MQM - History and Origins #23 bubba,

May I respectfully suggest that the problem is not the poor Biharis. For one thing, we Pakistanis should be thoroughly ashamed that our poor Bihari brothers and sisters languished forever in refugee camps...what a shame. How can we be proud of ourselves while that great injustice transpired.

Now let's move forward- My issue is with MQM.

Actually it's also with Nawaz Sharif and PML, as well as PPP, but that's for another article.

I'm considering the PEOPLE separately from this POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.

In Punjab we have many truly despicable political organizations that cause bloodshed every year, if others were to start blaming the punjabis instead of those organizations, that would be unfair.

I can also criticize the Zionist party or the actions of the Israeli state but that does not mean that I am criticizing Judasim, Jews or Israeli people. This distinction is important to me.

The folks of Karachi have been the engine of Pakistan in many ways. I remember the time, before MQM, when as a little kid, I could walk to the Market in Karachi. Now as an adult, I see all the streets have Steel sheets fortifying the houses, and people don't really walk much anymore.

Well things are changing again, thankfully.

However, the politics of MQM are as despicable as the politics of Sindhu Desh or the separatist movements in NWFP or Baluchistan or the "united Pujab" BS. There is no peace to be had in wanting to be unique and separate from our own Pakistani brothers and sisters.

MY wish is that Karachi once again becomes safe and stable and becomes the shining light of Pakistan it once was, and inshallah will be again soon.

MQM - History and Origins #12 Madani sahib, et al,

With respect, I disagree with many of your assertions.

Furthermore, if you are suggesting that we look past ethnicities, I find this sentence of yours not helpful to that cause: "It is credit to MQM to have shown hollowness of Martial races and and defeated them on battle fields of Karachi."

Yes other parties use violence, but MQM is built up on violence. And I'm not an outsider commenting on this, a large portion of my family resides in Karachi, and a significant portion of them are "Mohajir".

There are a couple of things that I find and have found offensive about the MQM, as a Pakistani:

1. What the people in the rest of the country never understood, and perhaps you will hear them sound of on this board, is why "Mohajir"? Why "Mohajir" even after 50 years? This term was invented by a political exploiter who fueled the fires of divisiveness and was supported by the Military as a counter force to Jamat folks. This term applied only to UP/Bihar migrants is a fallacy too because half of Punjab also migrated. So this new identity of otherness and separateness further drove a wedge into the standing.

2. The ruthless MAFIA behavior of the MQM. Forcing businesses to pay a fee OR ELSE. Robbing homes. The ruthless violence. Now, you can claim that this was a political party, it seems more like the tactics of a criminal organization to me.

For some reason, it seems that MQM has propagandized the notion that the rest of the country hates Karachi. This notion is not true. In fact we looked up to Karachi as another source of cultural and economics. We certainly looked up to it as the model of economic progress. However as far as I can see, Karachi has transformed from the city of lights to the city of darkness ever since the MQM took power.

As for denouncing all violence. I do. I hope and wish that Karachi returns to the city of lights it once was.

Now please don't twist my words and equate the political organization MQM to the urdu speaking/ Karachi walas. Karachi was wonderful before...it was due to the Karachi walas, minus MQM.

Fathers and Daughters Laddu yaar,

I know you're hurting my good man, I know the muslims wronged you and your ancestors, magar mairay bhai, just leave one or two places where you participate with the topic and context at hand and let the pakis handle themselves :)

Now, let's try again.

MQM - History and Origins nazarhayat sahib,

that's a pretty good analysis!

MQM - History and Origins #2, #3, #4,

Madani sahib,

Please reconsider the "racist" label you slapped on me so quickly. If I am against the MQM, it does not automatically mean that I am against the Urdu speakers, the Karachi -walay. Quite the contrary. However, what MQM has done is common knowledge. The holes drilled into skulls of opponents. The robberies. The bhatta collection...all happens in broad daylight.

I encourage both the supporters and opponents of MQM to consider the topic of MQM without painting all urdu-speakers/ Karachi-walas as MQM walas. One can criticize an organization and its policies...

MQM - History and Origins Seems like you're disputing that MQM takes bhatta from regular citizens and tortured opponents on a regular basis....

Fathers and Daughters Glad to see it here on FP as well.

BTW, did you submit the article as such without the poem, or was that removed?

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Levitate, guru,

wow. Can the guru levitate? Or is levitate gonna school him to the art of levitation?

Guru ji,

Although yourself, Mohar bhai, and Laddu bhai are all fine people that are united in one cause (hehehe), I want you to know, that this muslim does not hate you. Have a good weekend, think pleasant thoughts.

hurricane out

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Laddu bhai,

you can believe what your perception of Islam and muslims is, or you can listen to this muslim.

But you are welcome to your thoughts and beliefs. One can't change a believer :)

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Laddu bhai,

Frankly, these are all methods of understanding that which is bigger than us. Hindus have things like Kaali mata etc, thousands of idols. Catholics want you to keep looking at the tortured Jesus nailed to a cross, Jewish folks are always talking of a petty and Vengeful God, and mullahs talk about the fear of jahannam etc.

There is also, always, the other side to religion. In hinduism it is predominantly mystic. In Islam it is practical. It is mostly about how to live a good life here on earth.

I know you have your biases, that's fine. I'm just giving you the unadulterated truth, for unlike Kaal bhai, I have no agenda.

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Laddu bhai,

unfortunately the only muslims you have met are on grainy propaganda videos. Meray bhai, meet a muslim, with an open heart, you will see he's just a human like you.

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Laddu bhai,

You are right that Islam does not mean Peace. Salam means peace :)

You are wrong in the rest of your assertions.

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? Masadi sahib,

I've learnt it all from the new and improved Masadi :)

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? well, the cat's out of the bag now. They opted to use the real name instead of the nick!

quin,

Yes I just wrote this in a spur of the moment and fired it off. Then I sent corrections to chowk, but I know that's a bit too late. So I take blame for the grammatical and literary mistakes. I'll proof read next time.

Hope is the beginning. Without hope there is no life. Yes it is necessary to take action, that's what the article is about...BUT you cannot mobilize a people without hope. So hope is the beginning.

Love him or hate him: Musharraf not a tyrant Shujaat sahib,

Through all of the turmoil, I've always said Musharraf is much better than what the chattering classes have painted him to be. Currently it's in-vogue to bash musharraf, but once the dust settles, maybe the people will rethink their positions. Maybe.

"Musharraf did not hide his secular outlook - but neither did the country's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, whose idea was never for an Islamic state, but for a Muslim one: a country where Muslims would be in charge of the state of affairs but the population would be heterogeneous and free to practice whatever faith they adhered to."

You've eloquently defined the difference between a muslim state and an Islamic state.

Is this Amnesia or Dementia? guru,

please don't disparage mahatama gandhi by referring to him as "gandhi". The usage of mahatma, or baapu ji, is required. Please use as directed.