Pakistan’ Anne Frank: Mehzar Zahra, a victim of Shia genocide

Annelies “Anne” Marie Frank (12 June 1929 – early March 1945) is one of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Her diary has been the basis for several plays and films. Born in the city of Frankfurt am Main in Weimar Germany, she lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. Over one million children under the age of sixteen died in in World War II, not because of the bombs, but because they did not fit in as Hitler’s image of the “perfect” German. Many children and their parents living in countries, which had been invaded by the Germans, were imprisoned and killed because they were Jewish. At least six million Jews were killed by Hitler and his Nazi Germany apparatus while the entire world, particularly Europe, looked the other way. While nothing in human tragedy can be compared to the Jewish holocaust, the situation of Shia Muslims in the Islamic history in general, and in modern Pakistan in particular, appears to be in some ways similar to the persecution, harassment and genocide which Jews have been facing for at least two thousand years. It is my considered opinion that, as two most persecuted communities of the world, Shia Muslims and Jews should try to understand and accept each other, treat each other with respect and compassion. In particular, Israel and Iran should seriously reconsider their hostilities which are more a handiwork of Saudi cunning lobbying and propaganda, because there is no substantive or historical basis for animosity or hatred between Shias and Jews. Hamas Salafists in Gaza will feel equal joy in killing a Shia as they have in killing a Jew. As the people of the book and as a persecuted nation, Jews deserve full respect and sympathy as do Shia Muslims (and all other persecuted communities). The Jew Shia unity is good for both communities, the hatred between Jews and the Shias will only help their common enemy, i.e., Saudi Arabia and its Salafist-Deobandi mercenaries who want to kill all Jews and Shias. Anne Frank was only one of at least one million children killed by Nazis in Germany; she and her family members were killed only because of their faith, i.e., Judaism. The situation of Shias in Pakistan is not much different. So far, at least 20,000 Shia Muslims have been killed at the hands of Takfiri Deobandi militants of the Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba, financed by Saudi Arabia, and nurtured by Pakistan Army. At least 6,000 Shia children have been killed in Pakistan. Their pictures and brief background is provided in this post: http://criticalppp.com/archives/231236 However, on 30 November 2012 around 8:00 am something very painful happened in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi. Mehzar Zehra, 12, a grade 7 student, was on her way to school along with her father Syed Mazhar Abbas Zaidi. Takfiri Deobandi terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba attacked her and her father on the Shaheed-e-Millat Road. Her father was killed in front of her, while she too was showered with bullets. Four bullets pierced her body and as I write these lines she remains in critical condition in the I.C.U. Doctors are not operating her because they fear she might get paralysed if they proceed with the operation. She been constantly asking about her father, but the little kid doesn’t know that he is no more. What was Mehzar and her father’s only crime? Their Shia faith. Just as Hitler wanted to create what he saw was the perfect German, this meant that anyone who did not fit into his perfect image was persecuted (ill treated) and/or killed, he persecuted German citizens who were Jewish, Gypsies, or otherwise “undesirables”. Similarly, Saudi-funded Deobandi and Wahhabi terrorists want to kill Shia Muslims because Shias do not fit their perfect image of Muslims. The attack on Mehzar and her father is indeed very disturbing. However, Pakistani media, rights activists have completely ignored this incident along with other incidents of Shia genocide. Reason? Shias are considered lesser Muslims and lesser humans in Pakistan. According to a recent research by Pew, at least 50% of Sunni Muslims in Pakistan, Deobandis and Wahhabis in particular, consider Shia as Kafir (infidels). This figure not only includes madrassah educated right-wing bigots but also many middle-class and elite Pakistanis, many of whom also work in media and rights groups. Hence, the silence!