Alam Zawar
32-A Sarwar Shaheed Rd, Icchra
Lahore, Punjab
Pakistan
3rd September 2007
Dear Alam,
Today was meant to be the first day of school. I packed my bag, cleaned my uniform, and I met the other girls in Matiltan. But it was terrible...there was no school. Do you remember when I told you about the people with white flags? The ones that Abu calls Taliban? They were there. They’ve been here all summer. They drive around in their trucks and they yell at people, and they threaten them with their guns for no reason. They’ve even told me to wear my dupatta properly. As if I wouldn’t know how to wear a dupatta! Alam, they’re the most horrible people ever.
And they were at the school today. Four of them, with their guns. They were just standing outside the door, and we were too scared to go close. There were other villagers too, and some of them went to talk to the men with guns. They said the school is closed. They said girls shouldn’t be in school. And then, it was horrible Alam. Do you remember Aunty Palwasha? She’s my teacher. Another one of them came out of the school holding her. She was bleeding and crying.
They started throwing her around, throwing her to each other and to the ground. The villagers got really angry and yelled at the men with guns. They started throwing stones. But the bad guys fired their guns into the air. Have you ever heard a gun? It’s so loud. I had to cover my ears. I took the other girls and we hid behind a house. The bad guys said Aunty Palwasha was under arrest. But the villagers were really angry, and they kept yelling and fighting and there was more gunfire and someone was screaming. We just hid. It was so scary. Do you remember Aimal Bhai? He found us, and he took us through the smaller streets and back home. They were still fighting when we left.
My hands are still shaking. Dad was so angry and upset when he found out what happened. He told me I’m not allowed to leave the house any more. I can’t even go out to the farm unless he’s there as well. What’s going to happen to Aunty Palwasha? I’m so worried. She didn’t do anything wrong! And where’s the police, Alam? Aren’t they meant to keep us safe? Where’s the army? Aren’t they meant to protect us from evil people?
Jamal is gone. I told you he’d left last winter, but none of us have seen him since. We never talk about him. I’m worried. I hope he’s okay. And I’m terrified that he might have joined these bad people. Mom is so sad now. She’s always crying. And when I ask her why, she says because both her sons have left her. And Dad is always angry. I think he’s also very upset that Jamal left. But he doesn’t cry. He just beats mom when she does.
I hope everything is better for you. Hamza sounds like a great person, I’d love to meet him. And I think Bilal would like him too. I miss you so much!
Lots of love,
Mina
