PKKH Exclusvie |  by Talha Ibraheem

The ongoing army operation in Tirah valley has intensified. Pakistan Army is advancing in Jarobi sector, after clearing of Tut Sar and Mada Khel area from the militants.  According to official reports, 15 miscreants have been killed since yesterday. Until the filing of this report, one soldier has also been martyred.

It has come to our notice that Umar Narray, the lieutenant of slain Tariq Afridi of Darra is collaborating with Mangal Bagh to create problems for the security forces. As the US drawdown is approaching, Darra group and Lashkar Islam planned to strengthen their hold in Khyber Agency so that Nato logistics can easily be blocked. The security apparatus was well aware of the developments, and chalked out a comprehensive strategy to counter the militancy threat. In the first phase of its implementation, the miscreants authority were challenged by local Aman Lashkars (AI, TI etc) and their exit route from Khyber to Orakzai agency was blocked.

In the ensuing response the militants aggressed on the local tribes and forcefully evicted them. According to humanitarian watch groups, around 43000 people have been displaced from Khyber Agency since March.

During this time the operational measures were scrutinized. Subsequently all the exit point, except for Kurram-Tirah route were successfully sealed. Eventually Operation Rah-e-Shahadat was initiatedlast Friday with the mobilization of ground forces.

Some independent sources have also claimed that Abdul Wali nom de guerre Omar Khalid, the Tehreek Taliban commander of Mohmand agency is leading all the anti state forces in this Tirah conflict.

Pakistan Army’s ongoing operation against TTP insurgency in Tirah valley smashes the perpetual propaganda that the army is aiding terrorists. The rising number of casualties on both sides indicates that the army is facing stiff resistance from the battle hardened militants.

Omer Khalid – TTP Commander of Mohmand Agency

Talha Ebraheem is a research associate at PKKH. He can be reached at ahlatibr@hotmail.com

Related articles

• Report: Day 4 of Tirah Operation
• Report : Report on Tirah Valley Ongoing Operation

PKKH Exclusive|By Shakeel Maqbool

“zan zar aur zameen (women, wealth and land) are the roots of all the conflicts on earth”, said the venerable old man who was giving a speech to an attentive audience. It has been years since I heard him say that, but his words are making a lot more sense now that I am writing a piece on wars.

Mahabharat is perhaps the earliest elaborate account of a war and it was a war fought to reclaim a lost kingdom, i.e., the land and wealth from the Troika that the old man referred to. Ramayana is again an account of war of the earliest times fought for liberating Sita from Ravana. Here too you see a woman, and the old man’s words seem vindicated. The Greek poet Homer has two great poems to his credit, one of which is the Iliad; the story of the Trojan War fought at the gates of the city of Troy. It was again a war into which the belligerents had plunged themselves ostensibly over the wife of the Spartan King. Pundits can point out other reasons for the war but they will still be a subset of the old man’s Troika. The other two roots, i.e., wealth and land, are too obvious to merit elaborate examples. In fact in modern times, they remain the main reasons underlying all contemporary war. Having read that, you may feel that the old man missed out on some other possible reasons, well! maybe, but his are the main reasons, without a shade of doubt .

Khalid Bin Waleed RadhiAllahu anhu has been one of the greatest generals of all time. He led the ragtag Muslim armies against the mighty Roman and Persian empires simultaneously in the 7th century. At the time, these empires were the mightiest in the world. The Muslim armies were no match for them in terms of numbers or tools of war. What they were bestowed with, though, was an unflinching conviction in them of being on the righteous side. They were soldiers who saw victory in both, falling and fighting on the battlefield as well as in the vanquishing of the adversary’s military. Theirs was a war that did not fit into the causes enunciated by the wise old man, mentioned in the start of the article.

To this day, the simultaneous defeat of the two superpowers of the world at that time by a few zealous Muslim regiments remains an unparalleled feat in the annals of history. An incident in the campaign against the Persian armies is particularly instructive. When a Persian intermediary came for a round of talks to the camp of the Muslim army, he studied the mindset of the leaders and soldiers attentively. To his profound astonishment, he found that they desired neither ‘zan’ nor ‘zameen’ nor ‘zar’. Their lifestyle was unbelievably simple. Nights were spent standing in prayers and days fighting on the horseback. Their leaders were no different from the common soldiers. Everyone was being treated equal in word and in deed. They desired neither opulence nor the lands or wealth of the Persians. Their conditions in the talks were simple and straightforward. You people either accept the truth of Islam and relish your lives in its glory, that is, become Muslims wherein even your slaves will suddenly become equivalent to the generals of the Muslim army; or you accept to come under the suzerainty of the Islamic Caliphate, in which case you will retain your religion and its practices under the shade of Islamic Justice. That is to say that the system of governance will be Islamic while you will continue to practice your religion. The last option was of course the battlefield.

He asked the Muslim negotiator, “Why have you come here? I see you neither desire land nor wealth, then why do you fight us?” After all, that has been the common trend in the human history. People fight for riches, for wealth, and at times for women. The answer was terse but historical. “We have come here to liberate people from the slavery of people and give them into the slavery of their Creator. We have come here to liberate people from the tyranny of religions and to give them into the justice of Islam.” Such was the beauty of that war and of its fighters! The Muslims had seen the bounties and the justice of Islam and felt their duty towards the teeming millions living in darkness of belief and oppression of kingship in their neighborhood. Those wars were a far cry from the wars that have plagued human kind throughout the history. Wars fought for the Troika of wealth, land and women, which continue to be waged to this day in many parts of the world. Let me end with a quote from Iqbal ar

nikal k sehra se jis ne Rooma ki saltanat ko palat diya tha
suna hay yeh qudsiyon se mayn ne wo sher phir hoshiyaar ho ga

Shakel Shaheen is Computer Engineer from Kashmir who loves writing on issues confronting Kashmir and Ummah at large. He blog at kashirthoughts.blogspot.com

PKKH Exclusive |BY Aneela shahzad

This is in response to Ijaz Haider’s ‘Article Ansar Abbasi of the Constitution’ in eTribune, to sympathize with his bewilderment in his attempt to fabricate ideology with a set of trimmed facts; since he has, being a liberal, liberated himself of the wholeness.

Though Ijaz has been true enough to himself by declaring the poverty in his argument; it is clear that he, like all seculars and liberals, due to their belief in relativity of morals, cannot base their thought upon defined premises and have to depend upon circular arguments, more akin to vicious point-scoring than actual logic.

The writer’s allegations such as ‘who is (or is not) a good Muslim is, and has been, a matter of bloody dispute throughout the history of Islam’, and that Ansar Abbasi’s ‘consider(ing) sectarianism to be against the practice of Islam’ is ‘ahistorical’ are obviously based on an ‘alogical’ and ‘ahistorical’ way of thinking itself. But let me start from his saying that ‘the State shall “promote unity and the observance of the Islamic moral standards.” What does that mean?’

If one is familiar with the arguments presented for secular/liberal thinking, one would know that these people base their philosophy upon the fact that religion has historically been a cause of bloodshed and vile practices, thereby championing themselves as the upholders of ‘the real morals’ and ‘straight-forward thinking’; but the dilemma in this position is that in forsaking any set standard for morals, they fall in the pitfall of not being able to declare any vice a vice, if/when it can make a man happy. That is precisely the reason why the mere name of ‘Islam’ sends the shivers down the spines of these liberals, because the dichotomy they live in is that they don’t have the guts to denounce Islam as their faith due to the monetary benefits of citizenship; but again this fits their morals rightly, as to them it is completely moral to lie or cheat if it makes them happy!!

So Iyaz would not specify, what is wrong with Islamic morals, instead he would beat around the bush, asking why the constitution vows to ‘promote unity and the observance of the Islamic moral standards’ and not the unity in ‘Islamic rituals’, when on the other hand he will be seen propagating freedom for diverse religions and cultures. Is it hard for him to understand that ‘Morals’ are ‘historically’ sustainable, whereas rituals, which have a physical component, are bound to change with the movement of humanity through time and distance? Similarly, it is easy for anyone to understand the vice in sectarianism, which has certainly proven to be a cause of bloodshed and divide in history; for Ijaz to say that sectarianism is the very essence of religion is like putting your head in the sand. Islam prohibits sectarianism, but because each sectarian group has some legitimate ground, we bound with them peacefully in Islamic tolerance, until any sect is proven to be absolutely based on falsehood.

