Qandeel Baloch -- A beacon of life, cruelly put out

Qandeel Baloch as an ordinary girl

Much has been discussed about Qandeel Baloch during her life and after it. Amazing was the response of those, who dubbed her 'sleazy' in her lifetime and immediately jumped to the other side after her murder and started condemning their own likes, who called her names.

The worst type of hypocrites appeared as those, who condemned her murder, yet denounced her life as a shame for her family that they were not left with any option but to kill her. I question them all, are they really so pure and sin free that they can declare another person a sinner?

I wonder, why people hated Qandeel so much? Was she any different from any other TV or cinema stars that our society loves? Wonder why sexiness of Katrina Kaif and Sunny Leone is so much loved and not judged like that of hers?  

All Bollywood actresses are glorified as sex objects in their movies. Their seductive dance moves, their sultriness, enjoyed by Pakistani men and copied by women. Why Pakistani egos hurt so much when Qandeel pouted and acted like Indian actresses? What high moral standards, great ideals and examples society had set for her? Do we have, anything of our own that we could assert as our 'culture'?  Then, why object to her style and expression? Why people watched her videos and visited her profile so much, that gave her a dramatic boost? Definitely, they enjoyed it but also unleashed their hatred by reprimanding her.

She was an aspiring young woman, an entertainer actually, who had learnt to express herself freely and discovered it to be a way to the top. The medium she selected for herself to express was different but what she was doing, was not. Many stage dancers, film actresses of Pakistani origin indulge in it. Why this hypocrisy and double standards about her then? Why do people forget, she was trying to be an entertainer, not a religious scholar.

Something truly remarkable that she did was, exposing Mufti Qawi, a wolf in a sheep's skin. A task so great that our nation should be thankful to her for. It ultimately took her life but only she had the guts and the determination to bring the evil side of this so called religious scholar to light. Have we not heard stories of evil men in holy disguises, who loot the innocents in our country?

Unfortunately, psychopaths like her own brother, who killed her,  were at the villain's side and got to put out this beacon of life. This clearly shows the power of ecclesiastics in our society. No matter, how evil they personally maybe, if they condemn anybody, that person is doomed.
 
She never revealed till just before her killing, that she hailed from an extremely backward area of South Punjab and a poor family. She had actually made it big at her own.  Is it not enough to prove her strengths? She was almost invincible, if she was not deceived by her own blood. It maybe surprising but most of the celebrated female artists of Pakistan, belong to South Punjab. She would have proved to be an even bigger sensation than Veena Malik, who also belongs to the same area of South Punjab, that Qandeel was from. Yes! If now we enjoy Veena's performance as an adorable imitator, why we were hopeless in Qandeel's case. She could revert.  People maybe unforgiving but God is all forgiving.

Whatever the reaction of men maybe, it breaks my heart, when women condemn her and appreciate her dishonourable brother. I feel, it is more of jealousy. Every woman has a Qandeel Baloch in her. Most of the women are afraid their inner Qandeel would be seen too. Where the real one was fearless, and unstoppable, they only express their disgust freely. And they should know, by doing this they are tightening the noose, not only on their own neck but around their future generations too. They never know, what their husband, brother or son may find dishonourable in them and worth taking their life.

Her murderers must not go unpunished. Even if her family forgives the culprits, government should fight for her. Mufti Qawi, must be banned from appearing on all the channels, his name must be included in the murderers, as he is fully capable of inciting, provoking her killing.

It is such a shame, in this age, in these modern times, there are still people in our country, who still kill women in the name of honour. Hard working women, put their lives into creating a niche for themselves and finally when they either make it or are about to make it to the top, they are physically, emotionally, financially, destroyed by their own, near and dear ones. Truly tragic! When would our nation learn, there is no honour in honour killing?

"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.