The treatment being meted out to the memory of Salmaan Taseer is indeed shocking, for it shows how the murder of an individual can take on a religious, then a political hue. In his lifetime, he dismissed the threats to his own life, and continued in his devil-may-care ways, not realising that the undercurrents of religious extremism run deep. Salmaan wrongly assumed that a lone assassin could not succeed in penetrating his security network. What is even more shocking is the rallying behind the killer by the main political parties. Salmaan Taseer had turned the Governor’s House into a veritable bastion of the PPP, ignoring the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hordes, and went to out-jiyala the jiyalas. Perhaps Salmaan was never really accepted by the PPP. On top of it he was the biggest taxpayer, which made him doubly suspect. These qualities were unacceptable, for the PPP was a party of the have-nots, and the downtrodden. For the PPP leadership, a man of Salmaan’s ilk was unacceptable because he was successful and wealthy.
However, it is unforgivable that his own party should have denied Salmaan after his death. Also by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), surprisingly, who are proud of their secular policies. To be deserted by the PPP and the MQM in such a manner shows the shallow regard for one of their own. I am sure that had Salmaan been alive he would have been able to clarify that he did not mean any disrespect to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and now in death he stands deserted by all.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to embarrass his mentor. In a cricket-mad country, where every paanwala (betel seller) is an authority on the game, the new subject is the stupidity of not announcing the skipper along with the team. This has led to further schisms with new contenders for the captaincy appearing daily. Instead of serving to unify everyone behind the captain, Ijaz Butt has by his vacillating left Shahid Afridi dangerously exposed to detractors who are taking full advantage. It does seem that Butt is not a friend of Pakistan. For his actions are in line with one who wishes to undermine the power and resolve of the captain. To make the captain unsure of himself is possibly the worst blow to the confidence of someone playing in an upcoming World Cup, with detractors coming from within our own, and that too from our team management. The president would do well to sack Butt right now, for he has already made Pakistan a pariah in the cricket world. It is Butt who stands alienated by all the cricket Boards, by his abrasive conduct and abusive nature. Remember his calling Chris Broad a liar after the Lahore shooting, not realising that Broad as the match referee had to submit a report to the ICC on the incident a scant 15 days later. That of course ruled out any support for the Pakistan cause from any of the English, and their powerful media. This World Cup will be played and watched by Indians, Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis minus Pakistan. Mr President, why can you not remove him forthwith, and have people dancing in the streets for a change — for a right reason?
It is now time to call for support to the new captain, and to impress upon the team that they hold in their hands the ability to fulfil the dreams of their compatriots for a World Cup victory, which our people having such a wretched year of floods and poverty, desperately need as a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary life.
Our cricket team can do it. Minus Butt our chances already look better. It is time we dropped the petty politicking intrigues of a corrupt political class and put our Cup chances in 15 good men without Butt and his cronies. There are indeed many good men who can rise to the occasion and deliver. But first Butt and cronies should be fired lest they do more damage, leaving the rest of the team, who have the ability and the will to win, a fair chance.
The writer is a freelance columnist
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