Check out Sana’s new post on the recent attacks on Lahore.
Lahore is vivacious. It is the shining capital of the entire Punjab province, the heart and soul of Pakistani culture. The second-largest city (after Karachi) in Pakistan is known for its spirit and a certain zeal for vibrancy. Though the modernity is evident – in the bazaars, architecture and of course the people – Lahore’s ancient majesty can never be overlooked. There is a saying Lahoris like to say “Lahore, Lahore hain”… “Lahore is Lahore.”
The extremists know Lahore is special. They are after this city. For them, the culture exhibited in every street and smile in Lahore is disgusting. They oppose the personal choices and freedoms. For them Lahore is a city that needs to be “taught a lesson.” That is why recently Lahore has been the chosen city for some of the most horrendous terrorist attacks to date. The week of March 12 saw twin suicide attacks and a spate of bombings. The entire country is reeling, thrown off balance by the sheer number and magnitude of recent Lahore attacks, even though bombings have become something of an ugly commonplace.
Indeed Pakistanis living abroad have greeted each other with “Salaam” followed quickly by “Lahore mein kya hora hain?” or “What is happening in Lahore?”
We must acknowledge what is happening here: there is a full-on attack on Pakistani culture. Targeting the Pakistani cultural capital is a direct assault on all the wonderful things about Pakistan. Extremists hope to instill fear and paranoia in the people of Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, etc. “No one is safe” is their message.
In the midst of national mourning, the real test is what we do now. We can either play into their hands and become paranoid (and blame India for the Lahore attacks, even though FM Qureshi says there is no evidence of that) or we can stand with our allies and focus on stopping future attacks in Pakistan (as Sec. Clinton promised to do).
Pakistanis will not allow a hateful ideology to overtake the brilliant history and culture of the nation. It is simply not an option. We must pray for strength and never look away from the goal: a peaceful, prosperous nation, inshallah.