Whose Hands Are Stained With My Blood?

Translated by Javed I. Chaudry  

On that fateful Friday afternoon, about 100 Ahmadis were killed and over 150 were injured as a result of brazen attacks which took place simultaneously in two of Lahore districts, one in Model Town and the other in Garri Shahu. The news made headlines in all the news papers also, the ruling elite quickly discharged their duty by issuing the ceremonial statements condemning the incidents for the sake of appeasement.  It was a gruesome scene, all the hell broke loose as the legally declared non-believers, the Ahmadis were offering the Juma prayers. The lawfully certified Muslims attacked with guns and hand grenades while chanting “Death to Qadianis”. I was shocked, dazed and astounded and did not know how to react. Unarmed, defenseless people were busy in a hand to hand fight in a desperate struggle of self defense. The incident turned out to be a sensational news item for the news media that prompted them to indulge in a socio-politic debate. In the end, the act of broad day light murder was attributed to yet another incident of terrorism caused by the banned Taliban organization.  

But how can I accept this judgment as merely being an incident of terrorism especially when I have already seen hundreds of Ahmadi families being burned alive by the Majlis Tahaffuz Khatum-e-Nabuwat (Prophet hood Finality Support Group) in Chak Sekander and Nankana Sahib districts. How can I accept the notion that this incident was simply another act of terrorism arranged by a banned organization while the screams and the cries of the Ahmadi worshippers as a result of an armed attack that took place on 7^th of October, 2005 in Mandi Bahauddin is still echoing in my ears. How can I accept this incident as merely a pretext to spread fear and panic among the general public while my shoulders are still wet with tears of the Ahamadi families from Muzafferabad and Abottabad who had lost their loved ones. How can I accept these justifications when I have myself shed tears of blood for my ill fated nation in connection with atrocious and savage murders of Ahmadi physicians. In case these attacks are only an incident of terrorism then, who was behind the 1989 attacks in Chak Sekander and Nankana Sahib where the Ahmadi families were burned alive after looting their possessions and who was behind all that savagery that took place in Mandi Bahaoddin? If these attackers had only meant to spread chaos and fear in the public then, what exactly is the motive behind the anguish, pain and sufferings that Ahmadis have been constantly subjected to, since 1974? 

The brutal and the barbarous treatment that the Ahmadis have received after the faction had been declared non-Muslim by an act of Pakistan’s Parliament in 1974 is certainly terrorism - not the Taliban instigated terrorism but a state supported terrorism. The banned organization is not responsible for this terrorism, but its responsibility falls on Bhutto and all the subsequent governments who have ruled after him. Of course, it is a cruelty, but the Taliban are not responsible for it, the whole society and the legal system is responsible for this cruelty. It is certainly against the rules of basic human rights; the police is also responsible for it. The betrayal of the journalists and their yellow journalism is also involved in the sustaining of the prejudice. More than any thing else, its our nation that has turned a deaf ear to the tales of brutality, the nation has lost the ability to see the obvious helplessness of their country fellows and it is devoid of a passionate heart that can feel others’ pain.  

It is not the place for the state to pass judgment on the matters of its citizens’ faith and spiritual values. But that was exactly what was done by the parliament under Bhutto’s leadership. Each and every subsequent government has only added fuel to the fire of the sectarian hate, instead of attempting to put out the fire of hatred. Under Pakistan Penal Code Ordinance, article 298, Zia-Ul-Haq forbade the Ahmadis to identify themselves as Muslims, they were not allowed to call their masjid a masjid, so much so that they were even forbidden to take Muslim names and to use Salam, the conventional Muslim greetings including  the observance of basic dua, Bismillah. Restrictions were put on Azan (call for prayer) and then initiated vicious actions against the Ahmadis.  

The Ahmadis face prejudice in all walks of life including employment opportunities, education and business. They are losing all around only because of their faith. Some could not continue their education in the medical schools, others faced difficulties in obtaining the national ID card. Some had to denounce Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in order to obtain such documents. They have been suspected to be the agents of foreign powers such as Israel, America and India. The news media has been overlooking or turning a blind eye to the injustices and the torment that Ahmadis have been subjected to. The prejudiced and complicit media has been not only silent, but the TV shows like Alim on Line has even issued fatwa supporting Ahmadi’s genocide.  

The police not only refuses to enter a report of injustices done against the Ahmadis, but instead, often supports their tormentors. Recently in a large public meeting arranged by Tahuffuz Khatam-e-Nabuwat took place which was attended by many influential people. In this gathering giant size banners were displayed with warnings such as: the Ahmadis should be given three day, in which to decide whether they would give up their faith or be ready to face a firing squad. Other banners suggested that the Ahmadis should be thrown out of the country if they refuse to give up their faith. Why to hold the people of Wazirestan responsible while there are plenty of compliant and willing tormentors available at home.  

I would like to ask the higher authorities as well as the police if they know of any limits to which the Ahmadis are going to be punished? The history of the country is witnessed to it that the influential elites could always mobilize the public and bring them out on the streets and change the laws and rules only to serve their own interests but why then, no one is able to look into and revise the brutal laws against the minorities. Our supreme court is apparently quite vigorous in taking initiatives in many areas but why it has taken no interest in the plight of the minorities?According to the teachings of the Quran, the murder of one innocent person is equivalent to the murder of the whole humanity. Hadrat  Omar Farooq used to say that the ruler of a community would be answerable for the unnecessary death of even a dog. The Ahmadis may be a minority, but after all, they are human beings and some one must be answerable for their blood which is being shed in vain.  

Cast in stone is nature’s law try if you will to make it banish,

The Atrocities must be stamped out or the earth will vanish