Migration To Pakistan

As I put my hand on his shoulder,, I felt his whole frame shaking in silent sobs. He straightened himself and with shamefaced smile tried to dry his eyes with the sleeve o his shirt - he was wearing the long shirt and baggy trousers of the area, without any coat or turban. "A great deal has happened, "he said, "Allah is kind but sometimes we humans cannot understands His purpose". I knew this attitude well and had encountered it again and again amongst those who had come to the new country bereft of all their worldly possessions and who had seen their children killed or their women abducted. "Sit down,"I said, " and tell me what actually happened." "I will, " he replied. "But first you tell me . You, too, are not looking yourself. Did you suffer any loss?" There was concern in his voice. "No," I said, speaking only a partial truth for some of my lands had been in India and for the moment they appeared to be lost. But I had other property on the Pakistan side of the border and then I had my pay from government service. My loss was comparatively so small that I was ashamed to mention it. "How is your family?" I enquired. Tears again came to Saleem's eyes." as you know , I am poor and any how I spent everything I earned. :her smiled and continued. "you also know what all my earnings went on . My only precious possession was my honour as a Syed and now even that is gone." He slumped forward in his chair and his face contorted in an effort not to cry aloud. "my daughter was taken away, " he said in a flat, matter of fact voice. I got p and came round to his chair.. When he tried to rise I put a hand on his shoulder and gently pressed him down. "Saleem," I said, "you can only be dishonored by what you do yourself, never by what is forced on you by other. " I quoted to him the instance of the Prophet's grandson ---- his ancestor --- who had been martred at Karbla, where indignities had also been heaped upon his family.