Good Bye 'Raymond'

I am sorry, I could not write to you while you were in Pakistan. I didn’t know you had to leave this early else I would have made some personal efforts. Here’s my letter to you that I longed to write. The sizzler of the day is the Breaking News of American CIA Agent Raymond Davis Released from Pakistan Jail - yes! That’s what most of the foreign media has to say about it. Thankfully, they said ‘CIA agent’ and now the world believes it! When Pakistan pronounced you as one of the many ‘istasna’ papers; authenticity of which is still doubted; were presented.

As we stand below to wave hand at the plane flying above our heads (typical filmy) taking a ‘hero’ abroad lets analyze kya khoya, kya paaya? When you came onto screens I heard much of my people enchanting that this time we have got America and we can stab them, we shall make them pay off for all their injustices be-cause the ball is in our court now and we blindly trust our judiciary coz they have seen the pain. I can go flaunting about it for long but I trust your Pakistani mind to develop all the hype yourself. I don’t doubt your credibility even once. I knew you played fair game. You and your team have worked real hard and hard work always pays off. But, no human is perfect and you made a mistake by exposing yourself and killing two Pakistanis in public. Who knows it was part of the plan too. Let’s get onto what happened. Things went on as planned. All the time you were in Pakistan you were given the explicit protocol named ‘istasna’ at times and our Muslim hospitality at others. I so wish we could show you a glimpse of our ‘drawing rooms’ in the jail and some typical jailers. That would have given you some ‘sweet’ memories to take along from Pakistan.

The judicial prosecutions you were encountered to were very ‘friendly’. For the first time in years have the courts the level of efficiency and credibility. The victim families were too cooperative. They thought it was the best time to make the world realize that Islam and Pakistan aren’t bad after all. They know how to forgive and forget. Or I guess they thought ‘matti pao, kam mukao teh paisa kamao!’ very hypothetical! Seems so untrue for Pakistan - a 'Taliban ocean' as you call it.

I have no complaints to make to you because

Jin pe takiya tha wo pate hawa dene lage

We knew what our endeared leaders, politicians, judicial members have done to us but still we had the slightest hope that may be this time the sons of the mother-land will flow the last drop of their blood to regain Pakistan. But alas! They preferred crisp new dollars in ex-change of their Identity, Sovereignty and Integrity. As they say;

Teer kha ke jo dekha kameen ghah ki tarf

Apne hi dosto se mulakat ho gae

Now let’s leave sarcasm aside and see the other part of the story. But wait, I have just come across an observation. All my ‘liberal’ friends are way too quiet now. I have not seen any status upload, article or twitter update by them in a while. I am amused! I fear, if they are all well? Maybe they are out celebrating? May be.

I will tell Uncle Sam that you said soda ghattay da kita aey! Raymond Davis was an oil reserve who you could have cashed through the way, whenever needed if you had been a little patient. But it’s no use crying over spilt milk; the grapes are now sour indeed!

Now, as for the nation’s response you need not worry. They shall raise slogans for a week or a month maybe and then they will get busy with their daily price hikes, electricity outfalls, traffic disorientation, bomb blasts and much more. They are slugs who are high in spirits but are in-consistent. They have commendable level of ‘tolerance’. Dr. Iqbal said;

Khuda Tujhe Kisi Toofan Se Aashna Ker De

K Tere Behr Ki Maujon Me Izterab Nahin Hai

After all is said I wish you a happy life ahead. May all the good happen to you? I wish to see you soon again. I have a request, next time you plan on something, do it on levels please. Try your level best to blow us to the core, do more!! It won’t make much of a difference to you but for us it may be the deciding point. Maybe we wake up to hit you in your face!

Wardah Iftikhar

College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, National University of Science & Technology, Rawalpindi.