Day 12

“To be or not to be, that is the question”, the legendary quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet keeps on popping in mind. To resign and follow ethical responsibility or leave oneself on stream of time, must be question echoing in the minds of our political bigwigs and in particular, the President of Pakistan. In line with today’s dramatic happenings I cannot withhold myself from sharing my views on the Judgment passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan with respect to the infamous NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance). Since I am not aware of the entire judgment so it is prudent to contain myself and express my views as a Pakistani and not as a lawyer. A Panel of 17 Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has annulled the very existence of this Ordinance which was made to cease all the civil and criminal cases against some of the most influential people of Pakistan, both political and non-political. Irrespective of the future of those who would be directly affected by this Judgment, I believe that history has been made. There are various people in several countries who might be involved in corrupt or other criminal activities but this is the first time we get to observe that in a developing country like Pakistan where everything but the law is respected, the Judiciary has come eye to eye with the influential lot and gave a judgment of colossal impact in terms of the future of Pakistan. Their fortitude must be highly praised. However, only time will tell us where all this would lead since there is not any precedent which would define the future course of action, and we as the citizens of Islamic Republic of Pakistan must pray that it all turns out to be for the betterment, peace, stability and prosperity of Pakistan. So let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."


I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.


With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:


Free at last! Free at last!   Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!


Sonya.

* Selected paragraphs from the illustrious public speech "I Have a Dream” by distinguished Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered on 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.