He suggests replacing it with locking up murder convicts in eight by twelve feet solitary cells.
ISLAMABAD: This refers to the column by Kamran Shafi published on August 23 “Time for an honest debate”. Mr Shafi wants to initiate a debate on the abolition of the death penalty. He suggests replacing it with locking up murder convicts in eight by twelve feet solitary cells with built-in toilets and no windows with only one-hour for exercise allowed during the day in a 20 by 20 walled yard. Brilliant, like in the movies.
But before one may mull over this earth-shattering suggestion, he enquires whether any one of us had noticed the Commando (General (retd) Pervez Musharraf) quivering in his shoes on being indicted for BB’s murder. One would like to assure him that only he seems to be endowed with this rather strange faculty. Unfortunately, the ability he does not seem to have is not to take cheap shots against a person who is down at the moment. It is not the done thing. However, he is not content with this. His next gem, “I do wish his toadies would recall the elegance with which ‘bloody civilian’ elected PMs faced their trials and tribulations.”
My issue is with his use of the term ‘bloody civilian’ with sickening regularity in most of his writings over the years and his extremely harsh criticism of the military. His other favourite terms seem to be ‘these tin hats’, ‘these Rommmels and Guderians’, the ‘deep state,’ etc. Meanwhile, our armed forces continue to sacrifice their lives on the borders and within the country to make sure Mr Shafi can exercise his rights in a free country!
Moneir Aslam
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2013.
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