Source: Indiatoday
The dastardly act of killing young children at an Army run school, Peshawar, the death count for which continues to rise; a teacher being burnt alive, is appalling. What scars and frustrates me more is that the best of news channels, coveted anchors, eminent speakers, sharing their point of view as I write this are busy analyzing the gaps, finding the genesis of the problem, indulging in armchair discussions and playing blame game. Apart from condemning this cowardly act in many different ways, paying their heartfelt condolences there is little being done. A moment of crisis calls for action and not deliberation. Why are we living in the past? Recalling guidance we gave. It’s akin to telling a child I always told you, you were in bad company and now you face the music. Why would we even care to respond to some outlier remarks holding India responsible when Taliban has taken accountability? For all the terrorism we have faced, for all the lives we have lost, to all the families who have witnessed tragedy would they want us to allow this to affect more lives. Would they wish humanity dead, especially since they were at the receiving end of it. Do we need an explanation on why we need to come together? Is it about religion, a country, boundaries, politics or about knowing that pain is no different anywhere for anyone. Empathy not apathy is what we need to lend ourselves too. I am perhaps a hopeless optimist or maybe oversimplifying the situation but I see this as a reason where India Pakistan rise to the situation, together. Complicating things have not brought us too far either. There is water under the bridge but is this the appropriate time for it to flood our judgment and sensibilities? I never saw partition, my dad did. Am half the patriot my dad is – he served Indian Army for 35 years, when I see his eyes well up at such gruesome acts of terrorism, am moved. Moved to unite, to help, to act. How can I ? How can we ?
Coverage:
BBC | NDTV | India Today | YouTube | Times Now | Twitter: PeshawarAttack , PakSchoolSeige
Curio-Cities by Dilpreeta Vasudeva 
“We must remember that an entity conceived in hatred shall last only as long as that hatred lasts. This hatred shall overwhelm relations between India and Pakistan. In this situation it will not be possible for India and Pakistan to become friends and live amicably unless some catastrophic event takes place..” – M J Akbar, Tinderbox,The Past and Future of Pakistan. MJ Akbar is a reputed journalist from India Today.
I highly recommend that you read this book. It delves into the causes of Muslim separatism ,the eventual creation of Pakistan and the culture of Jihad prevalent there now. In his attempt to forge the state of Pakistan, Jinnah (though himself not religious) had to court all sorts of radicals . The consequences have been playing out ever since and Pakistan has become the natural shelter for islamic fundamentalism ever since.
Its impossible that the Taliban would have gained foothold in places like Karachi, if there wasn’t an element of local support. This act is a new low even for them, though in the larger scheme of things, its not surprising. I doubt if India shares has any common outcome here, We can claim to put up a common front against terror, but religion is in the DNA of our neighbor and as soon as flames of conflict with Taliban die out, they will go back to their usual ways – propping up radicalism in the name of jihad. India should be opportunistic with Pakistan regarding the short term goals of eradicating terror, but any illusions of long term co-operation will just remain that.
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Thank you for sending me the link to your piece. I’ve had a read and mostly agree with the points you make. It’s very well written.
It is disgusting and heart breaking that it is only in – and after – devastating events that people realise that they are stronger united than divided. I hate the way people refer to the past and as you rightly say – treat this situation as if they were scolding a child for being naughty. The whole “I told you so” is not appropriate now or ever.
I was translating the live statements from Urdu to English today for a few journalists here in the UK (I myself am a journalist) and at times I honestly felt that I couldn’t keep translating the horrors of what I was hearing.
I truly hope that India and Pakistan do eventually unite and realise that their common enemy is terrorism; it’s many nations’ enemy.
Your last sentence has particularly resonated with me because even I am deeply hurt and distressed by what has happened. How can I help?
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I Agree With Dilpreeta’s Comment
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