Have Mercy on Pappu please!

Yesterday’s papers carry a tormenting account of a desperate man and his family. Naveed alias Pappu, in his mid twenties, apparently shot dead his wife and a three year old daughter before silencing himself for ever just prior to the eve of Eid. Afflicted by poverty and a terrible sense of deprivation, escalating costs of utilities and essentials, finding it impossible to make his both ends meet, he finally succumbed to soaring demands and opted for the easy way out. How dreadful and spine chilling!? That’s what an individual running a rented rickshaw for upto twelve hours a day goes through. Terrible!

While nothing can bring Pappu or his innocent family back, the inexcusable gory tale of miseries leaves a lot to be explained and comprehended.

Who is responsible for dozens of such grave happenings and terminations?

The government? That after much propaganda and hue and cry has capitulated and knelt yielding conveniently to the all powerful sugar lobby. Does it need to be mentioned who is behind the gun and who are the principal actors in the guise of these mill owners? The ruling elite and class, of course. The cartel has incited the general public to the point where a petition has been moved pleading for the nationalization of the sugar mills to bring some relief. A bumper crop has ensured abundance of wheat but flour remains a prized commodity.

We are desperately moving on and securing controversial deals for installation of rental power plants. Power and energy remains scarce with diminishing availability at ever increasing costs. But is someone bothered about the 25 – 35 % power theft or the massive coal reserves, rated as the second or third largest in the world, that are rotting to everyone’s delight even after two decades of their discovery?

Having leased our educated and capable class and having created a virtual brain drain and a vacuum, it now looks increasingly concerned about leasing our resources and land to the foreign investors and armies.

Is it the crippled system? That robs the tax payer of every penny while the privileged ones are on the rampage further deepening the divide, stratification and polarization within the society.

Is it the society at large? That has grown progressively insensitive and failed to ensure circulation of money and harmonization between 'haves' and 'have nots' ultimately seeding deprivation amongst the lower classes. Zakat, usher and fitrana? Where do all those earnings go ?

Is it our increasing shift and tilt towards capitalism and free market economy? Where supply and demand are the only governing gods. Only those of us merit survival, who seize their berth above the line. Anyone falling below the level of sustainability cease the right to exist and has to be eliminated eventually.

Whatsoever is it _ a singular dominant factor or a lethal combination or a web thereof; Did Pappu and his family deserve such a horrible fate?

In our own individual capacity let’s open our eyes for once, look around ourselves and reach out for the deserving and the poor with our fitranas and alms. Slight though, it might make a difference and save some precious lives.

No more Pappus please for God’s sake!