact that she is waving and smiling to a cheering crowd of supporters and the next moment is utter chaos body parts flying every where.No one deserves to die like this, but the truth is people die like this on daily basis. I wonder when would this killing stop and we as a species would decide to be more like fedration in StarTrek.

Last night emergency was declared in Pakistan. It was not surprising, but surely was disappointing. The premise for declaring emergency was increase de-stability of Pakistan, but this had more to do with disagreements between the Supreme Court and the executive branch of the governemnt. All tv channels have been shut down and there is a media black out in the country. While writing this blog entry I don't have access to the internet and I hope that internet is not blocked out as well*.

When emergency was declared I was near the Parliment, teaching Linux to MAJU employees. Needless to mention that my parents some how felt I was out of home (they being in another city)and called me up to get back.

*(Internet is up and running in Pakistan, thank God).

There has been upsurge in suicide bomb attacks in Pakistan in last few months. The most notebale of them happend in a convoy of Benazir Bhutto upon her return from self imposed exile. I have no sympathies with Benazir and I am indifferent to any thing which happens to her (as long as she doesn't come back to power), but it was really horrific to see 130 people die for nothing. There is a taliban style militancy going in the provice of NWFP (my home is in a border district of NWFP), and this wave of extremism is spreading. Pakistan is seeing a drak period these days.
There were few more attacks, but one which really upset me was attack on a bus full of air force officers in Sargodha. I was born in Sargodha and spent a good 15 years of my life in that town (and on the base). This was a pointless murder of innocent people as they were not involved in any kind of conflict in NWFP. I guess people who do these things have lost all humanity in them, and their human rights shouldbe revoked. But the problem is its not easy to identify the people who are actually behind these attrocities from the people who are associated with them. Perhaps this is why in the tribal areas its never a person who is guilty of doing some thing bad, it always the tribe who pays the price.

But then some people think that there is a good chance that all of this is being done by the Governemnt. Some people further believe all of this is being done on the orders of Americans. Leaving all conspercies aside, I believe that Pakistan is no longer a place for me. I have decided that I will be immigrating from this region to a better and safer future. My family also supports this idea. But I do feel bad about this country, it could be much better.