Yesterday Sunday 24^th August, 2008 Beijing 2008 Olympics ended and its Medals Table/Winners flashed today in newspapers including Arab Times, the leading English daily of Kuwait is right before me and I am saddened, awfully saddened to be honest, but absolutely for none of fault.

I am a proud Pakistani so it is quite but natural that my heart and soul is synchronized with my beloved Pakistan and as a consequence I am happy as and when my country triumphs in any event. I am living in Kuwait since 1978 and hence practically speaking I have developed in-built relations with Kuwait as well so its victory or alternatively defeat effects me too.

Isn't it shocking for me to note that neither Pakistan nor Kuwait is listed amongst 87 countries which have won medals at the Olympics?  It is quite but natural that gold medals will be lest to be won and likewise the bronze will be the maximum to be bagged but it is sheer my bad luck that both Pakistan and Kuwait have shocked me. Truly speaking, I was watching the results on daily basis and could see that none of the two countries are mentioned amongst medal winners but still I had not lost my hopes. I was pretty confident that Pakistan, the country that owns me, has sent quite a big contingent will definitely get at least one of each medal if not more but today its name is missing even amongst bronze medalists but why and how, I have no answer.

Let me be very specific about our performance. The worst hit is athletics whereby under men marathon 76 names of athletes are mentioned drawn from different countries showing the time they clocked in the athletics and none of our runner could be spotted there too. The list is spearheaded by Samuel Kamau Wansiru of Kenya who time wise clocked 2:06:32 while at the fag end Atsushi Sato of Japan finished with 2:41:08. We have been too vocal and proud of our men hockey team but today in the final tally I read that Germany, Spain and Australia won gold, silver and bronze medals respectively I need not show the mirror to the President, Pakistan Hockey Federation, or for that matter, our coach and the captain whose statements issued before the Olympics and flashed by newspapers are still with me whereby they were too proud of themselves of not disappointing the nation. How much money we drained to host parties and functions on different dates and in different cities in the honor of the players and the officials before they flew out to China but for what?

How painful it is, at least for me, if not others to note that even Afghanistan got a bronze medal despite the hard fact that there the life of every one including the President is under constant threat but yet Afghanistan flag was raised when it won bronze medal. From time immemorial African continent is poor and most of its countries are poorest in the world where not all the people eat three meals a day from birth to death but yet Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, to name a few, won all the three categories of medals namely gold, silver and bronze. It must be eye opener for us to see that too small countries like Bahrain and Singapore etc whose total area is less than even our one city also were victorious to win medals. Super Powers have proved super since the top 4 spots amongst 76 winning nations are captured by China, United States of America, Russia and United Kingdom respectively. The remaining super power France is 10^th on the ladder. 

What answer, if any, one can give from Pakistan Sports Board as to how come Pakistani flag was not fluttered at the events, except the inaugural ceremony, despite the fact that we have sent quite a sizeable contingent to the games and the whole nation in particular and world at large in general saw our contingent parading through the ground at the opening ceremony witnessed by PM Yousuf Gillani? Will Prime Minister take any cognizance of the fact as to why and how Pakistanis have humiliated the nation before the whole community of nations? Am I living in fantasy to feel and believe that PM after reading my this tinkle abolishes PSB and jails or fines depending upon the negligence and involvement the players and the officials who enjoyed the ride to Beijing at public expense? Had Pakistan not participated in the Olympics, I can bet on my life, we had not been so exposed internationally but alas we lost the golden opportune to guard our national honor and prestige? Shouldn't my nation feel ashamed that India, which is our eternal enemy, won 1 gold and 2 bronze medal?

My problem is very much acute from the angle that neither I have any plan, even remotest, to change my nationality nor I am going to quit Kuwait but spiritually I am more clung to Pakistan than Kuwait and hence I must not be ashamed, once more, when my country participates in next Olympics scheduled to be held in London is my last worry since, as of today, I am already 64+?

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With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / zaidi_exdiplomat_kuwait@hotmail.com / Tel + Fax (00965) 3715102 / Mobile (00965) 6229897