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Once again people started worrying that the Taliban were creeping back.
再一次，人们开始担忧塔利班已悄然潜回。
But whereas in 2008–9 there were many threats to all sorts of people, this time the threats were specific to those who spoke against militants or the high-handed behaviour of the army.
但不同于2008—2009年时风声鹤唳、人人自危的情况，这次，只有那些公然反对武装分子或军方实施高压手段的人，受到生命威胁。
'The Taliban is not an organised force like we imagine,' said my father's friend Hidayatullah when they discussed it.
“塔利班并非如我们所想，是一个有组织的势力。”当他们在谈论这件事情时，父亲的朋友希达亚图拉这么说，
'It's a mentality, and this mentality is everywhere in Pakistan.
“它是一种心态，而这种心态在巴基斯坦随处可见。
Someone who is against America, against the Pakistan establishment, against English law, he has been infected by the Taliban.'
无论这个人是反对美国、反对巴基斯坦当局，还是反对英国法治，他都已经深受塔利班的影响了。”
It was late in the evening of 3 August when my father received an alarming phone call from a Geo TV correspondent called Mehboob.
当父亲接到一通来自新闻频道的记者梅赫布打来的警告电话时，已是8月3日的深夜。
He was the nephew of my father's friend Zahid Khan, the hotel owner who had been attacked in 2009.
他是父亲的朋友扎西德·汗的侄子。扎西德·汗经营的旅馆在2009年遭受恐怖攻击。
People used to say both Zahid Khan and my father were on the Taliban radar and both would be killed; the only thing they didn't know was which would be killed first.
人们以前都说扎西德·汗与我父亲皆被标注在塔利班的雷达上，早晚会被夺走性命。他们唯一猜不到的是谁会先丧命。
Mehboob told us that his uncle had been on his way to isha prayers, the last prayers of the day, at the mosque on the street near his house when he was shot in the face.
梅赫布告诉我们，他的伯父那天在去家附近大街的清真寺参加当天最后一次祈祷——夜祷时，被人开枪击中面部。
When he heard the news my father said the earth fell away from his feet.
听到这则消息，父亲说他顿时感觉脚下空落落的。
'It was as if I had been shot,' he said. 'I was sure it was my turn next.'
“那感觉好像我才是那个中枪的人，”他说，“我很清楚，下一个就轮到我了。”
We pleaded with my father not to go to the hospital as it was very late and the people who had attacked Zahid Khan might be waiting for him.
我们哀求父亲不要去医院探望，时间太晚了，而且袭击扎西德·汗的人很可能就等在那里，等他自投罗网。
But he said not to go would be cowardly.
但父亲说他若不去的话就是一名懦夫。
He was offered an escort by some fellow political activists but he thought that it would be too late to go if he waited for them.
有几个积极参与政治活动的朋友主动表示愿意陪他前往，但他认为，如果还要等这些人的话，时间会拖得更晚，
So he called my cousin to take him. My mother began to pray.
所以他打电话请我的表哥载他过去。母亲开始祷告。
When he got to the hospital only one other member of the jirga committee was there.
当他抵达医院时，只有另一名斯瓦特和平组织的成员在那里。
Zahid Khan was bleeding so much it was as if his white beard was bathed in red. But he had been lucky.
扎西德·汗血流如注，白胡子被血浸泡得鲜红。但他还算幸运。
A man had fired at him three times from close range with a pistol, but Zahid Khan had managed to grab his hand so only the first bullet struck.
一个男人用手枪近距离朝他开了三枪，扎西德·汗想办法抓住了对方的手，因此只有第一发子弹命中他。
Strangely it went through his neck and out through his nose.
这颗子弹很奇妙地射穿他的喉咙，然后从他的鼻腔出来。
