Sabeen Mahmud, founder of The Second Floor (T2F)

I did not know Sabeen Mahmud. But I had heard about The Second Floor (T2F). I had heard that it was a place for progressive, pluralistic Pakistanis who believed in honest discussion and debate to gather together and inspire each other. I had heard that it was a place which welcomed dissenting views and opinions because it wanted to promote freedom of speech and the ideals of liberty and freedom for all.

These are noble aims. But why are they aims that any Pakistani should want to “promote”? These are guaranteed to us by the constitution of Pakistan. But sadly, guaranteeing something by writing it in the constitution doesn’t really mean anything. Progressiveness, freedom, liberty, honesty, openness, freedom of speech, freedom to live, freedom to choose, freedom of expression, were all pretty crippled in Pakistan. But now they’re all almost dead. One more push, one more shove and it’ll all be over.

When did we become so scared of people who just want to “listen” to the other side of the story? Has it now come down to this? That we won’t tolerate even those who want to understand why Baluchistan is such a mess? What kind of Pakistan are we going to build and leave for our kids? I shudder at the very thought.

You may kill a person. But you will never kill an idea.

“Behind this mask there is more than just flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea… And ideas, are bulletproof.” — Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

RIP Sabeen Mahmud. And thank you for your service to Pakistan.