A Childhood under Persecution

It was 1984 and I was 7 years old. That day was strange my dad brought a box home and it was filled with kalima badges I had never seen so many badges before. As I vaguely recall I asked my father what were they for and he said they are for proudly showing that we are Muslim. Why do we have to show anyone that were Muslims? was my question and his reply was cause some bad guys think they can read what's in your heart.

Darker days were ahead Zia's ordinance had been enforced I remember that day when they said you cannot do Adhan in your mosques and you cannot call your mosque what it was.

I remember the prayers where my father and brothers and sister and others would cry and one could hear the cries of lament that emanated from their souls.

Soon news started to arrive of arrests being made, their crime? "posing as a Muslim" and I would wonder how can I be any other way, I am a Muslim thats all I know how to behave like... Will they come for me too?

Then one day there was a strange commotion at our house my dad sitting in the courtyard turned the radio to bbc urdu and then after some time we heard the voice of our beloved Khalifa I don't remember what exactly he said but I do remember the sadness in my father's eyes like he had lost something precious.

Not a day went by when the news of torture or burning of property or shunning from social interaction would not come and continues to this day and now the hatred has escalated to this level that 86 worshipers are brutally murdered in a mosque and people distribute sweets.

What Pakistan's people should ask themselves is at what cost ? You allowed extremism to flourish to the very roots of your society and then why are you shocked that it has comeback to bite you.

All of the problems that Pakistan faces can be traced back to one fatal mistake and that is when you made religion the state's business.

After all that persecution and everything that was done to us, do you know what my parents taught me ? that our only weapon is dua we will not bare arms and we will not retaliate. Our weapon is the pen and knowledge.

As the world gives Dr. Abdul Salam honor after honor Pakistan the country of his origin dare not mention his name, how pathetic the mentality and how shameful the actions.

And if you think that Ahmadis have only one Abdus Salam then your mistaken, there are countless well educated and learned Ahmadis all over the world excelling in their respective fields and you know what Pakistan you could have that talent you could use it to build a nation but you shun knowledge and enlightenment and have chosen to rot instead.

You give known liars and thieves the highest pedestals and you celebrate brutal murderers. Your upholders of law loot and plunder and your so called ulema destroy mosques.

How low can one get. You are a Shame to the word humanity. You stay quiet untill the fire comes to your door step so guess what the wait is over your total collapse is eminent ... Enjoy!