Royal guns down royal

The news is most tragic and lamentable from many different angles which I believe is to be critically viewed and understood from different perspectives. However, the crux is that some one has killed some one.

Kuwait is ruled by Al-Saba family and hence any one carrying Al-Sabah as his / her family name automatically belongs to the royal ruling family and not otherwise. This Thursday 18^th June night, Sheikh Basel Salem Al-Sabah aged 52 years has been killed by Sheikh Faisal Abdullah Al-Sabah. Yesterday Basel coffin was carried over by hundred of mourners drawn from ruling royal Al-Sabah family led by H. H. Sheikh Nawaf Al Sabah, Crown Prince, senior government officials, seasoned politicians, prominent Kuwaitis and sports lovers to name a few. Final prayers were offered at Sulaibikhat graveyard before his burial. Late Defense and Interior Minister Sheikh Salem Al Sabah was father of Basel.

Who is Faisal? He is none but uncle of Basel in other words an uncle killed his nephew. Strange, very strange, to be honest. It is not only commonly believed rather very much acclaimed also not only at local level but at global scale that after father; it is the uncle who matters most. From this point of view, Faisal is supposed to guard his nephew Basel but, on the contra, he gunned down his nephew. Why could be relationship between the two other than blood? Sheikh Faisal was Vice Chairman of Kuwait Quarter Mile Club which is primarily engaged in arranging car races and it is reported that on the said fateful evening Basel had hosted a dinner at his palace in Messila where new management of the club was announced which elected Basel as Chairman and left out Faisal in the new set up. On the face of it, perhaps, uncle could not bear such an insult where from blood relations point of view, uncle be the chairman and nephew is to be his deputy and not otherwise. Elimination from board of directors is definitely insulting but yet it does not warrant, under any circumstances whatsoever, that one so eliminated should turn to be blood-thirsty.

After the dinner, Faisal asked his nephew Basel to come out alone to talk in privacy and quite naturally Basel happily obeyed to the commands of his uncle and they both were together when Faisal took out his gun and fired at Basel who in such a situation simply could not bear the onslaught and laid down in pool of blood while Faisal managed to escape from the scene. Gun shots alarmed the others and Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al Sabah, Deputy Chairman, National Security Department rushed to the spot and saw Basel in pool of blood.  Faisal employed as an Intelligence Officer, Ministry of Defense is arrested by police and now being interrogated about it but he is lip-stitched and keeping absolutely shut till the last report came in.

Gone is gone and Basel can not come back even if Faisal is also gone but it is not the end of the story rather it is just the start of the story. Not only the ruling family but also the nation simply can not comprehend how and why it happened so and that too in Kuwait which is a very peaceful country in any case. It is the same nation which has named its previous Amir H. H. Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah as ‘Amir of Hearts’ in recognition to his love and services for the nation. It is an admitted fact that the rulers set the principles, practices and models for others to inspire and adopt but such an incident has changed its very definition an interpretation. None had thought of it even in bewilderment and many have also absolutely shrugged off now when they heard such hysterical news. What a twist! The killer and the killed are both from royal ruling family and therefore it is a real tough and rough time for both prosecution and defense to prove their metal and strength. Basel camp, an off shoot of royal blood would like to press hard for execution of Faisal whereas his loved ones again from the same ruling stream would pull the string in the opposite side.

Now all eyes coupled with ears are spell bound to hear who wins and who looses at the Ministry of Justice which definitely faces very baffling, gruesome and lamentable situation-unprecedented in the history of Kuwait. God forbid, it must not be repeated, aameen.

                                                 ****************************

With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait /