Who is Faisal Shahzad?

LAHORE: This is with reference to Adil Najam’s article of May 6 titled ‘Who is Faisal Shahzad?’ He is the son of a retired air vice-marshal who only recently became a US citizen, like thousands of other Pakistanis and we cannot deny this fact. Let’s do away with the ostrich approach and face reality here.

What he has done should make our heads hang in shame and worse still it will make impossible international trade and business for people like me. As someone who travels extensively and has various work related trips lined up, I am now feeling very apprehensive about the treatment that awaits me at immigration counters in Europe and America. People like Faisal Shahzad bring shame not only to their families but to all of us. I just cannot understand how these people can be so ignorant of the religion they presumably follow.

Shame on us for trying to harm the people who give us so much religious freedom that we sit in mosques in their cities and preach hate against the same people who give us the chance of a better life in their country. How tolerant would we be of a Christian mission operating out of Lahore and openly declaring war on Pakistan and the Muslim world?

We quarrel and take issue with the west when we feel that they impose on our culture and religion (refer to the banning of the veil in France and Belgium) but would we allow western women wearing bikinis on our beaches? What is with this hypocrisy? We can’t give an inch but we demand a mile! Adnan S Lahore