I know it is not worth trying to show light to the liberals, but we have to do this to save the good people from confusion! Now one would say ‘who are the good people?’, are those the good people who would say that being ‘gay’ is good and being married is good and being in a relation without marriage is good, whatever suits you; or who say putting on clothes is good, being nude is good, or in-between, whichever way you feel like; and they would also say, worshiping a God is good and worshiping an idol is good and worshiping the evolutionary force of nature is good, whoever you’re inclined to. OR would you say that a person, who marries, raises a family, earns an honest living, does no corruption, believes in one God, and can love charitably for His love only, is a ‘good’ person.

All Muslims say the prayers, it is an obligatory education and discipline; if it is legitimate to ask for a bonafide degree of Graduation, which takes like 24 years to accomplish, then asking for the elements of obligatory prayer, that one learns in the childhood, is more than legitimate, that too in a constitution based on preservation and propagation of the Islamic way of life.

The simple truth is that the constitution of Pakistan is fully based on Islamic values and principles; however incomplete the document may be, it only has provision for more Islam, not less. Wherever it mentions democracy and equal rights for minorities, it does so in accordance with the Islamic guide-line, not in oblivion to it. Starting from the preamble and deep into all its articles, there is nothing to negate Islam but only to defend it.

The article 31 which says ‘to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language…’, which is clear enough in stating that the Arabic ‘language’ should be ‘learnt’, is wrongly being interpreted by Ijaz as ‘not as an exercise in language acquisition but for reasons of religious practice’, when nothing like such was stated.

The problem the liberals would face with Art. 62 is obvious, it asks for “good character; to be not commonly known as one who violates Islamic Injunctions; to have adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings and practices obligatory duties prescribed by Islam as well as abstains from major sins; to be sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, honest and amen; to be not, after the establishment of Pakistan, worked against the integrity of the country or opposed the ideology of Pakistan”.

Now ‘good’ is a basic word never to be defined in liberal/secular diction, wherein all good is relative, a bunch of variables; how for them can there be any physical pointers to be detected as ‘good’; There will be a different definitions of ‘good’ in every observer’s mind they would say. Can we not decode the diction they are using: ‘relativity’? Is it difficult for one to know that one disqualifies here only when/if s/he commits indecency, is a liar, commits major sins that are abhorable in the eyes of the general public, is a corruptor or a traitor? Or should we let such people rule over us? Is that the fruit of democracy; that we blindfold ourselves once again and let the worst among us be nominated?

The truth is that democracy, in its basics, was introduced to humanity, by Islam; when the people from all across Arabia were called in for a ‘yes-vote’ at the hands of the nominated caliph. But to use democracy as a tool to manipulate the masses and exhaust them with tyrant, corrupt practices, is not a democracy Islam would stand. Those who want democracy and no morals are like those who would want a well, but never draw water from it or quench thirst with that water. Those who say the morals have nothing to do with faith, i.e., Islam, are refuting the fact that conceding in one Allah is the source of the highest subjectivity, which in turn gives us altruism in the purest possible form.

Islam is secular in terms of equality of rights and liberal in terms of freedom in exploring all new arenas of life as long as they do not fall in the perimeters of immodesty and sin. The so-called liberals and seculars ask us to forsake ancient text and discover the morals that are recognized by the heart and mind; they ask us to be logical and scientific. But due to their paucity in religious texts, they pose to be a danger to the society, as they go on promoting their porous, alogical ideology.

Ijaz is perhaps unaware of the Quran’s repeatedly asking us to stay away from ‘strange things’ (munkar) and to promote the ‘familiar things’ (maroof), calling upon man to understand his nature, and that the ‘good’ defined in the Quran and Sunnah are fully akin to human nature and are scientifically explorable.

Therefore the articles 31, 62 and 63 do not stand in the way of any logic of the common sense, but they do ask us to explore moral conduct; which certainly has a subjective element to it, and which can easily be recognized in the general flux of human nature, only if one was not after negating the existence of any inherent ‘goodness’ in human nature at all.

Instead of creating an air of confusion and apprehensions around these articles, saner members of the society should only insist on devising a better and error-free methodology for scrutinizing the ‘good’ against the ‘vice’; because we want ‘good people’ to govern over us and because all human-rights, written in grand manifestos of the UN and other world organizations, plea for the upholding of subjective values like dignity, freedom, justice, reason and conscience, etc., all of which cannot be interpreted by physical scales of measurement, but only by a scale inherently erected in human nature and understanding. Perhaps Ijaz and his lot would be befuddled with all these terms too, once ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’ could be thrown out of the constitution.

