Pray Do Something Different One is perpetually distressed and frequently depressed reading and listening to national and world media harping incessantly about blasts in mosques, fires in churches, atrocities against women, target killings in urban areas and name you what in the same cities day after day, 24/7, 52/12 and 24/365, 1978-2013. London based ‘The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ)’ has started a project ‘naming the dead’ endeavoring to name people killed in covert US drone strikes in Pakistan. It is a commendable project that would create job opportunities for the needy in TBIJ to accomplish the admirable work of heretofore missing authentic body count. The diligent in our world would categorize the dead as men, women and children; militants and civilians, Pakhtuns and Punjabis, Pakistanis and foreigners, us and they- stretch your imagination to pick your prism. But that is not going to change my world. Not a wee bit. It will not lift the thick clouds of depression and stop the unending mourning noise in my ears. Pray do something different. One suggests playing a different name-game. Forget the fallen Neanderthals, let’s begin with naming or renaming their crippled conurbations-their metropolis, towns and cities and see the world changing the world over. Let’s begin with my dear Peshawar. Backdated I would baptize it as London, hometown of TBIJ. Imagine the news, ‘Huge blast in Meena Bazar Street, Central London’- unknown miscreants blow up Muslim worshipping place, 150 dead and over two hundred injured (never mind mostly Muslims). Metro Police Service reports scores missing as result of the ensuing chaos. Central Forensic Image Team (CFIT) cordons off neighbourhood to collect evidence. No arrests have been reported yet and none are expected in near future. Next, after a few minor inconveniences, it would be, ‘Terrorists strike back—Sunday mass at All Saint’s Church in Central London targeted, 80 dead 150 wounded’. Prime Minister in a hurriedly called press conference names Al Qaida associates as perpetrators of ghastly tragedy. Metropolitan Police launches biggest manhunt. 473 deviant Muslim youth from different neighbourhoods arrested, large caches of arms recovered. The ‘Caught on Camera Unit’ publishes images of criminals Metro Police Service needs your help in identifying. Citizens asked to report suspected packages or individuals or both on 999. I love it. It just changes my world, though the blasts continue. Let’s rechristen Karachi as New York and name five districts (East, West, South, Center and Malir) of the cosmopolitan metropolis after sister city’s five boroughs (The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island). Take your pick. I am not pushed. Imagine Geo hollering—City on fire, five killed in 61st and 73rd Precincts of South Brooklyn, seven body bags found in Central Bronx, three kidnapped for ransom from 19th precinct of North Manhattan, one robbed in Central Park at Zamzama. NYPD is asking for your help to identify the following people. Please view and contact us if you have any information about them or their whereabouts. Dunya, Aaj, Samaa, Ary and Dawn TV go gaga about the gangs, mafias and our beloved police who are found on both sides of the divide. Sounds like Naseebo Lal singing remixes. And and and Lahore is Paris—old name Lutetia—pronounced as [paʁi]. Both cities situated on rivers have many resemblances or that is how our Chief Brother wants us to believe. Turn the idiot box on and watch Kamran Khan screaming at the top of his voice, ‘Mayor of Paris Salman Taseer assassinated by his bodyguards. Passersby overpower fanatic Muslim as his comrades flee to save their skin’. The Information and Command Rooms of Préfecture de Police put on high alert. President Mamnoon e Nawaz would address the nation tonight. Gujranwala is Detroit, Faisalabad is Manchester, and Multan is Rome as in Italy. Incidentally Multan has sister city agreements with Rome as in Italy, Konya as in Turkey and Rasht as in Iran—make your pick for the City of Saints and make my day. It changes my world and the mourning sounds start to subside. I start to live in a different world.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 17:06:17 +0000
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