The ‘memogate ‘drama that threatened to force out President Zardari just a few days ago, now appears to be a damp squib. All but the most delusional of the Government’s opponents still hold a hope that heads may roll as a result of this controversy. Like all the other near-misses, the PPP government has once again come right to the brink of destruction – and come away unscathed. Moreover it has come away bullish and unrepentant and assured of its own invincibility. Can we blame them? Zardari may more often be described in canine terms, but he sure has many more lives than the proverbial cat.

The astounding fact about this near-miss is not that this group of incompetent, self-serving and treacherous comedians posing as a government are wonderfully efficient at self-preservation; it is the strange reality that many commentators have now come to the conclusion that their really is no case to answer. Why? Firstly, because Mansoor Ijaz is an anti-Pakistan hawk known for spewing poison against the institutions of the state. Secondly, because he refused to appear before the Judicial Commission in person citing concerns about personal security and the security of the evidence he wishes to produce.

As for the first point, it is hardly a revelation. Mansoor Ijaz may be a danger to the ISI and GHQ as much as to the PPP and so it appears Kayani and Co have also put this consideration before the interests of truth –and Pakistan. But if Ijaz can prove his case i.e. that the President of Pakistan and its ambassador were involved in a conspiracy to allow a foreign country ‘carte blanche’ access to violate our sovereignty, it is absolutely irrelevant what we think of him and what he says about us. Secondly, Mansoor Ijaz is hardly wrong to suspect that both he and his documents/evidence may be unsafe in Pakistan. His non-appearance may indeed lead to the Commission dismissing the case due to lack of evidence. Yet it would be utterly ludicrous to conclude from this there is no evidence.

Mansoor Ijaz has placed into the public domain already such facts that clearly indicate that there is a case to answer. Moreover Hussain Haqqani would not have resigned and Zardari would not have run away with a feigned illness if they were not genuinely worried about getting caught with blood on their hands. Anyone looking at the bare bones of the case made by Ijaz will be struck by the fact that this man has no reason to go as far as he has without material evidence. It is simply the fact that Ijaz does not believe that the administration- which he seeks to indict, will, for example take his Blackberry and analyse the BBM messages and produce a fair report to the court. At every stage, the Judicial Commission will require government agencies to co-operate in order that the evidence may be presented before the court. Anyone who thinks his suspicions are unfounded should urgently seek medical advice.

It will indeed be a tragedy of Shakespearian dimensions that our treacherous government- although caught prostituting our nation for a paltry price, gets away with it due to the corruption of our institutions. I hope against hope, and pray to the Lord of all power and majesty that somehow the plans of this government to foil justice, blow up in their faces. And they are made to pay for their despicable crimes. May the Curse of Allah be upon the liars. Ameen.

Tauheen-e-Risalat

When the constitutional head of our largest province is brutally murdered by a man employed to protect him; when the murderer is greeted with flower petals by lawyers and when Islamic scholars of the intellectual and moral calibre of Allama Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (the greatest scholar Islam has produced in centuries) are forced to flee the country for fear of their lives, we should be honest enough to admit Pakistan is in serious trouble.

For too long we have ignored the rise of intolerant religious fanaticism in our midst blaming America, NGOs, Israel and India (none of whom are blameless by any means) rather the pointing the finger of blame in the direction of those warped minds amongst our own countrymen and our co-religionists who seek to ‘serve’ Islam and Pakistan by violating the former and destroying the latter. It is a no-brainer to state that excusing vigilantism and encouraging people to use weapons to punish people who they believe to be guilty of a crime will lead to a total breakdown of law and order and a return to the law of the jungle. This can only mean that Pakistan would effectively cease to exist as a functioning state. Yet more important that even the destruction (God forbid) of this God-given country is the despicable crimes against Islam which are being committed in its holy name.

The murder of Salman Taseer, supposedly committed due to love of the exalted Prophet (on whom be peace) was a blatant violation of his teachings. For instance, the Prophet (pbuh) commanded believers to obey their rulers even if they were unjust unless the openly abandoned Islam. A few days before his assassination Mr. Taseer proudly displayed the ayut-ul-kursi which he wore as a locket and declared that he was a Muslim. His poor choice of words (describing the blasphemy law as ‘a black law”) and his ill-thought out response to the Asia Bibi case was typical of a careless, tactless man most unsuited to the high public office given to him.

