"We are even afraid to go to the mosque. It's never been like this before" said one man after offering prayer. Two pictures, one in the Gulf News and one in this publication arrested my attention. One showed Indian Muslims offering their prayers at the historic Taj Mahal in peace. The other showed people praying in a Karachi mosque with paramilitary troops guarding the bowing worshippers. What a contrast ! In the so called land of the "Pak" even worshipers bowing to God have to be protected.

The spate of attacks on mosques in Karachi and the cold blooded killing of the faithful is a sign of the moral sickness that Pakistan is suffering from.

It is degrading that in a country which claims to have an ideology and was built so that it's people can adhere to their ideology with out let and hindrance armed guards are needed to protect worshippers.

It is shameful that a country formed on the basis of unity, faith and discipline has more than it's share of people who fire at random killing three year old children.

It is a mockery to these who laid down their lives that in Pakistan's largest city there is tight security for Eid.

At a time when people should be going about smiling and wishing and hugging each other they are staying in doors.

Very quick on the draw many in Pakistan fired salvos of venom at the destruction the Babri Masjid at the hands of the rabid BJP followers. Every one condemned their heinous act and I was foremast among those who called for stern measures against the leaders of the BJP by the Indian government. While a large section in India rejoiced at this supposedly "humiliation" to the Muslims of India there were many Indian voices which criticized the inability and possible connivance of the Rao government.

So what did we have then? A historic mosque becoming "shaheed" at the hands of hordes of communalists.

In Karachi and other place it is just the opposite. Here people are becoming "shaheeds" in mosques at the hands of their own countrymen and co-religionists. Which is a worse fate ? There can be no doubt about it that the latter one is the more deadly pill to swallow.

To those in who's minds' conspiracy theories evolve a possible suspect arises. It is RAW or the Indian intelligence. But let us ask ourselves how can RAW "cook" such type of incidents with impunity ? While exterior hands may have fanned some of the flames the onus of the blame lies squarely on those who actively engaged in and encouraged sectarianism in Pakistan. 

Parties with noble and pious sounding names have created a wedge and deep rifts among the people of Pakistan which no foreign intelligence unit could have done.

The Sipah- E- Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and its rivals the Tehrik- E- Jafria Pakistan (TJP) and Sipah - E- Mohammad Pakistan (SMP) are like vampires sucking the blood from their followers, rivals and above all the people of Pakistan.

Those in who's name supposedly these organizations have sprung up, had they been alive would have caused these so called leaders and condemned them to hell. Many in Pakistan are showering curses at them for the bloodshed of hundreds of innocent men, women and children.

It is shameful what is happening in Pakistan today. Paramilitary forces in armored vehicles guard mosques in Karachi. In India Eid prayers went without a hitch. In all the years since partition there has never been firing and killing of Muslim worshippers by Hindus. 

There was only one incident where the police had fired and if my memory serves me right it was in Moradabad. Despite the rise in extremism fueled by the BJP and it's allies Muslim lives are still safe in India. 

Yes, there are many grievances and the minority community has suffered at the hands of the authorities and has been subjected to brutality - However, cold blooded killings are not in vogue in India-

It is high time that Pakistanis stop or may be somebody across the border will start copying the tactics used by these "pious" and "religious" organizations in Pakistan.

A report in a Gulf paper highlighted US based Pakistanis concern at the Karachi killings and the deteriorating law and order situation in almost all cities in Pakistan.

The malaise in Pakistan has pervaded almost all facets of life in Pakistan. The infamous blasphemy case in Pakistan which has pitted reason, logic and justice against emotional witch- hunting caught the attention of the world.

In another segment and in the far corner of Pakistan's playing field news reports of alleged match tampering by Pakistan's cricket captain Salim Malik and others who compromised their integrity for financial gains cast a pull of shame. It seems the moral fabric of the nation had not only become loose but is being torn to shreds.

Nothing good seemed to be coming out at all. The government's inability to handle the current political situation and the oppositions intensification drive to topple the government is similar to a cock fight where both creatures with sharpened talons fight to strip each other to death.

Their Caracas is then thrown away where another animal comes and digs it's teeth.

Unfortunately whether we like or not that is the situation in the "land of the pure"

A nation that is racked with such internal upheavals that's it's people moan and grown and where apprehension negativism and a lack of confidence prevails.

The air of object helplessness is so acute that the collapse of the roof of the famous Khaliqdina hall in Karachi was attributed to it!

Such is the state of the state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

While other nations vie to compete and march ahead preparing themselves for the twenty first century many in Pakistan are getting ready to do battle within the country.

Unfortunately their number is on the increase. With such type of people and organizations in Pakistan to undermine it's integrity and to de-stablize it Pakistan has enough qualified enemies within it's own borders to undo Pakistan.