‘O Haman! Build Me A Lofty Tower’

Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman! Build me a lofty tower’

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Resemblance of any character, alive or dead, with any character portrayed in this article is the fault of that character and not my own.

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The title of this i-log is taken from the Holy Qur’an (40:36), where Pharaoh, a symbol of oppression asks Haman, minister for religious affairs: Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman! Build me a lofty tower’.

We have many such Pharaohs in our land who keep the enslaved labour busy doing useless work.

As if authorizing the construction of Sindh’s Provincial assembly building was not enough (see http://www.chowk.com/ilogs/73167/30139), we now have another official announcement that guarantees wasting more money borrowed from the banks, on one more unwanted project. Our glorious peoples’ government will now raise a ‘peace tower in memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the fight against extremism and terrorism.’

Another useless committee has been constituted to plan for the tower’s construction at breakneck speed—the neck under threat is that of the poor public that hangs in shame clamouring for cheaper flour and sugar to light up their stomachs, and to have more electricity for dessert.

A vocal somebody has reiterated that he ‘salutes the law enforcement agencies for their important role in restoring peace in Swat and Malakand’. What I think he ought to do is salute the valiant people of Pakistan who continue to tolerate stupidity, and continue to be treated as pawn in the Mrikan game.

The golden words, uttered by the same somebody while addressing a peace rally arranged by Pakistan Television in collaboration with a non-government organisation (United for Peace), were reportedly heard by a large number of people in the rented rally. What kind of people; will we ever know?

The same man said that ‘the peace rally has sent a strong message to the international community that we are united and would not allow any extremist and terrorist activities on Pakistani soil.’

Extremists never queue up in the federal capitol to obtain permission from the government to do evil. Bigger fools who rule have allowed lesser fools to go about doing their deadly business for a very long time, thus ruining the unity amongst Pakistani people by sowing the seeds of provincialism and sectarianism, all paid for by their puppet masters.

He further said: ‘Islam preaches peace, tolerance, brotherhood and harmony, and did not allow anybody to kill innocent people by carrying out subversive activities. The country had been a victim of terrorism for the last many years, and terrorists had held us hostage. The terrorists have been flushed out from Swat and Malakand and peace is returning to the areas quickly.’

We never knew what Islam wanted from us until this official enlightened us. The Afghan tree took nearly thirty years to produce a very bitter fruit, and the mess cannot be undone in thirty days or thirty months. Mrika has a policy that she will follow no matter who occupies the White Elephant House. In the meanwhile, our blindfolded leaders obediently sit waiting in its toilet, thinking they are seated in the drawing room of that esteemed building.

God, please at least provide a single eye, if not stereoscopic vision, to our great Pharaohs.