Sanity

“Behold, your Lord said to the angels:  ‘I will create a vicegerent on earth’.  They said, ‘will You place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood while we do celebrate You praises and glorify Your Holy Name’?  He said, ‘I know what you know not’.”………Surah Al-Baqarah/The Cow, 30

“Sheri Rehman, leave Pakistan, we don’t deserve sanity”…. almost were the words of a writer of a post.  I was surprised.  Our self-claimed “SANE” minority is highly concerned about politicians’ safety, praying for them, asking them to run-away????  I paused a little, calmed down myself and focused on the issue and figured out the fact.  It is mostly the one who have run-away, now suggesting the same to their beloved political figures.  Yeah, right, for them living in danger is insanity and this is what we are, the common Pakistanis, INSANE.  We should be proud of our insanity, at least I am.

Sanity in online dictionaries is defined as soundness of judgement, health of mind, the ability to predict the results of ones actions, the ability to get what you want without doing things that will ultimately get you more of what you don’t want.

Synonyms of sanity: balance, clear mind, common sense, comprehension, intelligence, normality, prudence, rationality, reason, sagacity, stability, understanding.

Sanity in Pakistan:

I don’t know when but the first time I heard this word ‘sanity’, I thought that it must have something to do with the word ‘sanitation’ and that is why we are asked to develop it as a feeling.

1) Murder of a liberal by unknown gunmen (murder later claimed by Talibans) is condemned by literates and liberals.

2) Murder of a minority member on the basis of faith/religion in any province is passionately condemned by liberals, minorities and American Officials.  And I don’t know why are Hindu, Christian or other religious based communities in Pakistan categorized as minorities while they are assured of a major support from outside at any times?  Even a pinch to them disturbs the entire west and our politicians while ignoring the massacre of Muslim population around the world.

3)  Murder of a profession-based community member (doctor, lawyer, judge, journalist, teacher etc.) is condemned by that particular community.

4) Murder of a Muslim on the basis of language is condemned provincially.

5) Murder of a political leader by unknown terrorists is violently condemned by their party workers and voters.

6) Murder of an official is condemned by liberals.

7) Murder of a Muslim civilian by American CIA agent is condemned by the Muslim civilians and religious groups.  Liberals and politicians mostly stay quiet or try to be diplomatic, government officials become active regarding fulfilling their jobs to protect American or Western interests.  Religious based minorities don’t say a word about it.

8 ) Murder of an Urdu speaking is ignored by everyone.

9) Murder of a religious person is condemned violently by almost all religious groups of either of the two main types; Shia and Sunni

10) Murder of a woman or a child is not a considerable incident.

The case of Asia Bibi has already claimed two lives, Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti.  Sheri Rehman is predicted to be next in line.

I don’t know how many times in my childhood, I had to repeat this sentence “phelay baat ko tolo, phir munh say bolo” or the one I read in my First Grade Urdu Book “buk buk mat ker, chup ker jaa”.  For me, this could be one true unified definition of sanity.

As for our politicians, mullahs, scholars, liberals and moderates, conservatives, minorities by faith or profession or lets say professionals, youth, women….they all talk.  They speak the words of their interest.  When they open their mouth, they totally forget that others have a voice too, may be a stronger one or vulgar one.  The one who don’t find themselves logical enough to defeat the opponent or they feel like they can’t defend themselves verbally seek refuge in the language of violence.

In our country, we don’t express our thoughts and feelings in words.  We exchange threats and allegations.  We don’t verbalize the solutions but condemnation.  That is neither sanity nor humanity.

عقلمندی, دوراندیشی, حکمت, فہم, سمجھداری۔۔۔ کاش یہ ہمارے کھوئے ہوئے خزانے ہوتے۔۔۔ کم از کم ہم انھیں تلاش تو کرتے۔۔۔ لیکن ہم نے انھیں خزانہ سمجھا ہی نہیں۔۔۔ بےکار پرزے سمجھہ کرزمین میں دفن کردیا۔۔۔ اب تو بہت عرصہ ہو چکا ہے, مٹی میں مل چکی ہوں گی۔۔۔ ویسے سال میں ایک میموریل انکا بھی ہونا چاہئیے۔۔۔
دو قتل کے بعد شیری رحمان کی باری ہے۔۔۔ افسوس ہوا یہ دیکھہ کر کہ پڑھے لکھے لوگ کسطرح سیاستدانوں کو بھاگنے کا مشورہ دے رہے ہیں۔۔۔ اگر دو تین چار پانچ دس بارہ قتل بھی ہو گئے تو کیا ہے۔۔۔ ہزاروں کی تعداد میں عوام بھی تو مرتے ہیں۔۔۔ دادا صحیح کہتے تھے, فرنگی تعلیم بزدلی سکھاتی ہے۔۔۔