Aneela Shahzad is an editor at PKKH.tv and can be contacted via info@pakistankakhudahafiz.com,  she blogs at  Aneela Shahzad’s Blog and tweets @AneelaShahzad

PKKH Exclusive|By Mahwish Qureshi

We have experienced countless debates and arguments about the occupied land of Kashmir. The occupier has tried its best to deploy the worst possible tools of repression. In order to muzzle the voices and the cries for the right to be free, they have done everything possible to make the people of Kashmir voiceless.

Time has proved that mighty India is afraid of the voices of caged Kashmiris. Everything is done to erase any voice that rises against their occupation. Black laws, like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), have been used by the brave Indian soldiers as a shield, protecting them from any legality once they indulge in human rights’ violations.

India has used criminal tactics as tools for repression to create fear among the occupied population craving for freedom. Rape, arson, custodial murder, arrests without warrants and shoot-to-kill-under-suspicion are a few examples of criminal tactics used by India on hapless Kashmiris.  These crimes are executed by Indian soldiers, who are legally immune and cannot be tried in any court of law.

Till date, not even a single case of these HR violations has been taken notice of, or justice delivered. On the contrary, the soldiers and army generals who committed these heinous crimes were rewarded by the hypocrite democracy.

Humans dream to be free. Each Kashmiri has seen this dream since the passing decades. They have every right to this Freedom they aspire. For every voice muzzled, hundreds bud up and speak out. India is handed over a defeat each time they kill an innocent.

The world’s largest democracy has always shamelessly slipped away and refused to acknowledge the war crimes executed by their state in occupied Kashmir.  They, as a state, have always tried to cover up on their deeds, but we have seen how martyrs resting in countless mass graves spoke up as testimonies. Thousands of innocent boys were snatched by Indian forces from their families years back, leaving no trail of their whereabouts; their invisible existence creates the presence of revolt.

Voices have been raised from the Indian side to revoke these dark laws, but they only aim at bringing back so-called ‘normalcy’. In other words, these voices are meant to dilute the core issue. Most see this as an attempt to divert the attention of the world from the main problem. The root cause of the human rights violation is not just the inhuman laws implemented by India but the occupation in itself. Once Kashmiris are heard, their respect and dignity is restored, and occupation is put to an end, peace will return.

Wails of the mothers and sisters of this beautiful land, travel far across the region, piercing even the stone-hearted. They need to be heard. There is only one message that comes out from the oppressed land of Kashmir: AFSPA or No AFSPA, Kashmir is more concerned and focused to kick out the occupier.

Mahwish Qureshi is a Peace & Political Activist with a strong belief of Socio- constructivism through the mirror of Islamic System. She is currently working in the field of Training & development and can be reached atmissterriouss@gmail.com . She tweets@Ms_Terrious

