Americans......Torchbearers of Civilizations

By: Jawad Iqbal Jawad .. Published in National Herald Tribune on 03-10-2010 A lady was kidnapped from her homeland, from her own native city, kept in an illegal jail in another country where she was forced to face beasts in human form. In her self-defense, she tried to kill them and then she was tortured inhumanly and immorally for it. She was sent to the land of civilization and culture, the land of opportunities and the land of those people who consider and declare themselves the torchbearers of peace, civilization and enlightenment. They consider themselves the leaders of the world in many respects. They prosecuted her in their own court that sentenced her to 86 years of life-time imprisonment – that is death sentence.   This is the story of a Pakistani neuroscientist, Dr. Afia Siddiqui who became the sign of misfortune and tragedy for us and our future generations.   Federal District Court of New York sentenced her with the maximum punishment for attempting the murder of American Army and FBI Officers. Human Rights Organizations, people of intellect in America and Government of Pakistan (Afia's native country) are silent and are not asking the court and American Government why those beasts kidnapped her with her three children from her native city. What rights did they have to take her from her land to the land of Afghanistan where, according to them, she attempted to kill them?   Whatever she did, she did in her self-defense because she had no other option.   After 9/11 incident, hundreds of people were sold to America by Pervez Musharraf, as he proudly narrates in his book, "In the Line of Fire". In this repulsive treason, he did not care that he was selling his daughter, Afia because he had no concept of sanctity of mothers, daughters and sisters. He was the same person who passed insulting, rather humiliating, comments about the womenfolk in Pakistan before foreign media while giving his views regarding Dr. Shazia Case. How can a person have the sense of sanctity who proudly declares in his book that his mother would dance at the parties?  Ladies, dancing at parties, might be no serious issue in the west, but it matters in our society and culture. According to our culture and values it is immoral.  Pervez Musharraf sold Afia to the foreigners. Little hope was rekindled when the present democratic government came into power. But they also adopted the same role played by the previous government lead by the notorious dictator. They did not take this matter seriously. An American court had no right to prosecute a Pakistani citizen who was living in her own country with her family when she was kidnapped from there. A case of abduction, illegal imprisonment and inhuman and immoral treatment must have been prosecuted on those who presented her before the court.   In war against terrorism, Pakistan is forefront ally of America. No doubt, now it is our own war as well. But initially it was not ours. America cunningly imposed it on us and for the moment we are fighting not only for our own cause, but there are vested interests of America as well. Without our help and support, America and its western allies cannot fight this war, as we are providing them the intelligence. But our leaders have proved themselves to be totally incapable in utilizing this importance for their national cause.  America should be warned in Afia's case. America is fully aware of the weaknesses of this government and is exploiting Pakistan to its full capacity. But unfortunately, Pakistani leadership is a complete disappointment in this concern. Imprisonment of Afia proves their failure, incompetence and unserious attitude. On the other hand, her account unfolds the realities about American judicial system and their national hypocrisy.