"So wise so young, they say do never live long."

December 16 was already believed to be ominous in the history of Pakistan but nobody knew, it held something even more sinister for the future. What can be more callous than attack on the innocent kids? Who would be so blood thirsty and remorseless to target the helpless little toddlers, those who can not even spell the words 'killing' or 'murder'. That too in a place, where future of the nation is shaped. Where the morning begins by taking the name of Allah Almighty. Not just any sane Muslim but any human being with a little empathy for his kind, would never stoop so low.

Yet today, the entire country mourns in grief, over such an occurrence. Every heart bleeds in solidarity with parents, who lost their flesh and blood in the brutal act of terrorism in Peshawar Army Public school.

Shakespeare could possibly have predicted such a future, when he said; "So wise so young, they say do never live long."

We are all devastated by the images of this vicious incident. Innocent flowers invaded by ruthless, barbaric vultures, who brought end to their own lives too. Hundreds of families traumatized. Entire nation is in a state of shock and disbelief. Wondering! Are we ever going to be same again? What is our crime? What sin, are we being punished for?

Not a single Pakistani was involved in 9/11. Yet, our nation paid heavily for it. Our nation has suffered that one time US tragedy, every day. Our country has taken, upon itself toll of the world around it.

 What is even more heart breaking? After all these sacrifices, after all the wars of other countries, fought on our soil. Our country is still being pointed at, for harbouring terrorism, for nurturing extremism. Hatred, disgust and rejection thrown upon us as a nation.  Is this the respect, international community owes us?

When is the world going to acknowledge, Pakistan itself is a victim of terrorism. When the shocking stories like APS shooting, would shake international conscience that it is not Islam or Pakistanis, doing this, but the perpetrators are simple, plain, paid terrorists?

Talibans are not one of us but most of them are foreign nationals, hiding in our country. We are proud that Pakistan army, is fighting day and night to kick out these terrorists out of our country.

With an always attacking, always abusing neighbour like India. Which has proved a merciless enemy, never spares, even a single opportunity to defame our nationals or harm our national interests. Has thrust a media war on our nerves and is always ready to push our people in self condemnation. Don't you think, we are one of the bravest nations of the world, surviving all that?

My request to the worldwide community. Please! Extend the honour and respect for our country, which it deserves. Look at the brave souls of the soldiers, our women, little children, who get out every day and live a fearless life, despite all the odds against them. Do not mix our enemies with us and Talibans are our enemies.

GeoTV: A venture inspired by 'tomorrow never dies'.

During childhood, we often heard our elders, discussing with each other that children should be kept away from watching movies because the violence shown and complicated stories could leave a bad impact on their minds for the rest of their lives.

Today, when I see so much of violence and terrorism in the world, I do wonder if those predictions were correct. There are many captivating movies, which were brought to the silver screen as riveting ideas but lead to disastrous happenings around the world.

And it is not just terrorism or violence, even scientific ideas of cloning, space travel etc, were introduced in either some novels and then pursued as movies.

Contemplating over it, I was reminded of some of the English movies, seen years ago. ( I say English because British movies are included, not just Hollywood).

For example: Arnold Schwarzenegger's, 'True Lies'. A fascinating movie which came out in 1994.

Through that, for the first time, the modern world witnessed emergence of a new profligate in Hollywood movies, announcing 'Crimson Jihad'. Harbinger of a divorce to Russians as former favourite miscreants, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, replaced by Muslims. 

The historic tragedy of 9/11 reminded many people of the scene from this movie, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger gets on an aircraft and strikes it in the building in order to destroy it. The plot and characters of 9/11 seemed familiar to many, who had seen this movie. It was just that the destruction was caused by the bad guys, instead of the hero of any movie.

In my opinion, whoever the perpetrators were of the incident, must have grasped the idea of this massive destruction from the movie 'True Lies'. I find myself ignorant of any reference, if a similarity was drawn of the events in media or press. As a Tsunami of stories followed  that mammoth tragedy. When I try to look back at it, fact and fiction, all gets mixed up.

Another movie, which I have never been able to forget was ' Conspiracy theory'. An American thriller about Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson), a conspiracy-theory obsessed New York City taxi driver, who continually expounds his ideas to different passengers whom he carries around to different places.

The most intriguing part of the story for me was, how Jerry was capable of brining different news articles and ideas together, giving birth to something totally irrelevant, which later proved to be true.

It is something which I personally relate to as well since childhood. Though, I consider it more of psychological analysis, reason  being capable of doing so, than product of a conspiring mind. As the movie discloses by the end that Jerry was actually technically trained by CIA for that (but there is no such twist in my real life story). Yet still, I do bring different stories together, which prove to be true in an alarming way.

