For the past few days I have been at the receiving end of your continuous harassment. I am clueless as to what kind of explanation is it that you seek from me? Because honestly I cannot figure out what is bothering you so much? By changing ids and continuously spamming me with your sick outlook I doubt you would achieve much. However I don’t want you continuously clogging the feed of this blog with your juvenile attempts at trying to create hate and divide (will admit though your diatribe against Gandhiji today has been partly responsible for this response)…
Feel free to think what you think about India, Indians, my parents, my religion. I have grown up in a democracy all my life; I have been given the right and the freedom to express my personal views no matter what they were. You can do so too. I defend your right to be able to express it. But also remember when you have a right, it must not be abused for when it is done that is when the right gets lost. Do know though that I don’t hold the same myopic views about Pakistan, Pakistanis, Islam or any other attribute related to your identity. I have too much love and respect for my friends who revere these aspects of their individuality! I’ve been taught that if I end up disrespecting them, it is akin to disrespecting my own. Hope someday you can realize it too, that the more you respect others the more the world will respect you.
I do not want to justify why I am part of this site or why I write what I do. I never claimed to be an award winning activist or a bestselling author here. Just like you, I am another humble human being in this world we live in. An ordinary citizen of India who works as hard as you and who lives as honestly as you (probably) do. My motives to be part of this project from day one, has solely been driven by the fact that I empathize with those 8 families who lost a loved one and who deserve JUSTICE. Their fight has been ongoing for the past 14 years and I presumed as a citizen of Pakistan you too would understand the wrong that has been done. If you don’t it is perfectly understandable (fanatics are made not born yeah) but please don’t belittle anyone else for trying to keep their own conscience alive. The team for a moment does not harbor any misconceptions that our words (or retarded poetry as you called it) will pressurize the judiciary of Pakistan to give a fair verdict. However this is our way of expressing solidarity with Fatima Bhutto and the rest of the families involved in this fight for justice. May I ask you what is wrong with that?
As far as your point about Ms. Fatima Bhutto spreading lies about XYZ or being a tool in the hands of the US, as much as I respect that you are entitled to your own opinions, I would like to state ‘That is what can be deemed as retarded.’ You need to read her columns to realize how critical she has been of the US policies and of everything else going around in Pakistan that is unethical or against the best interest of the Pakistanis. And with regards to her accusing anybody to have played a role in the murder of her father, I do believe she has enough proof and valid reasons for doing so. She has every right to demand for a free and fair justice system to prevail in Pakistan and if I were you I would support her too. If you fanatically support XYZ or a party, it in no way means that they are innocent or aren’t party to anything criminal! The case is still being fought in the legal courts of Pakistan; let us leave it at that. We have not approached your court of law. When we do; you are always welcome to deem the guilty innocent and the innocent guilty…
I don’t remember anyone of us ever raking the issue of Fake v/s Real Bhutto. Unfortunately when certain people opt for hyphenating their surname with a Bhutto (only when the need to stake the claim for power arose) that will obviously lead to a ripple effect. If you start the spark, you run the risk of burning in the same fire and that is what you see happening. Still I would reiterate this fact that never once has Ms. Ghinwa Bhutto or Ms. Fatima Bhutto claimed they are the real Bhutto’s of Pakistan. Bhuttoism isn’t a fashion fad. So I suggest you leave this insecurity of yours. If you really believe in your leadership and its capability you have nothing to worry. Stop resorting to such cheap gimmicks…
However there is one thing I request of you. Please stop hating on a young man who hasn’t done anything to you or to your party or to any XYZ. Just because he happens to be born into a situation which makes you insecure, do not wish ill on him he isn’t responsible for what Fatima Bhutto writes or what this site is about. When he comes out in the public arena with his views, his works, his message feel free to critique him then. Right now he is going about living his own life, being a responsible civil human being, educating himself, spreading awareness about our environment, respecting others and the world around him. May be those are the virtues that you and the party you support need to imbibe from that young man.
