Nana abu(My grandfather)... May His Soul Rest in Peace (Amen)!
I wrote this note about 3 weeks after the attacks.
As I have said before, I created this page when 2 Ahmadi Mosques were attacked in Lahore, Pakistan on 28 May, 2010. My nana abu was martyred in that incident. This is the first time I have directly been affected by the rising terrorism in this world.
The story of how he embraced martyrdom is very interesting and inspiring.
Muslims all over the world go to their local mosques to say 'Jumma Prayers' every Friday. Although, Ahmadi Muslims are regarded as non-Muslims by the rest of the Muslim community, they still say that they are Muslims and they are the true followers of Islam and Quran. In many Islamic countries, like Pakistan, Indonesia there are laws against Ahmadis. They are not allowed to use the words of Quran, use Muslim greetings, Muslim prayers or call their prayer places 'Mosques.' Although, it should be up to Ahmadis to decide which greetings to use, what to call their mosques, whether or not read the Quran, but it is not allowed by the so called Islamic states.
I think I have drifted from the actual topic. I will talk about Ahmadi persecution later on.
So on 28th May 2010, which happened to be a Friday, nana abu was in his local mosque saying prayers. Suddenly, firing started outside. The mosque had been attacked by Militants. The militants had already killed the mosque security guard and the name-sake government provided security of 2 policeman, who carried little or no arms in comparison to the militants who were loaded with better guns. Seeing the attacks, most of the people ran to the basement of the mosque. Nana abu, however stayed in the main hall. It should be mentioned here that he was a retired air force and civil defense personnel. In civil defense, Pakistan, he was the head of the bomb disposal squad. Most of the people had taken refuge in the basement when one of the militants entered the main hall. Nana abu and some others were still there. He opened fire and nana abu was shot. Although nana abu was 85, he was unusually healthy for his age, After injuring nana abu, he thought he had overpowered him, so he turned around to load his gun. Noticing his lack of attention towards his surroundings, nana abu jumped from back and grabbed his neck. Seeing nana abu, another man near him came for help, and then some other men came, and togather they overpowered the militant and caught him alive. Since nana abu knew how to dispose a bomb, he gave out instructions on how to diffuse the suicide Jacket of the militant.
For the first time in Pakistan, a suicide militant was caught alive, and that due to the initial bravery of an 85 year old man and that of many others who were unarmed.
Questions that arose in my mind after hearing this story: For the first time 2 militants (another militant was caught in same mosque by some other brave men) are caught alive from a suicide attack and turned in to Pakistan Police(which by the way arrived with help when most of the injured men had nearly died because of profuse bleeding), by the members of a community that is 'officially detested and hated' in Pakistan?
The militant was a young man and he was overpowered (initially) by an unarmed 85 year old man? Doesn't this story put the credibility of Pakistan's security forces and intelligence agencies at stake?
If unarmed people can overpower these militants, then definitely, these militants are not that smart after all, right? Then why are the Militant organizations flourishing in Pakistan? Are concerned authorities too lazy to take action?
The story of how he embraced martyrdom is very interesting and inspiring.
Muslims all over the world go to their local mosques to say 'Jumma Prayers' every Friday. Although, Ahmadi Muslims are regarded as non-Muslims by the rest of the Muslim community, they still say that they are Muslims and they are the true followers of Islam and Quran. In many Islamic countries, like Pakistan, Indonesia there are laws against Ahmadis. They are not allowed to use the words of Quran, use Muslim greetings, Muslim prayers or call their prayer places 'Mosques.' Although, it should be up to Ahmadis to decide which greetings to use, what to call their mosques, whether or not read the Quran, but it is not allowed by the so called Islamic states.
I think I have drifted from the actual topic. I will talk about Ahmadi persecution later on.
So on 28th May 2010, which happened to be a Friday, nana abu was in his local mosque saying prayers. Suddenly, firing started outside. The mosque had been attacked by Militants. The militants had already killed the mosque security guard and the name-sake government provided security of 2 policeman, who carried little or no arms in comparison to the militants who were loaded with better guns. Seeing the attacks, most of the people ran to the basement of the mosque. Nana abu, however stayed in the main hall. It should be mentioned here that he was a retired air force and civil defense personnel. In civil defense, Pakistan, he was the head of the bomb disposal squad. Most of the people had taken refuge in the basement when one of the militants entered the main hall. Nana abu and some others were still there. He opened fire and nana abu was shot. Although nana abu was 85, he was unusually healthy for his age, After injuring nana abu, he thought he had overpowered him, so he turned around to load his gun. Noticing his lack of attention towards his surroundings, nana abu jumped from back and grabbed his neck. Seeing nana abu, another man near him came for help, and then some other men came, and togather they overpowered the militant and caught him alive. Since nana abu knew how to dispose a bomb, he gave out instructions on how to diffuse the suicide Jacket of the militant.
For the first time in Pakistan, a suicide militant was caught alive, and that due to the initial bravery of an 85 year old man and that of many others who were unarmed.
Questions that arose in my mind after hearing this story: For the first time 2 militants (another militant was caught in same mosque by some other brave men) are caught alive from a suicide attack and turned in to Pakistan Police(which by the way arrived with help when most of the injured men had nearly died because of profuse bleeding), by the members of a community that is 'officially detested and hated' in Pakistan?
The militant was a young man and he was overpowered (initially) by an unarmed 85 year old man? Doesn't this story put the credibility of Pakistan's security forces and intelligence agencies at stake?
If unarmed people can overpower these militants, then definitely, these militants are not that smart after all, right? Then why are the Militant organizations flourishing in Pakistan? Are concerned authorities too lazy to take action?