 'Tomorrow never dies' (1997) a British spy film, 18th in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional 007 agent. The story of the movie revolved around a series of destructions caused by a power-mad media mogul who intends to initiate World War III. 

In this story, 'a media baron, Elliot Carver, head of the Carver Media Group Network (CMGN), begins his plans to use an encoder to provoke war between China and the United Kingdom, which would replace the Chinese government with one more supportive to Carver's plans of exclusive broadcast rights.''

Does this ring a bell already? Have you been able to draw a parallel, where I am trying to lead you? 

Yes! My reference is to Geo TV. If nothing else, the lust for power and the appetite for playing with the governments are similar and quite evident.

And what I found even more exciting. We all know, Geo Television was established in May 2002 and a little bit of research about terrorism in Pakistan, revealed to me that the current wave of terrorist activities prevailing in our country started in 2003. 

Now, I am not accusing this TV channel but is not strange that 9/11 incident occurred and triggered its consequences in 2001. But nothing directly effected Pakistan, till the breaking news culture introduced by this channel hit this country.

Going back to above mentioned Bond movie. The spy hero, 007 is sent to investigate Carver, after Carver Media releases news with critical details, of some events, hours before they become known to rest of the world. And towards the end of the movie, the confession comes from the media-mogul himself that, his plans were behind all the terrorist activities going around. Therefore, the most detailed breaking news appeared, only on his channels and network.

This also reminds me of the innumerable claims by this Geo TV that they were first to break the news stories. Its selected anchors, representatives, found at the most important events in contemporary history. All this reminds me of the ambitions of the media mogul in 'tomorrow never dies'. And if nothing else, at least the inspiration of the movie, definitely worked behind this channel.

And they use religion as their masks...

Recently, I came across a status-update, at facebook, by a young girl named, Kiran Ashraf from Karachi. I seriously admire this girl, who went on to challenge, an all male crowd, despite being vulnurable. But this incident also provides, some points to ponder about our society. Here is an edited version of her story, as some of the sentences used, were in Urdu:

Kiran:  ''Among a crowd I saw a man today with a rope tightened around his neck and hands joined together begging for mercy. I couldn't see clearly but I saw another man standing really close. A bearded man of age with a prayer mark on his forehead, wearing decent clothes and uttering something. The first thought in my mind was that atleast there is, this respectable looking person present, who must be helping in sorting out the issue.

But out of my curiosity I went a little closer and to my utter horror, I saw the same pious looking man holding the end of the rope in his hands, gripping it tightly telling the man to move his shop out of the way because it was his space, his area. And the crowd, as always, was standing dumb doing nothing!! When I started to raise my voice against the brutality, I was told to mind my own business, as it was not something that a woman should interfere. Also, few people from the crowd declared, that the old man (perpetrator of the inhuman act) was more of a saint and an extremely respectable person. He had the right to teach a lesson to those, who created problems for him.       
And I was like, what kind of pious, religious man is he? What kind of message is he giving out that, if he appeared religious, he could treat a man like an animal? Even if that man on ground was at mistake, the other guy could have handled it in the right manner. Doesn't Islam teach tolerance? What would it take us to realize that?''
                                                                      ---------- 
This is not a story of  Talibaan struck, remote village from the Northern areas of Pakistan. But a tale, right of the biggest city - the only metropolis of our country - Karachi.

Again, many of you would say, this is nothing as compared to terrorism, torture and torment, the entire city of Karachi suffers from.

Let me be more specific, why this story held my attention. It made me visualize, how our entire nation suffers at the hands of such, so called religious people.

That one person, who had the rope around his neck was not just one man - but he represented our entire nation. How we are being held by our necks, by these Pharaohs, who walk on earth, as if they are gods. Only because they believe, they are practising their religion. Is religion not a personal thing between Almighty and a believer?  Is pride not a sin?

Our entire nation is suffering because of these pseudo religious people. Who distort, deform Islam for their personal motives. Who paint a wrong image our peaceful and respectable religion. They only use religion to as masks to unleash the beasts within their souls.

Note: And when I say Pseudo religious people, I do no intend to include maulanas / molvis or the real religious people or honest preachers of Islam. I respect them with all my heart. They are also victims of the kind of hypocrites, I refer to.

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
William Shakespeare
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_shakespeare.html#dkPwU4sWqqeT6Afe.99

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
William Shakespeare
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_shakespeare.html#dkPwU4sWqqeT6Afe.9

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
William Shakespeare
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_shakespeare.html#dkPwU4sWqqeT6A