PKKH Exculsive

Report by Talha Ibraheem and translated by Gareebah

فوج گزشتہ چار دنوں سے تحریک طالبان پاکستان اور لشکر اسلام کے خلاف ایک سخت معرکہ میں مصروف ہے۔ پی کے کے ایچ اس بہت کم شائع ہونے والی خبر کا باریک بینی سے جائزہ لے رہا ہے، اور ہم حالیہ واقعات کی غیر جانبدارانہ تصویر پیش کرنے کا ارادہ رکھتے ہیں۔
پاکستانی فوج کی طرف سے بھر پور فضائی امداد کے لگاتار مطالبے ہو رہے ہیں، جبکہ جنگی طیارے لشکر اسلام اور تحریک طالبان پاکستان کے خفیہ ٹھکانوں پر لگاتار چوتھے دن بمباری کر رہے تھے۔ اتوارکو دیر شام تک شدید جانی نقصان کے بعد دفاعی افواج نے وادئ خیبر کی توت سر چوٹیوں پر قبضہ کر لیا۔ ابھرتی ہوئی خبروں سے ملنے والے اشاروں کے مطابق اکّا خیل کا علاقہ لشکر اسلام کے عسکریت پسندوں سے محفوظ کر لیا گیا ہے۔
آئی اس پی آر کے ذریعہ شائع کردہ سرکاری اعداد وشمار کے مطابق چوتھے دن تک جاں بحق ہونے والے افراد کی تعداد ۲۳ تھی جس میں پاکستان کے الیٹ سپیشل سروسز گروپ – تھرڈ پنجاب بٹالین کے کمانڈو بھی شامل ہیں۔ فوجی ترجمان کے مطابق اس وقت تک ۱۱۰ سے زائد عسکریت پسند بھی مارے گئے تھے اور ان کے اکثر خفیہ ٹھکانے تباہ کئے جا چکے تھے۔
فوجی ذرائع کے مطابق پاکستانی افواج شدید حملے کے بعد بالآخر خیبر ایجنسی کی کلیدی چوٹیوں پر قبضہ کرنے میں کامیاب ہو گئی ہیں۔ ان ذرائع کے مطابق “سپاہی اب ذیلی علاقوں کی سمت حرکت کریں گے اور شر پسندوں کو ان کے پہاڑی اڈوں اور خفیہ ٹھکانوں سے باہر نکالیں گے۔”
خیبر اور اورکزئی ایجنسیوں پر محیط وادئ تیراہ پاکستانی سرحدوں کی شمال مغربی سمت میں واقع ہے۔ اس کے سٹریٹجک محل وقوع کے باعث تحریک طالبان پاکستان نے ناٹو کی رسد کی فراہمی کے کلیدی راستوں اور پیشاور کے مضافات پر اپنی عملداری قائم کرنے کے لئے وادئ تیراہ میں اپنے ٹھکانے بنانے کا فیصلہ کیا۔ دفاعی افواج اس صورت حال کی نگرانی کرتی رہی رتھیں، اور تحریک طالبان پاکستان کے مقامی عوام کے خلاف اعلان جنگ اور اس کے نتیجے میں ۳۴ ہزار باشندوں کی جبری بے دخلی کے بعد دخل اندازی کا فیصلہ کیا۔
حالیہ عسکری کارروائی چند بنیادی حقائق کی طرف اشارہ کرتی ہے۔ یہ بعض شعبوں کے اس مسلسل پروپیگنڈے کو غلط ثابت کرتی ہے کہ افواج پاکستان برسوں سے تحریک طالبان پاکستان کو فروغ دیتی رہی ہیں اور دہشت گردوں کو اپنے آلہء کار کے طور پر استعمال کرتی رہی ہیں۔ یہ “۲۰۱۴ کے بھوت” پر مہر لگاتی ہے جس کے بموجب امریکی اور ناٹو افواج کا افغانستان سے انخلاء ان کے تمام اتحادیوں اور ایجنٹوں کے لئے افراتفری اور انتشار بھرے منظر نامے کا باعث ہوگا، خواہ وہ ریاستیں ہوں یا ان کے مفاد کے لئے کام کرنے والے غیر ریاستی عناصر ہوں۔
وادئ تیراہ میں حالیہ عسکری کارروائیوں نے شدت اختیار کر لی ہے۔ توت سر اور مدّا خیل کے علاقوں کو عسکریت پسندوں سے خالی کرنے کے بعد پاکستانی افواج اب جاروبی کے علاقے میں پیش قدمی کر رہی ہیں، سرکاری رپورٹوں کے مطابق تیسرے اور چوتھے دن کے درمیان ۱۵ شر پسند مارے جا چکے تھے اور ایک سپاہی بھی شہید ہو چکا تھا۔
ہمیں خبر موصول ہوئی ہے کہ درّہ کے مقتول طارق آفریدی کے لیفٹینینٹ عمر نارے، منگل باغ کے ساتھ اشتراک کر کے دفاعی افواج کے لئے مشکلات کھڑی کرنے کی کوشش کر رہے ہیں۔ امریکی انخلاء کا وقت قریب آنے کے ساتھ درہ جماعت اور لشکر اسلام نے خیبر ایجنسی پر اپنی گرفت مضبوط کرنے کی منصوبہ بندی کی تاکہ ناٹو کی رسد کے راستوں کو آسانی سے بند کر سکیں۔ دفاعی ذرائع کو اس پیش رفت کا بخوبی علم تھا، جس کی بنیاد پر عسکریت پسندوں کے خطرے کا مقابلہ کرنے کے لئے ایک جامع حکمت عملی تیار کی گئی۔ اس کے نفاذ کے پہلے مرحلے میں مقامی امن لشکروں (اے آئی، ٹی آئی وغیرہ) نے شر پسندوں کی طاقت کو چیلنج کیا اور خیبر سے اورکزئی ایجنسی کی طرف جانے والے ان کے راستے کو بند کر دیا گیا۔
جوابی رد عمل کے طور پر عسکریت پسندوں نے مقامی قبائل پر حملہ کر کے انہیں جبرا علاقہ سے بے دخل کر دیا۔ حقوق انسانی تنظیموں کے مطابق، مارچ سے اب تک تقریبا ۳۴ ہزار لوگ خیبر ایجنسی سے بے دخل کئے جا چکے ہیں۔
اس دوران مختلف عملی اقدامات پر غور وفکر کی گئی۔ بعد ازاں کرم-تیراہ راستے کے علاوہ انخلاء کے تمام راستوں کی کامیابی کے ساتھ ناکہ بندی کر دی گئی۔ بالآخر جمعہ کو زمینی افواج کے حرکت میں آنے کے ساتھ ‘راہ شہادت’ نامی جنگی کارروائی کا آغاز ہوا۔
بعض آزاد ذرائع کا دعوی ہے کہ تحریک طالبان پاکستان مہمند ایجنسی کے سربراہ عبد الولی عرف عمر خالد، تیراہ تنازعہ میں تمام حکومت مخالف افراد کی قیادت کر رہے ہیں۔
پاکستانی افواج کی وادئ تیراہ میں تحریک طالبان پاکستان کی شورش انگیزی کے خلاف حالیہ جنگی کارروائی اس مسلسل پروپیگنڈے کو غلط ثابت کرتی ہے کہ فوج دہشت گردوں کی مدد کرتی ہے۔ دونوں جانب ہونے والے جانی نقصان میں اضافہ اس بات پر دلالت کرتا ہے کہ فوج کو سخت جان اور جنگجو عسکریت پسندوں کی طرف سے سخت مزاحمت کا سامنا ہے۔

