Wednesday the 23rd of March saw people here celebrate Pakistan day which is a national holiday that commemorates the Lahore Resolution which later cemented the formation of Pakistan. It saw the winning of Pakistan vs West Indies at cricket and the birth of my cousins baby girl. People were out on the streets celebrating. Men in Shalwar kameez dancing on the top of cars. It was also a reminder to Pakistanis of the problems they face and the meaning of Pakistan and its birth to them.
Back in the UK, a demonstration was held in Glasgow organised by the group Youth for Justice in Pakistan: “We believe (the release of Raymond Davis) brings disdain upon the common Pakistani civilian in that we know for certain that our governments will do nothing to bring justice to the lives of innocent civilians who are killed mercilessly.”
Speaking to a friend here, the continued US drone attacks at the border with Afghanistan are also creating friction. There is much narrative surrounding the issue of Raymond Davis. According to many, he shot two Pakistani civilians in supposed self defense and was also found to be carrying many weapons in his car. Initially the US government claimed that he was a diplomat and demanded immunity. It was later discovered that he was a CIA Agent and numerous like him roam the streets of Pakistan with weapons. Senator Kerry even visited Pakistan demanding his release but the government was under immense pressure from the Pakistani population who threatened that if the government released him they could expect a massive uprising like that in the Middle East. Two days ago, Davis was acquitted. He’s flown back to America now. Blood money was offered in the name of Shariah Law at an amount of 200 mn rupees (1.1 million pounds). A victim’s wife committed suicide after demanding “blood for blood”. On the day Davis left a drone attack killed 40 civilians in Pakistan.
Despite the politics which are impossible to avoid here, people know how to enjoy themselves. My family invited some local musicians to their home and we enjoyed an evening of singing Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto and Bollywood songs without a mention of Zardari who will require a blog post of his own.
undernewskies 