Dawn column: Easier said than done
Posted by Ethan Casey on June 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment
In my latest column the Books & Authors section of Dawn, I found it necessary to write about the situation of the (now) 2.5 million people in who have been driven out of their homes by the Pakistan Army’s decision to attack the Taliban in northwest Pakistan, but I didn’t want to write what I think of as “mere commentary”.
Excerpts:
“This column is supposed to be more literary than topical. But where does one end and the other begin? As I observed two weeks ago, it’s impossible to avoid politics when writing about Pakistan. …
“There’s more than enough mere commentary out there — too much, in fact. The question is whether enough people outside Pakistan not only know about the crisis, but care about it and understand what’s at stake. …
“But the real shock for me last Sunday morning was when a woman asked me to explain what I meant by drone attacks. It was clear that she hadn’t even known they were happening. I’m trying to help bridge the gulf between the American churchgoer and the Waziri teenager — but it’s easier said than done.”