تحریک طالبان پاکستان مہمند ایجنسی کے سربراہ عمر خالد

PKKH Exclusive

News compilation|By Talha Ibraheem

As if the Newtown Tragedy wasn’t enough, two bombs ripped through the marathon that was held in memory of the lives lost at the Sandy Hook shooting incident. The bombs exploded at the Marathon held at Boston’s Copley Square near the finish line.

3 people were reported dead, including an 8 year old boy. Chaos ensued as off duty officers were also called in to handle this emergency situation. In response, House Speaker John A. Boehner issued the following statement: “Words cannot begin to express our sorrow for the families who are grieving so suddenly right now. The House of Representatives offers its prayers to the victims and the city of Boston. We also give thanks for the professionals and Good Samaritans who prevented further  loss of life. This is a terrible day for all Americans, but we will carry on in the American spirit, and come together with grace and strength.”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the bombing at the Boston Marathon as “senseless violence”.
Speaking at a ceremony at UN Headquarters commemorating the 19th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide Monday, Ban said the bombing “is all the more appalling for taking place at an event renowned for bringing people together from around the world in a spirit of sportsmanship and harmony”, reported Xinhua.

Cellphone Service was temporarily blocked “to prevent any potential remote detonations of explosives” in the area, as rescue teams came in.
Sprint spokeswoman Crystal Davis said:
“Minus some mild call blocking on our Boston network due to increased traffic, our service is operating normally.”
At the Press Conference, President Obama said, “We do not know who did this. Or why. Please make no mistake. We will get to the bottom of this. We will find out who did this and why they did this. Any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.”

Another blast was reported within a few minutes, at the JFK Library. However, the Boston Police Department’s public information bureau chief, Cheryl Fiandaca, reported that the incident at the J.F.K. Library appears to be related to a fire, not an explosion.

The incident was immediately condemned by Muslims across twitter, facebook and other social networks. A sense of fear grips the Muslims, particularly within the United States, who are afraid that this tragedy might have similar repercussions to the 9/11 happening.

Let us pray for the lives lost, and hope that whoever is responsible, is brought to justice. And this incident does not give rise to the Islamophobic attitude that has already turned the lives of Muslims into a living hell.
As a Libyan Twitter user named Hend Amry  wrote, “Please don’t be a ‘Muslim.’” Her message was retweeted by more than 100 other users, including well-known journalists and writers from the Muslim world.

