God forbid

This has reference to the news flashed in today Thursday 15^th November 2012 in Pakistan Observer saying that robbers raided a house and upon resisting father and son are killed while two daughters are injured and admitted in hospital.

The news as a matter of fact has not many words to explain the event since it had just 6 lines and thereto 4 names are mentioned therein hence on the face of it this is not that big news from space point of view in any case but if we prudentially stretch our imagination we will certainly be obsessed simply because it has so much of depth in it that we cannot even measure it with any scale and or standard. Just keep hand on your heart before you read it any further so that you are with me on the same frequency that of mine to realize how grave the situation is and what should have been done by me and or you for that matter in case if such like situation arose and we both individually or collectively were to face it. The heat, anxiety, sorrow and grief created by the news is too much to be honest which words cannot explain and describe rather on the contra it is to be felt by those who are called kind hearted and not die-hearted and my view point will elucidate it in the subsequent lines.

Ground reality is that robbers came to a house in Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur, Sindh to loot the house but as the bad luck had it the household owner Sharifuddin Shaikh did not want to part off whatever meager he had hence he did not agree and allow the robbers to commit the robbery which in turn infuriated the robbers to the extent that they did not resist to resort to killing the house occupants. The robbers in reply to refusal to hand over whatever was demanded gunned down the poor Sharifuudin to death. His son Imran Ali too had to meet the same fate that of the father at the hands of the robbers. The two sisters namely Suriya and Faiazan being the daughters of late Sharifuddin were also not spared though they are not killed on the spot but injured and admitted in hospital. How blubbering, crying and tearful is this all to read that in just a few minutes time only the whole family at the hands if the robbers had to face untold hell and that too for none of their fault? The worst of the worst is that both the male members of the family namely father and brother are killed hence the two girls now wounded and admitted in hospital have no male to look them after. Now ever since each and every one including the robbers know that both the sisters are all alone then scoundrels who are in abundance in my beloved Pakistan will be looking for the chance to attack them to snatch away whatever is left over and if possible to molest them too. My goodness, they will be under constant threat and pain till they breathe their last.

Keeping in mind the worst possible tragedy a family could face I am now titling and shifting to the real test both of prudence and courage not only for me alone but you as well alike as to what to do when we meet such an ugly, terrifying and life remembering situation. In the greater interest of the subject I am posing few very baffling, astounding and unexplainable questions so as to make it quite crystal clear as to what is the ground reality and how to face the same? Q1. What to do when those present in the house realize that the alarm has already sounded aloud and it is almost certain that the robbers are knocking at the house entrance door? Q2. Should the house dwellers respond to the knock of the robbers or alternatively they should ignore the knock? Q3 Once it is realized that the robbers are definitely going to enter the house in a minute or two then will is it be rational on the part of the house occupants to exit from the house through back door to at least save their human lives? Q4. Is it right on the part of the house inmates not to surrender before the robbers and instead to challenge the robbers when they are right in front of them? Q5. Will it not be rational on the part of the house residents to hand over to the robbers whatever is being demanded by them? Q6. Should the house occupants engage themselves to bargain with the robbers and agree to as to what items and how much they can rob? Q7. What price to be paid by the house dweller to save his or her life at the hands of the robber who is equipped with most lethal weapons and standing right in front of the victims?

I must very honestly, publicly and loudly admit without least hesitation and reluctance that really I am too naïve to be honest  to answer even one question what to talk of answering as many as 7 questions but nevertheless you and many others are real brains who think very judiciously and have readymade answers to all the situations and eventualities.  Why and how no official condolence is issued by PPP which is the ruling political party of the country with well dug in roots in the province of Sindh under whose territorial jurisdictions very much lays Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur? How come the concerned MNA in general and MPA in particular have not come out to at least condemn the robbers if not arresting them?

God forbid, are the robbers so awful that even those on helm of affairs are lip tight?

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/Kuwait