Taliban were welcomed with open arms in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Government of Pakistan made a deal with them, allowing them to enforce Sharia law in return of peace. One and half month it seemed that it worked. Then came the army operation. The army swept through the whole valley of Swat and cleared it. Army had already been engaged with the militants in the operation before the deal. That operation was going  on for almost two years without any success or progress. The one after the deal, it was an epic, three weeks, not only the valley of Swat was cleared but the whole Malakand Distrtict had been cleared. Now moving on to tribal belt to destroy the last strongholds of talibans in Pakistan. With top leadership dead Talibans are taking their last breaths.

                   Gen. Musharraf perused Talibans for eight years but in vain. current regime dealt with them in three weeks. Do you know why? Do you know what made difference? Do you what changed the public opinion? Why they were welcomed with open arms and then rejected. It was the deal. The deal which imposed the Sharia Law. It not only imposed the Sharia law but also gave taliban almost unlimited power in the Malakand Division.  And as Abraham Lincoln said:
          "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

They were exposed. they were exposed badly. The horrors and the atrocities they committed; God let not another day so in history. During the operation, colleagues of my brother in law went to work in the area as doctors. The atrocities they narrated back. Whole villages raped and beheaded, when refused to give their daughters in marriage to these Talibans. to me they were just stories. Western media propaganda. But then my sinful eyes saw it. The psychological trauma it had caused. Can't find words to describe it. Thank God its over.

Pakistan army was welcomed and the people of valley took a sigh of relief.
Now Pakistan  army is doing the same mistake the Talibans did.
Army post gets attacked in the valley, 20 bodies appear next day on the streets.
Extra judicial killings.

Well I may not have the ideal nor just moral beliefs, but i was comfortable with it. The atrocities these people committed, well they deserve worse then this. But now its gone out of hands.

 
 
 
This footage depicts a family member almost 80 year old family member being beaten and tortured for information. Kicked and abused. Pakistan army men are clearly seen in uniform. An officer is seen in background giving out orders.

You came into the good book of these people now you wanna go9 back the same way the same way the tali9bans went. There should be a difference between you and them. Torturing family members for information will only worsen the condition. You will lose the support of locals. the same way Talibans did

Full Story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8285564.stm

Let us not committ crimes they did in past. Let us be abswerable to our conscience. Let us be Humans. Let us be humane. They had seen enough, they need kindness and tenderness. Lets just not go upon this once again. For God's sake.

Silence I say again, by you and me, makes us equal culprits in this crime.
So let us speak against injustice. So let us speak against in humanity.
For we will be questioned.
Now or  in the next world.

I grew up as a Muslim. A conservative Muslim. My father was key member of Jamat-e-Islami in his days. Yes, the notorious conservative Islamist party in Pakistan who supports Taliban publicly. They follow Taliban's ideology and many a times have been found harboring their fugitives. I inherited my father's beliefs and thats how I grew up. 9/11 happened and in schools we discussed Taliban and Bin Laden as our heroes. 5 times prayer was must salvation. Intolerance was at its peak. Even within my own faith. Couldn't tolerate another person's belief if it didn't fit into mine. My life's aim was, some day to be a martyr. Thought of leaving the house and going unto Jihad.

Then it changed. How, I don't know. Whether rapidly or gradually, can't even remember that. It just changed. Maybe it was that very question how Adam and Eve story fit into evolutionary cycle. Or Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha. It wasn't about being moderate or conservative anymore, it was about being or not being, a Muslim. Some questions got answered vast amount of didn't. Sometimes I was answered thoroughly and returned contended. At other times I was told not to ask questions that are not appropriate for my age or not to question religious personalities.

Then I studied Christianity thoroughly for the first time. And then Judaism. Christianity, was what I expected but Judaism well it was a bombshell. I had lived all my life in that small "Box of Islam." Theres no other expression I could find to define it. Now I feel I have been cheated by Islam. Lies, lies I was told. In every thing. How that religion developed my personality; that to this day I don't tolerate criticism. How Islam projected faith like Judaism to its followers. Lies. But still I was not ready to leave, I was not ready to leave my faith. How could I be wrong. Islam is the only just religion. So I took on a different line. I debated. I took part in public discussions. I don't know if that was a mistake or what but it sure landed me in an uneasy spot. Muslims may be protective about their faith, but as I said they are also Intolerant. My version of "My Faith" didn't suite theirs. So one day after a discussion with some college friends I was called by the headmaster, who had my expulsion letter signed. He also had contacted the concerned authorities for blasphemy charges to be pressed. I got out with my good contacts with some of the faculty who put in a good word for me and made his mind change.

But for me that was it; The Limit. Don't go into public debates. Don't question. Don't volunteer, ever, for anything that has remotely anything to do with religion. And as to my faith, let it to me. Now i linger on somewhere between Atheism, Agnosticism and Islam. Not a great combination but still I'm at a much better position from where I started.
And for the first time I was able to open up my eyes and see why the west as they say in our country is threatened by Islam. It was not because it was getting so much popular among them. It was because of that zeal with which Muslims blindly follow and persecute.

I didn't find need of any religion to guide me. To do good is enough for me. I don't have to touch my head down five times a day to seek salvation. Neither do I have to go to a Church to seek forgiveness. Nor I have to enter a synagogue. If theres any God out there who is judging me let him judge me on my deeds not on my creed. And if he does care as to what faith I follow irrespective of my deeds; then that God or god is a racist. And I feel very comfortable not following that one.

My sister got aware of my beliefs and she told me that religion is essential for morality. Can't remember where in Quran it says not to rape, kill, steal, abuse. Read Quran in Arabic and in Urdu my first language four times. but somehow just cant remember. But I don't have to. I don't have to open "any" religious book and look at it to know that to rape and to kill and steal and to abuse is wrong. "I know it." As every other human does. As it is present in every sane man's conscience. As it is inherent to us all.

In the end, again, if theres any God or god or even gods out there, contradictory to my beliefs and the evidence I found. Let him judge me on my deeds. Not my creed. For i wouldn't be going down quietly, if its a racist convicting me.