written by Arif Ali dagh786@yahoo.com
ISLAMABAD: In days of growing street protests, a handsome-looking young man has come out with a fervent demand which evokes laughter and anguish at th same time.
Hashmat Ali, wearing sombre looks, narrates his woeful demand in Urdu in a placard headlined'Public Notice'.Interestingly, the demand is to let him get married and become a parent -- a right denied by his well-to-do father Shahzad Gul,apparantly for no rhyme and reason.
“My younger brothers have got married even though they were jobless. I am the eldest and am employed ,but my wealthy father has yet to arrange my marriage,” reads the banner which was displayed by the lonely protestor at the Peshawar Press Club - only to invite mixed feelings from journalists,otherwise busy reporting suicide blasts in the violence -torn NWFP.
Hashmat Ali says in his poster that he is a"chowkidar' (security guard) at the girls’ hostel at the famous Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, getting Rs5,000 monthl salary, and remains one of the most eligible bachelors.
Explaining his demand ,Hashmat Ali said it was hard for him to fathom the reason behind his father's reluctance to get him married and live a matrimonial life-- a fundmnetal right of each and every individual on this earth.
Incidentally,the damand was voiced in the midst of the the nation busy celebrating the historic triumph of the people's power over the power of force and
coersion,leading to the reistatement of the deposed judges.
When approached, an old media colleague quipped rather smilingly:" I won't be surprised if the restored Chief Justice,known for hi suo moto actions,takes notice of Hashmat's grievances."
Another friend,fighting hard to recover from the jolts of three succesive divorces,said:" Left it to me,i would go full length to force Hashmat to stay single and enjoy the freedom,say like Sh.Rashid Ahmed,Pakistan's best-known unmarried politician."
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