Yet by no stretch of the imagination can Taseer’s words be considered as abandonment of Islam or blasphemy against the final Prophet (peace of Allah be upon him). To describe a man-made law which has meant that anyone can get anyone sentenced to death on false charges without even a shred of evidence as a black law by no means implies that one considers it acceptable to blaspheme against the Prophet (peace be upon him). Indeed Mr. Taseer later clarified that he supported the blasphemy law in principle, but believed it should been amended. Can anyone with the fear of Allah in their heart honestly describe that as blasphemy, let alone open rejection of Islam? And if they cannot they should admit the murder of a Muslim ruler by someone ordered by the Prophet (pbuh) to obey him, is a major sin and an open act of disobedience to the Mercy to the Universe (peace be upon).

Moreover it is rather odd that those singing the praises of a cold-blooded murderer and portraying him as the greatest aashiq –e-rasul and Muslim of our times have forgotten that the Prophet of Allah (Peace of Allah be upon him) described the lives of fellow Muslims as being just as sacred as the holy city of Makka during his farewell sermon; that the Quran describes the murder of single innocent as the murder of all mankind (5:32 ) and declares that the murderer of a fellow Muslim will burn in hell for all eternity:

If someone kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (forever): And the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him. (4:93)

All the scholars of Islam, including the imams of the school of Fiqh are also of the view that taking the law into one’s own hands and punishing somebody for a perceived crime instead of allowing the judiciary to do so is a form of haraba or fasaad which is the greatest crime one can possibly be committed by a Muslim and that carries such grievous penalties as amputation of hands and feet and crucifixion as stipulated by the Quran (5:33). Yet the Mullahs of our country have become so distant from Islam that a man who has murdered somebody he had obligated himself to protect even at the cost of his own life (thereby violating Quran 5:1 which commands Muslims to fulfill their obligations), a ruler whom he should have obeyed and a fellow Muslim is hailed as hero and the victim of his despicable act is declared a kafir and people are stopped from participating in his funeral prayers!

Is it any wonder that on the last day the Prophet (peace be upon him) will lament that his people have deserted the Quran (25:30) It also worth stating we do not regard the appalling abuses of human rights, the sickening exploitation of women, children and the poor, the corruption, bribery and moral sickness of our countrymen as ‘tauheen’ of the Prophet (peace be upon him). If we actually looked at his life and teachings, we would.

Even more dangerous than the intellectual pygmies and bloodthirsty fasaad-mongerers who pass for scholars of Islam in Pakistan today, are those educated (and ostensibly westernized) commentators, television presenters and politicians (too many to name here) who have been seeking to justify this horrific murder in a covert by referring to the ‘provocative’ nature of the governors stand on the blasphemy issue. These fools do not understand that this attitude only serves to strengthen the hand of those who want to subvert the rule of law and impose an extremist interpretation of Islam upon the whole of the nation at gunpoint!

To justify one vigilante act of pseudo-Islamic hyper morality is to open a pandora’s box that says ‘to hell with the police, courts, law and constitution just take a gun and use it any time you think somebody does something you personally find offensive or believe to be against Islam!’ soon the suited and booted, clean shaven, non namaz praying, music enjoying, free mixing people who seek to blame Taseer for his own fate might come up against the barrel of a gun themselves and rue the day when they gave every Tom, Dick and Harry the right to murder somebody on the pretext that they had committed a sin!

Let us not also forget that the Barelvi sect holds the Deobandis to be disrespectful to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and that some Deobandis believe that Shias should be murdered because of their disrespect of the mothers of the believers and the first three caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them). The chorus of approval across a large section of Pakistani society at Taseer’s murder could soon turn to a cry of anguish across the country as every would-be mujahid uses guns and bombs to punish groups who they believe are disrespectful to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and other Islamic personalities. If we really do fear Allah let us openly and unreservedly condemn anyone who takes the law into their own hands and pledge not to encourage further bloodshed by providing rationalisation for acts that are in their very nature and essence constitute the very crime for which the Governor of Punjab was unjustly murdered- Tauheen-e-Risalat.

Nadeem Arif Najmi is a poet, a thinker, and above all a proud Pakistani.

Guest Posts Disclaimer– The views expressed in guest posts are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Other Pakistan and or Wasim Arif.

Pakistan Zindabaad

Baad qurbaniyon ka jo mila saibaan

Zindabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

 

Shaheedon ke lahoo main likhi dastaan

Zindaabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

 

Qadar vaali raat ka tohfa

rehmath e ramazaan

Zindabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

 

Islam ka qilaa, shaan e musalman

Zindabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

 

Iqbal ke khwabon ki takmeel

Quaid ka azeem ehsaan

Zindabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

 

Yeh baat teek hai mayoosi hai har suu lekin

Ghabratha nahin musibath main musalman

Zindabaad

Pakistan Zindabaad

It is all too easy to describe 2009 as an terrible year for Pakistan. A year of horrific suicide bombings on an almost daily basis, drone attacks and violations of our sovereignty, Pakistan being sold at the price of the Kerry-Lugar bill. crippling inflation, power cuts, gas shortages, tremendous deprivation and soul-rendering injustices against the poor. A year when the ruling elite enjoyed the perks of power as the country slided further down the list of would-be failed states and the poor, hungry masses begged for some solace amongst the tide of problems engulfing their lives.