Authorities initially declined to label the incident an act of terrorism; when asked by a reporter immediately after the explosions whether he would classify the incident as a terrorist attack, Boston Police Chief Ed Davis said, “You can reach your own conclusions.” But CNN is now reporting that federal officials have classified the bombings as a terrorist attack and have moved on to investigating whether its origins were foreign or domestic.

According to the University of Maryland’s Global Terrorism Database, 16 acts of terrorism — two of which resulted in injuries, another two of which resulted in fatalities — have occurred in Boston since 1970, and no acts of terrorism have occurred in the city since 1995.

Alex Jones’s faux-news site, Info Wars, has already posted a story about how the blasts coincided with an FBI training exercise — one that actually includes this paragraph:

Keep in mind I am in no way blaming the FBI for this. Most men and women who work with the FBI are upstanding citizens who would be appalled at such acts. But it is theoretically possible that one of the FBI’s many “terror plots” went too far and turned into a live bomb instead of a dud followed by an arrest for “domestic terrorism.”…

Be wary of who ultimately gets blamed for this, especially if it’s a veteran or patriot.

So, little is known yet about what’s behind the explosions on Monday at the Boston Marathon , and any conclusion, including terrorism, would be premature. But ‘fear’ has been an early reflex not just in the United States but half a world away in the Middle East. There, a number of observers are expressing sympathy – recall that pro-American solidarity rallies were held throughout the region after Sept. 11, 2001 – and, at times, a sense of dread.

Talha Ebraheem is a research associate at PKKH. He can be reached atahlatibr@hotmail.com

PKKH Exclusive|By Talha Ibraheem and A.A.Siddique

Yesterday a powerful earth quake centered in Iranian town Sarawan, jolted South Asia and Middle East. Recorded 7.8 Richter scale by the United States Geological Survey, the quake generated 50 miles below the earth surface.

Our correspondents in the Mashkeel area of Pakistan side Balochistan claims that at least 34 people have died and more than 80 are injured.

Initial estimates presented a much gruesome picture, with independent rescue workers reiterating that 74000 people have been directly or indirectly affected, and are without homes and lacking basic necessities. Iranian authorities are reporting that around dozen were injured, and no dead cases have come into their notice.

Till late Tuesday evening, JUD rescue team reached the crisis area, along with Army doctors and FC paramilitary forces that have set their camps and are involved in rescue operations.

Twitter was abuzz with the rescue operations of Pakistan Army and Jamat-ud-Dawa.

Confusions & Complications in Relief efforts.

Generated 26 miles away from the Pakistan border, the epicenter of the quake was 51 miles beneath the surface in Sistaan. The brunt of the tremors was felt as far as New Delhi, Jeddah and Dubai.

Rugged mountainous terrain has made the rescue operations difficult in both the countries. According to Shahid, the rescue team co-coordinator of JUD, the casualty figures are expected to rise. “Complete picture would emerge in a day or two”, he said; citing harsh terrain as the reason.

The Iranian officials backtracked on the initial version of 40 dead, made by Iran’s official Fars news agency. Sistaan Governor Hatam Narouie told the news outlet to rely on Crisis office report instead of relying on independent facts.  “No one was killed”, reiterated Reza Arbabi, the crisis office director.

This self assured response of Iranian official came in the wake of international response on nuclear safety measures.  On April 9, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake had struck in Bushehr nuclear power station, killing around 40 people and injuring more than 800.

Iranian expert Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group stated, “…the recent tremors are ominous reminders of how earthquake prone Iran’s terrain truly is and how critical it is for the Iranian government to be prepared for a nuclear emergency.”

Responses from Government of Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives and destruction. He also offered assistance to the Iranian government.

“People of Pakistan are standing shoulder to shoulder with their Iranian brothers in this hour of trial,” President Zardari said.

Aftershocks

According to a local journalist monitoring the rescue operation, the earthquake after shocks of 6.0 Richter scale magnitude were also felt in the area on Wednesday morning.

