The Marriott hotel burns in Islamabad(Photo: © jzakariya)The tragic Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad revealed much about the prevailing culture in Pakistan, says Aamir Shahzad
“Are you safe? Where are you? I have just heard that a bomb went off at Marriott Islamabad…”These were the words that I heard over the telephone from one of my cousins as I was approaching home on Saturday evening after work.
It set me out to make several calls to ensure that people I know were safe. It is now a usual practice that whenever things like this happen everyone frantically starts calling to ask about the dear ones…usually resulting in the jamming of phone networks. After making several calls to almost all close contacts I was able to attain peace of mind that we all are safe, at least for this time.
My peace of mind did not stay long as I switched on the TV, the first thing I did on entering home, and saw live images of dozens of people dead and wounded. I thought how selfish I was to be relieved that people I know are safe. What about all these dead and injured people who were dear to someone else?
It was quite disturbing to know that all the security guards and the policemen deputed outside Marriott were killed.
A thought came to my mind that these people have lost their lives just to earn £30 to £50 a month. But a second thought followed which was more convincing than the first: that still this little money meant the survival of poor families.
This thought was later confirmed as I watched various news reports on TV in the days following the incident where media personnel interviewed the families of the security guards who lost their lives.
These were upsetting as in many cases the deceased was the sole bread winner of the family, there were sad and wretched faces of the old parents who lost their young sons, faces of shocked and depressed wives who lost their husbands and oblivious faces of little children who were too young to understand that they have lost their father.
After having realised my own self-centred thinking on this incident I could trace various other groups doing the same:
- The President’s spokesman on a TV channel the same evening of the incident said, “We should be thankful to Allah that no VIP is hurt or dead in this blast – it was only the common people.”
- The media people who reached the spot within a few minutes of the incident, each one trying hard to get the biggest scoop, not in the least caring about any ethical and professional boundaries.
- While I was watching TV, I saw an expatriate with bloodied face walking out of the scene and a cameraman was asking him, “Sir could you explain how this happened? Sir, are you fine?” This cameraman only got a frowned look in return and quiet rightly.
- The day following the incident, which was Sunday, after the service while people were socialising, I noticed everyone was asking if there were any Christians hurt or dead. Should we not be even more concerned about any who died not knowing Christ?
- The government, on its part, is trying hard to prove that the target was the parliamentarians and government officials to get leverage for their own political endeavours.
- The government has estimated the life of a common man worth Pak Rupees 300,000 (£2,300): this is the amount that the families of the security guards and policemen killed will be getting as compensation.
While the death toll has gone beyond 80 with hundreds in critical condition, life goes on. As we would say in Pakistan, “things are normal” but there is a constant fear that has stuck to our minds – whenever we are blocked in traffic especially when we are next to a police or army vehicle, or visiting any public place, minds are somehow conditioned that any moment there would be a big explosion.
Already suppressed in many regards, we as a nation have lost one other liberty in the present situation and that is the liberty to move around freely.
My wife and I postponed urgent shopping for our children for a few days but finally we gave in and went to bazaar because the life has to go on. The deeper we think about security the worse our fears become so this Bible verse pacifies us:
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27
Aamir Shahzad is a consultant to CMS based in Islamabad