Musings of a Wandering Mind
Starting a Debate on Kashmir in the US
By Faiza Khan
We celebrated Eid-ul-Adha in Orange County with fervor relishing in our freedom to exercise our religious and cultural rights. Yet in another part of the world our Muslim brothers and sisters celebrated this auspicious occasion under continual fear and heightened security measures.
In light of recent events in Kashmir some of us tried to stay abreast with what could be deemed as one of the most blatant contraventions of democracy, when India exercised to revoke Article 370 of the constitution and took away the autonomy of the disputed region.
As a hyphenated American I constantly struggle with this void that has been created purely for political and financial gains for the elite few who run with the who’s who of the upper strata of society. The doors of these rooms where power lies are not open to the mainstream populace that includes you and I.
As I walked into a fun-filled lunch party where like-minded families gathered together to celebrate Eid, I wondered how the Kashmiri-Muslims would have gathered courage to perform Eid prayers in the congregational setting of a mosque. My mind was unable to fathom the difficulties they might have had to face while attempting to sacrifice the animals, a religious ritual that lies in the core of Eid-Ul-Adha.
I read online this morning that all communication channels including internet, cellular phones, landlines and any kind of contact with the external world were severed. Furthermore, the supply line of cash via ATMs and banking were at a halt due to the lockdown. Residents were beaten up by security forces while trying to buy simple necessities like milk. The locals must be facing a myriad of emotions ranging from confusion to anger and everything else in between. The question looming in everyone’s mind is why are the common Kashmiris made to pay for the sins of a few bureaucrats and politicians.
I sat down to articulate my thoughts and felt we could all be part of a movement that could, if not anything else, create awareness to the plight of our Kashmiri-Muslim brethren. I feel that by simply being cognizant of the circumstances in Kashmir we can start a debate that opens our minds towards the idealistic possibilities that Kashmir could be a land of peace one day.
Back to Pakistanlink Homepage
