Daily Times

We, as a nation have withstood many troubles, trials and tribulations in just a short span of 70 years. These trails multiplied right after the world-changing events of 9/11 ensued in the United States of America. While being continents apart, its effects have not been shy to appear themselves here in the South-East Asia since then. ‘War on Terror’, these three words got the best of us and dragged our country amid monstrous and inhumane balaclava-wearing fiends who have no scruples, no religion and no humanity inside them with their hearts too sterile for all this. Also, it took us a while to recognise that the West is more of a ‘master’ than a friend and while we were engaged in realising this epiphany, the bridles shifted international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which continued to ‘guide’ and ‘help’ us for the ‘betterment’ of our people and the world at large. Due to the West’s (read US) same concern for humanity and their passion for ‘nation-building’, a task that they took upon after WW2, has proven unproductive as the current circumstances in the Middle East and North Africa suggest.

Coming back to Pakistan, the flames reached their zenith on 16th December, 2014, for what came to be known as the APS tragedy when innocent children were brutally murdered at the hands of terrorists .The army fought back valiantly afterwards in the broader spectrum and eventually succeeded in containing terrorism to a large extent. But not for very long. On 13th February 2017 we witnessed recrudescence. On Lahore’s bustling Mall Road, history repeated itself with saddening familiarity. The same clamouring sound of the blasts with the same mourning cries. What followed next was a salvo of terrorism and many more innocent lives were lost. The public and law enforcement agencies were the primary targets. Moreover, sporting events were also not absolved from this evil.

After the assault on the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in March 2009, the essence of cricket became dormant. The country’s soft image already got tainted with fundamentalism with parochialism exacerbated, pushing us into a deep abyss. No international team was willing to visit for any type of series. This inoculation of terrorism in such a benign thing i.e. sports, was and is not acceptable at all. Now, we stood at a very sensitive, very significant point. Either we surrender or fight back. The former we never did and would never do. The latter we always do and always will. Now that Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) final match is being held in Lahore after much deliberations, the public is certainly excited (and sceptic in some way too). Read one way and this seems risky, foolish (to some extent) and dangerous. Read another; gallant and determined. I would go with the latter. There are reasons for it, albeit very common, yet very potent. If we would have cancelled the event in Lahore then that would have given a clear message to whom-so-ever is behind this atrocity: We can make them do things with fear. But this decision will certainly raise eyebrows and questions in the devil’s mind. It can make them question their tactics; bombs, terror, fear etc. They have no effect on us.

It’s simple that we won’t, at any cost, surrender in front of this scare mongering. The event is very important for our soft image as well. It gives a blatant, clear and audacious message to the enemies of the state. I agree with the counter-argument that this involves much risk as the stakes would be much higher. However, let it be known that history shows that whenever nations have changed and grown, they had to take certain risky decisions. This is what is happening in our country right now. They (the terrorists) and those who abet them, have an agenda to fulfil. They have no religion, no dogmas, no rules etc. Nothing, to be precise. I doubt that they even fall under the standards of humanity. They, by such tactics, sought to intimidate people.

As I write this, I feel sharp pointy edges of the hope, shattered at times by blasts and atrocities, running into my veins and pinching my whole body. I feel to raise my voice at least where I can, against the concept of ‘terrorism’. Let them know that whatever they might do, whatever they might plan to do, one thing amidst all these destruction stands tall with an unwavering resolve, that is, hope. People will still step out. There will be games, events and all that happens in a developed country free from the nuisances of any sorts. Let us give them a clear and collective message. They can destroy concrete jungles but can never subdue the beautiful and ethereal value of hope!

The writer is a student of International Relations with interest in International Political Economy. He can be reached at osamarizvi10@hotmail.com