Leave the country — or die

It’s as if all the things associated with Zia’s regime are making a comeback in contemporary Pakistani society.

RAWALPINDI: The events of recent days seem to indicate the following: If you go to a funeral you can get killed, if you go to fill CNG, you can be killed, if you go to a mosque to pray you can be killed. Sixty people died in two days, that means that 60 families lost their loved ones. No wonder people like George Fulton are leaving Pakistan. The law and order situation has forced many more people to sit up and realise that either they leave the country or they risk their lives by continuing to live in an environment that is prone to suicide bombings and terrorist attacks.

Of course, many people do this for the sake of their children and that is understandable — but what about those who choose to stay back? If every liberal or positive thinker leaves, who will save this country? After the murders of Salmaan Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti and the reception given by many people to Mr Taseer’s assassin, a lot of people have lost hope in Pakistan. It’s as if all the things associated with General Zia’s regime are making a comeback in contemporary Pakistani society.

Syed Foaad Hassan

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2011.