Omar's Ordeal

The latest developments to Omar Ahmed Khadr’s case have left the globe spinning in a sympathetic and emotional distress, either in compassion or in anguish. The video tapes narrate his unfortunate tale of disgust, cry and aggravation. His six years as an inmate at the United States prison of Guantanamo Bay and their uniquely derived method of interrogation has seen him transformed into anything but a villain in this story.

His tragic story does force me to reserve a soft corner for him, not only because he’s a Muslim and also a Pakistani, but when I am unable to differentiate his accused crime of killing Sergeant Speer with the killings of innocent civilians by the US air strikes in Nuristan province of Afghanistan or in Swat (Pakistan) under the banner of War-against-Terror. How can one label them as ‘accidents’ and accuse a 15 year old boy of throwing a grenade at an armed officer fully equipped with all his battle gears and guns ready to engage the enemy. How is Omar any indifferent from David Hicks (Aussie Taleban) or John Walker Lindh (American Taleban), who have now even completed their sentences even though being caught red-handed, with guns, fighting against the coalition forces with the Taleban.

As his story surfaces further and unveils the many hidden secrets to the war-on-terror, it also serves as an appeal to the International Community and everyone around the globe that when they hear his case, do think of him as a human, think of him as your 22 year old kid or sibling who has spent the last 6 lonesome years in a gruesome prison when you were enjoying the comforts of life. It also serves as an indefinite example that events like these are an avalanche in the making that are destroying the youth of today and transforming them into the Talebans of tomorrow.

Patriotism or Self-Prestige

The recent clash of personalities between the infamous National hero of Pakistan Dr. A.Q. Khan and the much despised and moderate-muslim President Musharraf is seeing Pakistan besieged in a new territory of egregious controversies in the international, primarily the western, media. On July 4^th, 2008, as the US marked its 233^rd Independence day, Dr AQ Khan unveiled the involvement of Pakistan Army in the ‘illicit’, according to the US, nuclear weapon technology transfer to Libya and Iran in an interview blaming President Musharraf of having complete knowledge on the transfer deals, which only saw him and Pakistan reap the sown seeds. His statement further diminished the flickering image of Pakistan globally and damaged not only his own reputation but also added concerns over Pakistan’s Army / Government and their ‘Official’ and ‘Confidential’ exercises, putting them under global scrutiny.

It seems that Dr. AQ Khan has sorted to avenge the humiliation he suffered on the hands of then Pakistani government who, although reasoned and pardoned him for the nuclear arms trade, had solely blamed him for this collective prohibited act of arms trade in the global economy.

I, on a personal note, regard highly of Dr. Khan and look unto him not just as a National Hero but an icon-personality of Pakistan merely for his tremendous contributions to the nuclear program of Pakistan, and also for his courage and determination with which he withstood against the odds facing his, and Pakistan’s, future and dispelled all opposing accusations and motives to sail the green flag even higher into the blue sky and embedding Pakistan as the only ‘Muslim-Nuclear-Power’ in the world. On the contrary, and comparatively, President Musharraf popularity has been on the receiving end owing mainly to his controversial decision on the US-Afghan war and the Red-Mosque (Lal Masjid) issues. However, with these recent claims; Dr AQ Khan has placed his personal vendetta with President Musharraf over National Pride, Prestige and Interest. People over the world have laid down their lives, sacrificed themselves borne pain and cruelty, either known or unknown, only to safe guard their national interest and sovereignty. Dr AQ Khan, though a novel personality even among his foes, has let himself down and imitated a great example of self-prejudice and poor illustration of patriotism. Though President Musharraf’s involvement might be justified, it occurs and at the same time hurts a common man (Pakistani) on how could a personal grudge surpass Pakistan’s interest and damage its image among the many scouting to have their share in its destruction. Surprising!!!