Dear Imam Haider Sahib,

Thank you for writing. I understand quite well the negative role that the army has played in the sad history of Pakistan. Knowing that it did so in 1992 is no surprise, after what happened in the former East Pakistan in 1971, and in Baluchistan on more than one occasion. I have lived in both Karachi and in East Pakistan. Unlike the large majority of people who moved from Pakistan ether at a younger age or went to Middle East to make their fortune, I chose to keep loving in Pakistan until the age of 55. I left the country when I realized that I could not impact its direction, and the only super-power in the world, U.S. had greater ability to influence the direction of Pakistan than its citizens had. 

When I talk about my interest in current tragedies, I am not talking only about what happens in Pakistan. I also talk about what happens elsewhere in the world, which has global impact. Does anyone doubt, for instance, that the invasion of Iraq has made the situation worse in both Afghanistan and Pakistan?    

There is a limit beyond which I find it too much to keep hearing about tragedies    

Now that I live in a democracy (Canada) I am also very interested in impacting the policies that Canada adopts, and which leads to peace rather than perpetuation of wars. The power structures that we struggle against are global in nature and are interconnected – at least for many countries of the world. For instance, both my former homeland and my current homeland have great dependence on the same country, U.S. 

Imam Haider Sahib, I have responded since it is the first time you have written to me, and I felt it would have been rude of me to disregard your communication. But I really do have to request again, that since my resources of energy are highly limited, I really wish to be excused from any further participation in this discussion. I hope it is not too much expect that my wish will be respected. So can you please all just remove my email ID from any further exchanges that you may have with each other?

My best wishes to each & every one of you

Take care - Masud

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed - Dwight Eisenhower