Daily Times

Hamid Chughtai, a 12-year-old resident of Lala Musa was killed after being run over by an Elite force vehicle during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s political march from Islamabad to Lahore on Friday.

According to various reports, crowd that had gathered at the spot where the incident occurred asked the vehicle’s driver to pull the brakes following Hamid’s initial tumble, but the driver refused, probably ignored or rather did not notice the poor kids ordeal crushing him to his demise.

The caravan continued its journey without any delay. There were eleven ambulances on spot but none felt the suffering of the dying kid. The Elite force vehicles, ambulances – none came to his rescue, despite his uncle pleading passers-by.

The young kid was lying on one side of the road with disfigured anatomy, but there surely were things more significant than a human being battling for his life. Hamid was rushed to the hospital in a rickshaw, where he succumbed to his wounds.

His father, upon hearing the news, suffered from a cardiac arrest and remains in critical condition. Hamid’s family lodged an FIR against the culprit, possibly seated in a black prado, after a painstaking few hours at the police station.

This is not the first time a ‘common man’ has fallen victim to VIP protocol and all that goes along it. Another man, also yesterday, was struck by a speeding PML-N supporter’s motorcycle and killed as he was returning home after offering prayer.

Mr Nawaz’s son-in-law Captain Sadar and PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique regarded Hamid as the ‘first martyr’ of the party’s movement and compared Hamid’s unfortunate demise to sacrifices rendered upon during partition. “God bless the child” was possibly the only humane thing Safdar said. It sure is insensitive of PML-N leaders to call a 12-year-old ‘martyr’ of their ‘movement’, isn’t it? But hey, who would not want to gift his life to the self-proclaimed Amirul Mo’mineen? And if Hamid’s first, are there more to come? (God forbid)

At least CM Punjab Shehbaz Sharif showed certain degree of humanity as he called for inquiry of the incident (also punishment to those involved), and refrained from uttering abysmal statements similar to party compatriots.

The way Hamid was treated is exactly how a dead animal is in our parts of the world. Killed and thrown on one side of the road. It is only the life of a politician, an ousted one, an ousted one by the Supreme Court, which matters perhaps. Ofcourse, without him and people like him, Pakistan would cease to exist.

Hamid’s family does not need honorary condolences from Pakistan’s political elite, although a showcase of gratitude is welcome, they needed their child to be alive. They did not want their kid to be awarded with political martyrdom, and why does it always have to be a ‘common man’ honoured with martyrdom? Why don’t the political elite stand up and lead, for once, PML-N?

What would sending local party leaders to the deceased’s home and what would the monetary consolations do? Can they bring the child back? No.

Hamid is a martyr, but not a martyr of PML-N’s political movement which seeks benefits for nobody but themselves. The lines are thin and fine. He is a martyr because he was crushed to death by an expensive vehicle, whose owner’s were not rich enough to afford the discomfort of saving a child’s life.

Messages of concern hold nonentity because he was not provided medical assistance when it mattered the most.

We all know how it will end, nonetheless. We have witnessed events analogous to Hamid’s tribulation before. A couple of temporary visits, monetary compensations and there you go – just about buried the hatchet.

Nawaz Sharif promised to visit Hamid’s family in his speech on Friday, but how wonderful it would have been had he stopped his car and called for immediate medical help for the young kid’s race against time? Seems a little too exaggerated… stupid me.

The only people suffering a lifetime of anguish is Hamid’s family, nobody else, not me, not you and God forbid, if Hamid’s father does not make it, PML-N rally would prove a catastrophe for the residents of Lala Musa.