Dear Taliban...

Dear Taliban,

So Pakistan are the ICC T20 World Champions. The country has erupted in celebration. There is dancing in the streets. There are men and women celebrating together. There is idolization of human individuals, and the near-worship of a trophy. Songs are being played in all public squares. Fireworks, sweets, chants - all in celebration around an event with no relation whatsoever to religion (rather, as you would see it, around a relic of evil, western, colonial oppression).

Yes Taliban, that is Pakistan right now. It's not the shithole of blind religious following that you wanted to see. You assholes wanted to take Pakistani society and culture back many centuries. You wanted burqa and beards all around, with nothing but prayers being read in public squares, and nothing to consume our lives but closed-minded worship.

Well you know what? That ain't gonna happen. Never will. You can keep attacking our shrines, our music, our sports, our people, our institutions, our livelihoods. We will suffer, but we will fight back. We are no longer fooled by your ignorance and hypocrisy. We have developed an enviably rich culture over hundreds (even thousands) of years, and we aren't about to lose it to a bunch of uneducated zealots.

Pakistan's win is extremely symbolic. Because it has not only reminded us of what it was like to hold a cricket trophy 17 years ago, but also what our society was like at that time; it was peaceful and moderate - two words completely alien to you, we know. But that's what Pakistan has always been, and that's what we will strive to be.

You are merely a blip in our country's timeline. Your backward and violent ways have no place in our society. The country is united against you. Our brave Army is working to destroy you physically, and our re-ignited psyche is working to destroy you psychologically.

So as a gift on this great occasion of Pakistan's victory, please accept this united one-finger salute from Pakistanis everywhere:



With no regards to you or yours,

Pakistanis everywhere!