open letter

extinguish the fire

By Kulamarva Balakrishna

dawn newspapers,
Karachi, Pakistan
(urdu editions included)

Vienna,10-11-2007:

Dear sisters and brothers,

I make bold to address you this open letter, as one teenager who witnessed our two countries sending away the foreign imperial masters.

In 1970 October, when I was passing through road on a rickety decades old bus a small Afghan village called Delaram,the bus made a halt to take petrol by canister pumping.The petrol drum owner who also served us Afghani nan curry for food, asked me if I was a Pakistani.I said to him I was a Hindustani.He asked me further if I was a Musalman.I replied I was but a =qafr=.I got a welcome hug from the Pathan, who spoke Hindustani as he had spent his time in India as a =Kabuliwala=. Then, we talked about the freedom we got in South Asia.He spoke of the Muslim view since the British took power from the Mughals, they should have transferred power back to the inheritors of the Mughals, in this context Muslims. I pointed out the Mughal mess up after Akbar.

It is in the same spirit of this hearty Kabuliwala, I, a =qafr= neighbor,living thousands of kilometers away across the ocean, address you this letter. A letter wishing you light,health and happiness during Diwali. I wish all limbs in tact in your unbruised bodies let alone blasted ones by exploding suicidal belts or back packs strewn all over causing extreme stink and epidemic.

I wish first, you extinguish the fire, keeping your 60 years of self destructive freedom behind.For this, you need to strengthen the backbone of Pervez Musharraf.Instead of asking her Pakistani People´s Party mob getting on the streets, Benazir Bhutto should advise them remain indoors, creating conditions for conducting elections.No election can be held with explosive belts or back packs running amok.Besides,as was proved even Benazir needs security from explosive belt and back packs. She needs to show now great statesmanship in these hours of peril.Unrealistically however, she expects her safety ensured through the agency of her declared opponent!

What is good for Benazir Bhutto, who aspires to rule Pakistan for the third time, is also good to the learned lawyers and the esteemed administrators of justice,the judges of the Supreme Court included.They all need safety and security of life and limbs if they are to function in the service of the society.In other words, what common sense you have please do make use of it and extinguish the fire.

As for Pakistani people in general, if you need help and co-operation from outside, you get it from us neighbors for the asking.After all it is not pleasant to watch neighbor´s house burning. Earlier the fire is set out it is better for us. Besides, your benefactors and long term allies, U.K, U.S and the Arabian peninsula of the Holy Places and of course, the Gulf, should help you with resources without applying a squeeze. It is in their interest the carved out caves in your mountains do not send out human terrorist guided missiles from those safe haven.

Once you are safe, we should help Sri Lanka, Mynamar and Nepal.They all need and deserve happiness and harmony.Overseas citizens of South Asian origin everywhere are eager to help.Save yourselves to take care of the great future you have in store on this earth.

Let your pointless anger calm down a bit. Let your communication reach all Pakistani citizens.Let your politicians learn to share and accommodate in the great Umma breaking bread with those in uniform or without. We hope you live together with the rest of us in South Asia and rest of the world.You are very hard working nice people.You should not throw away life,so short lived, even for fancies. You need to nurse life.Let every Pakistani enjoy the life (end)