Pakistan in 2009, was as far from Quaid e Azam’s dream as that cursed dictator Yazid was from Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him). Yet we should not be ungrateful, nor pessimistic; because this year also witnessed a series of miracles that bode well for the future of our beloved motherland. The Cheif Justice and his brother judges were restored as those in power were forced to eat humble pie and the people of Pakistan emerged victorious.

The restored judiciary has not let us down. It has struck down the 3rd November martial law and NRO, taken cognisance of the Bugti murder and 12th May 2007, restarted cases about missing people, provided suo moto relief to a great many poor people and held the executive to account for its failure to check sugar hoarders. This list is by no means exhaustive, and we should be honest enough to admit that despite the incredible burden placed upon them, the judges have repaid the trust of the people of Pakistan with their momentuous judgements and actions.

Swat and Waziristan were cleansed of the despicable monsters who defiled corpses and abused women whilst claiming to be implementing Islam, and the writ of the state was successfully established in territories held by power-hungry terrorists on the payroll of the Indian intelligence agencies.

The people of Gilgit-Baltistan were finally given the right to adult franchise, and repaid in part for the tremendous sacrifices for the country. The new package for Balochistan, and the NFC award signed in Gwadar signify an earnestness on the part of the present government to provide the people of this great province with the justice which successive governments have deprived them of.

In short, 2009 was a year when the federation was strengthed rather than weakened and the credit for this goes in large part to the present Zardari-Gillani administration, as well as others such as the Punjab Cheif Minister, Mian Shabaz Sharif. We pray that 2010 brings us more miracles, and less pain. Let us end with the immortal words of Pakistan’s poet and spiritual father:

Lab pe aati hai duaa ban ke tamanna meri

Zindagi shamaa ki soorat ho khudaya meri

Meri dam se is tarah ho mere watan ki zeenat

Jis Tarah phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat

Pakistan Zindabad! May Allah bless you in 2010. Ameen. Sum Ameen.

Pakistan is a country fighting a battle for its very survival thanks to the frantic efforts of its ever-hostile Eastern neighbour, the ineptitude of Uncle Sam on the Western border and its constant drone attacks on Pakistani areas, and General Zia’s legacy – a generation of fanatical Mullahs hell bent on destroying everything that the founders of Pakistan lived and died for.

Hardly a day passes when some depressing sorry about Pakistan does not dominate the national and increasingly the international headlines. From the Taliban imposing their tyranny on the peace loving people of Swat Valley, to the daily bombings and acts of wanton violence that blight Pakistan’s name throughout the world; to the trouble in Balochistan. Pakistan seems increasingly like a lost cause, a failed state on the brink of imploding.

Yet we must not lose heart. We must at this dark hour seek solace in the words of the Quaid: ‘Musalman musebat main ghabraya nahin karta!’ “A Muslim does not panic when adversity strikes”. The words of the Quaid’s beloved master (saw) as found in the Holy Quran are even more inspiring for the sorry state we find ourselves in “Fear not, Allah is with us”.

Yet we must not delude ourselves that a horde of angels will descend from a golden cloud and fight our battles for us. The Lord helps those who help themselves. We must overcome this nightmare ourselves with full faith that Allah will reward our efforts and Pakistan will emerge stronger than ever inshallah.

I have thought long and hard about how we can deal with the multiple challenges we currently face. Here follow my suggestions for dealing with these complex problems, I welcome feedback from readers so we can further develop these ideas and send some sort of draft policy plan to the movers and shakers in Islamabad in the (perhaps, slightly naive) hope that some of these ideas might be heeded to:

1. Break ranks with the USA. Announce that Pakistan will not tolerate any further drone attacks or breaches of its sovereignty. Pakistan will in the first instance expel the US ambassador, then take the issue to the United Nations and finally strike down any planes or drones that fly into our territory. If this leads to an aggressive stance from the US, withdrawal of aide, sanctions and possible military strikes then so be it. Pakistan will eventually be the target of the American war machine, no matter how obedient we are. So better to keep our self-respect and fight to save Pakistan than to lose our dignity as well as our country and nuclear assets.
2. Pakistan should ask NATO to seek a speedy exit from Afghanistan and ask the various factions within that country to come to the table to work out a joint strategy to govern that country. This will obviously include the Afghani Taliban. If NATO bows before the US, we should consider blocking Pakistan’s supply routes to NATO troops in Afghanistan.
3. The Government, opposition and all other stakeholders should come together and with the ‘US attacks’ excuse stripped from the terrorists a Pakistani anti – terrorist strategy should be worked out based on dealing with Jirgas, isolating the terrorist leaders and reconciling the elements who came to arms as a result of the policies of Musharraf. The deals signed should be unequivocal and should brook no compromise with those who want to establish their own mini-states or implement their own brand of Sharia. The deals should be purely based on a renunciation of violence, the arrest and trial of the main leaders of the terrorist groups and plans to develop and reconstruct the affected areas. If use of force is required against small groups of hardcore terrorists than Pakistan should not shrink from the task and seek to enrol the support of tribal or local lashkars in these attempts. Any military actions should be a last resort and carried out with due concern for minimising harm to civilian infrastructure and ordinary people.
4. Convince misguided Jihadis that fighting a war against the state of Pakistan is creating fasaad in the earth – not Jihad- and those guilty of taking up arms against the government that exists according to the principle of shura (mutual consultation as demonstrated during elections) is a worse crime than any other, being a rebellion against the Sharia itself. They should be nudged to include this in capital letters in the syllabuses of Madrassahs. It should made clear to the would be islamists that Islam cannot be implemented by coercion, and they should carry out tabligh to convince the majority to support sharia rule. This is the only legitimate way to create the kind of state that they would like to see. Madrassahs associated with people like Javed Ghamidi and others willing to give this message should be set up across Pakistan and especially in the areas where extremism is strong.
5. The government should stem the tide of rising extremism and talibanisation by promising to bring the laws of Pakistan into conformity with the Sharia. The way to do this already exists in the constitution. The recommendations of the Islamic ideology council should be brought to Parliament and discussed and debated, and brought into force as soon as they are agreed. The media should be made to obey a code of conduct that restricts shamelessness and immoral behaviour on television, radio and the print media. Law-enforcing agencies should announce a Jihad against prostitution, drugs, alchohol and gambling carrying out raids and punishing perpetrators across the country. No new laws or Taliban style moral police should be created for this Jihad. The present law of the Islamic republic should be implemented in full. As for the other ‘Islamic’ laws that Taliban supporters would like to see (like banning music, films and forcing women to stay at home in veils or strict penal laws) the moderate ulema would be utilised to convince them that they should try to ‘educate’ Muslims about the need for these laws so that a majority votes for parties willing to carry out these changes. If they can’t they should simply try to reform individuals and groups rather than raise arms against the state. All these points can be made with reference to the Quran, Sunnah and opinions of the Imams and ulema whom they respect.

No doubt some of these things might be easier said than done, and others might open up a Pandora’s box of new problems. Yet I am certain we will find no solution to our problems by ignoring the danger posed by the extremists and pretending that all the terrorists are CIA or RAW agents. Nor can we close our eyes to the hatred generated by our docility before the American aggression and its role in motivating poor, illiterate and impressionable young people to fight against their own country.

If we remain true to our principles of unity (seeking reconciliation with all reconcilable Pakistanis not least the tribals) faith (seeking to implement the Islamic provisions of the constititution) and discipline (imposing the writ of the state from a position of strength) we can and we will inshallah, save Pakistan and begin the process of creating that ‘Other Pakistan’ the Quaid’s Pakistan.

December 16th is a date no Pakistani should or could forget. On this dark day in 1971, Pakistan was rent asunder. A patriotic majority of our countrymen had been made into enemies, and our true enemies took advantage of that situation. But as Faraz saab said:

Ghairon se kya gila, jab apnon ke haath se
Hai doosron ki aag mere ghar lagi hui

Decades have past put the pain in the hearts of millions affected by the trauma of 1971 has still not subsided. On this day we must convert this pain and sadness into a steadfast commitment to:

1. Save Pakistan from any further disintegration, even at the cost of our lives.
2. Develop closer ties with people in East Bengal, starting with trade and lifting of visa restrictions. This could develop into military alliances and inshallah finally into some form of confederation as envisaged by the Quaid e Bengal Mehmood Ali.
3. Address the legitimate greivances of the Balochi people, the people of the tribal areas and other neglected groups and assimilate Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir into Pakistan proper.
4. Stand up to India and all aggressors and speak up for the rights of Kashmiris.

Of course there is much more, that should be done, but let us truly work towards the four targets with true dedication. If we don’t how on earth will look the Quaid in his eyes when he asks us what we did to his country?

Pakistan Zindabad!