For several years as far as I can remember, I have wanted to
go to Pakistan. It was the country I was told was supposed to be the enemy, the
people untrustworthy, and more recently, a land reaping terrorists. I wanted to
see this for myself. It was probably the most anticipated trip of my life, a
trip where I had decided beforehand that I would write pages about – a trip,
that for some unknown reason, I’m unable to put in words.
You went to Pakistan? How was it?
I don’t know how to answer the question. I thought it would
be an exhilarating, mind-blowing, and awe-inspiring experience.
It really wasn’t.
It was the
same faces, the same clothes, the same streets, the same houses, the same
music, the same wedding celebrations. Granted, the women on the streets were
fewer, and the pyjamas of the men roomier, but for the most part it was the
same.
It was sort
of like visiting home.
I couldn’t
help but feel a little cheated. After all the horror stories and warnings and
cautionary tales, I think I had expected Pakistan to be different. After all,
Pakistan was the enemy. THE ENEMY. Why on earth would our enemy be the same as
us??? How could the other side of the border feel like home? How could my
friend’s mom and grandmother and cat feel like my own?
It’s easy to
write about an experience that stands out – that’s different and exotic. But
when something feels so normal that it almost feels like a part of your regular
life, how do you write pages about that?
Yet people
ask me what Pakistan is like.
It’s a
country struggling under terrible governance, antiquated patriarchal laws, and a
corrupted system that serves only the elites;
A nation
that prides and tries to protect its sovereignty;
A force of
people slowly realizing the power of their own voice and their ability to speak
out against injustice;
A breed of
parents that want to keep their children safe;
A mass of
youngsters that want to improve the future of their country, so that they may
be able to live peacefully in the place they call home.
What’s
Pakistan like?
India.
Thanks for nailing it!
ReplyDeleteLoved the ending. Well said!
ReplyDeleteI was expecting a very long blog :P
ReplyDelete