I suggest you do some soul searching of your own before you ask the family of Mir Murtaza Bhutto to do the same. If nothing else at least you can find something constructive to do with your time, rather than waste it spamming me. For frankly I don’t care what you think about my mental well being, my sexual orientation, my patriotism, my leaders, my parents character and the motives of my being part of this team. You are too inconsequential to my life and I hope that I will be to yours too..
Wishing you all the best with a speedy recovery at attaining a healthy mental balance..
Regards
Karishma
Fatima Bhutto Fan Club Team
What’s Going Right in Pakistan
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Adil Najam There is much – way too much – that is going terribly wrong in
Pakistan. But not all is lost. Not just yet. One must never deny that which
is ...
13 years ago
Hi Karishma
ReplyDeleteI have been a silent visitor on your blog for a long time now right from the start of this wonderful effort. While I truly appreciate the work of the team in bringing us articles and news related to a prolific writer like Fatima Bhutto, I still wonder after reading your latest post whether you should continue to actively participate in the blog. May be all your good work won’t come into serious consideration because of the nationality involved in the whole situation. I do believe you can probably take a step back and let the other members who are Pakistanis regulate the blog. It might just help to stop these so called haters from getting an excuse to spam this blog in the best interest of this work
Good luck
Sara
I have been quite a frequent visitor on this blog. It was wonderful to see a nice collaboration between Indians and Pakistanis. I am very thankful for the apt news and responses you guys have been providing with readers and fans of Fatima Bhutto.
ReplyDeleteHowever reading this makes me wonder if it is worth it all in the first place. If people aren’t interested in peace and harmony just where a blog is concerned how can you expect people to be more open minded about other things. We have just re-started a diplomatic dialogue of sorts, but with this kind of ground mentality how can we expect anything constructive. Peace seems elusive on all fronts..
Also as an Indian I will respect it if Karishma would step down. How can you be so casual about someone disrespecting India and our great leaders? Personally I find it beyond disgusting you want to consider wanting to be part of this blog. If you cannot respect yourself, no one else will! Let the Pakistanis handle this site then if that is what they want. We don’t work on anyone’s mercy and after all the good work you have been doing if this is how you get repayed I do think you need to reconsider your stance. Personally I would say have some self respect.
The rest is up to you. I have no ill feelings towards others who run this blog and I respect the Pakistani people but this has its own boundaries now and as a proud Indian this is my advice to you, another Indian.
Regards
Debojit
West Bengal
I have been out of the picture for the better part of this situation thinking that ignoring it would send the message to this specific moron under discussion that he's not worth a dime. Unfortunately, this didn't quite work out as it seems that he has nothing better to do with his life other than spam. He was provoking a confrontation & tried everything he could think off. From his ill spelled abusive language to trying to create a divide between the team. The poor thing failed miserably & to top it Karishma gave him a nice slap through this post.
ReplyDeleteComing to the point where both of you have suggested the same thing, I disagree. A major point that has been presented here is that due to the nationality issue Karishma's efforts have not been & will not be appreciated. Why is that so? Haven’t both you appreciated her efforts & the fact that the team's a cross border association?
If a group of 3 people (& a lot of other such initiatives) trying to work for the peace process, using this plat form directly & indirectly, not be considered as representing the majority then how come in comparison just one person be labeled as representative of what the majority stands for.
This specific individual who identified himself (showing off his connections) with the group who's basic problem is something else & for that they'll do anything. Why aid them in something we are taking a stand against?
Peace seems elusive to us because we let the minority that the roles they don't deserve & bow down infront of them because they have the time & energy to spread hate & a faster rate than those who want to work for peace. One of the reasons it’s been 62 years & still counting that we are standing where we started.
We need to strengthen our self esteems & not let it fall prey to such senseless individuals. Life's too short & we have already lost a lot of opportunities & people by letting this type succeed.
Peace
Regards
Fatima Arif