Ali Malik's blog

United State occupied Iraq but cannot control it. Pakistan Army takes over the state but cannot control it. United States went into Iraq to end dictatorship and bring democracy. Pakistan Army is in Balochistan to end tyranny of Sardari system and bring human rights and prosperity. Iraqis hate US more than they hate anything else. If precedence and commonsense is anything to go by, same could be concluded about Balochistan. Balochistan had always been a troubled province of Pakistan. Balochs have always felt that they have been hard-done by the federation and specially Punjab. They believe that they are deprived of their fair share of pie and there resources are plundered by center and Punjab. The recent military operation and the incidents that preceded and followed it only added fuel to Balochs anger and turned the movement from one for rights to a secessionist movement and now with the killing of Akbar Bugti, it seems we are nearing the end game. An end; where Pakistan existing in th...

This morning driving along sunder Das road, watching Pakistani flags raised over the quarters of Aitchison College employees, my mind wandered to the letter written by a character of "aag ka darya" in which he writes his observations about emerging social equation of Karachi and newly found state of Pakistan. I could sense some conflict pinching my heart and soul. In the shadows of the novel, initially I thought as if I am trying to experience the conflict that the migrants had to face in Pakistan but then a series of shocking realizations came to me. I realized that I am not mohajir but a Punjabi and my association is with the land of Punjab which in-turn is part of the nation-state which I consider as my identity. But then I felt detached from the Punjab and Punjabis. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't associate myself with my land, or Punjab, or my Punjabi or Pakistani identity. On a rhetorical level yes, but in reality I couldn't. I realized that I am so dista...

It's scary. It looks troublesome....