I have been thinking about some stuff to write on the long march that seems to have started in Pakistan. Nothing solid or concrete comes to mind. But I was watching this old program by Hamid Mir and saw a mullah vehemently defend Asif Ali Zardari. This reminded me of one of my old high school teachers. He was one of many who introduced our young minds to logical thinking and political role playing. Of many characteristics that he possessed the hatred for the religious elite was one of the strongest emotions within him. He would narrate a story almost every week of the evils that these mullahs spur in our society and then make sure that he spent considerable time loathing the corrupt ones amongst them. I remember one very solid thing that he made us remember. He would tell us that these bearded fanatics had only three things in mind. One, they liked to nourish their fat and hair so that the ton that they devoured every day in form of meat and miscellaneous would be reduced to few solid chunks of crap that is painful on its way out. Second they love to inseminate above and beyond all social, cultural and religious lines with fervor and teach their followers sexual restraint. Third, their only business of the day is to misinterpret religion so that every Muslim is a sworn enemy of the other.
I think he was right on every count. There might be a few exceptions but most of these religious bulls in our times at least live to these evil ends. This also reminds me of my own mullah who had the honor of teaching me the first four books of the Holy Quran at my home. He was famous for carrying a pistol concealed under his shirt 24/7. He owned only a motorcycle and there were always three passengers on it. He himself, riding in the front, his body guard in the back seat and his very young daughter of 5 or 6 tucked on the front gas tank of the motorcycle. I would always remember envying his Yamaha for its strength and resilience in the face of a collective at least 1000 pounds that its 100 cc engine had to push back and forth in the whole town. Any ways, the reason he kept the concealed weapon on his person was to ward of any assailants that might want to rid his soul of the heavy body that it possessed. He thought he would be able to fight off any life threats. Luckily for many and unluckily for him the assassin's bullet travels much faster than his neural network in collective and he was on the ground before his hands could reach his belt. The action was short lived for every passer by, with his personal body guard in flight to save his life and the assailants AK47 jerking off in succession and his one hand on his chest trying to plug bullet holes and the other missing his pistol and cursing independently.Three minutes later there lay his whole body, a mass of meat and little blood and dysfunctional neural network twitching in pain, dumped on the ground that lay thirsty for some blood. All his years of preparation and all his money spent on the gun and his body guard could not save him from those determined bullets that have their own head of steel. Once they make their mind it is difficult and often futile to argue with them. They march one after the other and rest not.
He was lucky though in the sense that he was awarded the medal of martyrdom by his followers and his son was appointed incharge of the mosque that he built through years of persistent trickling corruption. Funny how things work; how one man's death paves the way for another's freedom to insemination at a relatively young age.
I have been trying to listen to news and media all day long today in an effort to update myself of the ground reality in Pakistan. The long march has begun with a mellow response from some circles. I hope it gains momentum and transpires into yet another peaceful demonstration of the strength of the people of this country. I have certain fears. In the first long march we lost one leader and in the second long march it seems the second one will be visiting the higher courts of ultimate justice. Although I find no reason for the suicide bombers to be striking the long march but if the present masters keep on working their intrigue there will just be one who has his mind set on blowing Nawaz Sharif up for Zardari's sake.
Evil is around us and evil surrounds us. But does that mean we let it prevail. I think not and will think not till the end of time. One such thought doesn't matter but one too many do. Maybe if all of us start putting up resistance against all that we see evil and do evil we will help make a better Pakistan. A peaceful and just Pakistan. I hope that no lives are lost in this struggle but to hope this is to hope for a miracle. No revolution can be brought without the color red. The amount of mistakes that our leaders and us have committed over the past 66 years predicts that all will not be rosy in the days to come and there will be lives of value lost. But what is a life without its freedom and a soul without its independence?
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