Let me tell you who Laila is, who her pursuer is. Laila is death itself, her lover is a Kashmiri mujahid. The mujahid begs Laila to take him in her embrace. He is a broken man. His heart is shattered because of the oppression and other acts of injustice committed by the Indian Army.

He says, ‘Please accept me, Laila.’

Laila says, ‘No, kill two more Indian security men.’ Later, she says, ‘Kill four more.’

Laila is still not ready to embrace the mujahid. But he needs her.

Her lips are crimson red. No other girl has lips as inviting as Laila’s, as sweet as Laila’s.

You must have heard about King Solomon? He was a prophet of the Jews, a just and wise ruler of the Jewish people. Suleiman had a beloved bird. One day this bird had a fight with his wife. The bird scolded her, ‘Shut up or I will throw Suleiman’s throne at you!’

Suleiman’s throne required 28,000 men to join hands and lift it, but this bird thought he could fling it at his wife.

Baadshah Suleiman was passing by and heard his bird’s claim.

He called out to the bird, ‘Did you say that you would pick up my throne?’

‘No, no, my lord, how dare I do that?’

‘Then what did you say?’ Suleiman demanded.

‘My lord, I was arguing with my wife. Sometimes, I need to show my authority over her by exaggerating the extent of my otherwise negligible power, to keep her in control. Or else she will always defy me,’ the bird said.

These Indian security forces and their prime minister are just like this bird. Weak imbeciles, but exaggerating their strength.

These authorities, these representatives of India and the United States, they warn us, tell us to stop or they will kill us.

That death will visit us, the mujahideen.

But Laila will come to meet the mujahideen, this is what we hear. So tell me, is that threat supposed to scare us? It is like telling a lover that he will be shut in a room with his beloved for twelve hours as punishment.

So then is it a punishment?

Give us death, we say, with smiles on our faces.

We love death, we covet it.

Maut badi meethi hoti hai.

Maut badi pyaari hoti hai.

What is the use of this life if it cannot be sacrificed?

There is no point in living this life. I choose death. Do you? Do you want to meet Laila? Do you want to savour her lips?

(A chorus of male voices erupted) Yes! We will meet Laila; we want to savour her lips!

(The raspy voice continued) You will meet her? You won’t run away? Will you disappoint Nawaz?

(The male voices rang out again) ‘Never, janab Nawaz, never!

Jiye Pakistan! Jiye Pakistan!

The tape stopped and silence descended on Merlin hall.