Just let me breathe freely in fresh air and let my mind be free from deadly fears.
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN: This is apropos Kamal Siddiqi’s article “When less is more” (August 26). The article talks about what Pakistan and its citizens need the most at this point in time. Guess what I want as a Pakistani? I want some peace of mind. I want to drive to office without the fear of being followed, mugged, abducted or finding myself stuck in the middle of a chaotic situation. I want to talk about religion without fearing that I will be killed for taking sides with minority religious groups and sects. I want to travel to the northern parts of the country without the fear of being shot dead in cold blood. I want to talk to my foreign friends without being probed about the security situation in Pakistan.
I want to walk on the streets of Lahore, enjoy the beautiful breeze at the Karachi seashore, jog on the roadside in Islamabad and take my family on a trip to the deserts in Sindh. I want to explore Balochistan and not be afraid of getting shot.
Take away the roads, motorways, all the lights and all my money. Just let me breathe freely in fresh air and let my mind be free from deadly fears. Take all I have and give me back my pride — I want to be proud of being a Pakistani.
Bushra Zia
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2013.
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