The other day I read an article by Maya Awal in a newspaper. In this time of oborodh, a period during which I have not met my friends nor family, only a few things have given me entertainment while fewer things have given me the opportunity to laugh. This article was one of those latter few.
I didn't laugh at the article because it was funny, nor because it was worth mocking at; it was actually a good article. Before I read the article, I didn't know that the writer's father is an adviser to the prime minister, nor did I know that her father-in-law was a former adviser to the leader of the opposition.
When I kept these two facts side by side in my mind, I realised the irony, which under the prevailing circumstances may look grotesquely incongruous. After identifying these two things and laughing for a while, I decided to address two issues. The first issue is that it is absolutely fine for two people with different political backgrounds to get married, because, as far as I know, there aren't any laws prohibiting such marital ties. There are no laws which say that people of different parties cannot just sit down in a drawing room and have fun, or have a discussion about a personal matter.
But apparently, there happens to be a law in our country, about which we the commoners are unaware of, that prohibits members of different parties to talk to each other with mutual respect in public, or sit together in parliament for the sake of the society and the wellbeing of millions of people.
I don't want to say that politicians are selfish, but to a certain extent, politics in our country seems to lack sympathy. It does not feel anything when a garment worker's life gets lost after being inflicted with severe burns to her arms and feet. It does not feel anything when a child's face is literally scarred beyond recognition.
How can we have peace in our country, until the people who run politics try and understand a mother, father, sister or a brother's pain? The vital question is: when will they understand whether they are doing this nation a favour or a gross disservice? Until the severed or burnt limbs of their beloved are thrown in front of them!
Now, with the future of the SSC examinees and the lives of millions of common people are at stake, the two parties have to start respecting each other and come to a decision.
If the warring political parties can form bond internally for the sake of family ties, why can't it be made for the sake of the country?
Tahseen Rashid
tahseen_cricket@hotmail.com