Talha Ebraheem is a research associate at PKKH. He can be reached atahlatibr@hotmail.com

Dr. Aaminah Siddique, pharmacist/ freelance writer; interests: religion/human psychology; blogs at The Dead Poets Sanctuary

PKKH Exclusive | By Agha Umer

Background:

On 16th of April 2013, at 15:44 pm a Powerful Earthquake hit Pakistan, mostly in the areas of Balochistan Province .i.e. Quetta, Pishin Chaman, Harnai, Ziarat, Sibi, Bolan, Jaffarabad Noshki, Mastung, Kharan, Panjgur, Gwadar and Washuk District (Tehsil Mashakhel).
The geological survey measured the Earthquake at magnitude of 7.9 and the Point was 175 km depth near Pak Iran Border.

Location of Earthquake

Affected Area’s/District:

The following areas of Balochistan Province were badly affected;
District: Washuk
Tehsil: Mashakhel
Total Population: 80000
Villages/Areas: Kalnag, Requvo, Sothgan, Latgushth, Mashakhel City and Bazaar area
70 to 90 percent area is affected and hundreds of mud Houses are partially or totally collapsed.
According to sources (unconfirmed) many human bodies are still lying under the collapsed houses.
The area comprises of hills and valleys with a desert environment, which is much difficult for emergency services due to minimal telecommunication and Infrastructure.

Death and Injuries

All of the dead and injured so far were in the District Washuk town of Mashakhel, according to PRCS District Kharan Branch Secretary. Deaths of 15 people are confirmed and 150 to 200 have been injured in Mashakhel area according to reliable sources and through Tribal elders. There is one (01) RHC in Mashakhel but due to unavailability of Doctor’s and Medical resources it is not able to provide the services.

The details of deceased are as under;
Men 02
Women 04
Children 09 (between age of 07 to 12)

Collected Information From Different Sources

BBC: “…. and (According to local reporters(Correspondent) only 15 dead and 100 to 150 Injured and around 1000 houses were collapsed completely.”
NDMA: “Chairman National Disaster Management Authority mentioned in a Press Conference that 09 peoples dead and more than 20 are still lying under the damaged houses.”
Pak Army: “34 dead and 300 Injured and hundreds of houses collapsed.”
Home Secretary Balochistan: “09 Dead and 19 Injured and 200 Houses damaged.”

Response by Government and Organizations

Pak Army sent their rescue teams along with 09 tons of food and medicine along with tents, the Frontier Corps (FC) 62 Wing of Kharan Riffles platoon were also been deployed in area for rescue work.
Peoples Primary Health Care Initiatives (PPHI) sent Medical Teams along with medicine’s to the affected areas through Washuk side.
PDMA sent Medical items and Food and Non- Food Items.

Needs

Thing that are required in the earnest, for the survival of the victims
1-Drinking Water
2- Food
3- Shelter and Tents.

Aga Umer is the director of EDO, an NGO active in the area of Mashakhel, Baluchistan.

PKKH Exclusive|By Talha Ibraheem and A.A.Siddique

کل ایرانی شہر سراوان سے شروع ہونے والے ایک زبردست زلزلہ کے جھٹکے جنوب ایشیا اور مشرق وسطی تک پہنچے۔ شعبہء ارضیاتی تحقیقات برائے ولایات ہائے متحدہ امریکہ کی جانب سے ریکٹر سکیل پر 7،8 درج ہونے والا یہ زلزلہ سطح زمین سے 50 میل نیچے شروع ہوا تھا۔

پاکستانی بلوچستان کے مشاخیل علاقہ میں ہمارے نامہ نگاروں کے مطابق کم از کم 34 لوگ مارے گئے ہیں اور 80 سے زائد زخمی ہیں۔

ابتدائی اندازوں نے بہت ہی ہولناک تصویر پیش کی تھی، جب آزاد امدادی کارکنوں نے 74 ہزار افراد کے براہ راست یا بالواسطہ طور پر متاثر ہونے اور بے گھر اور بنیادی ضرورتوں کو محتاج ہو جانے کی باتیں کی تھیں۔ سرکاری ایرانی ذرائع نے اطلاعات دی تھیں کہ تقریبا درجنوں افراد زخمی ہو گئے تھے، لیکن  ان کے علم میں کسی جانی نقصان کی خبر نہیں آئی تھی۔

منگل کی شام تک جماعت الدعوۃ کی امدادی ٹیم فوجی ڈاکٹروں اور سرحدی نیم فوجی دستوں کے ساتھ بحران زدہ علاقہ تک پہنچ کر اپنے امدادی خیمے نصب کر کے امدادی کارروائیوں کا آغاز کر چکی تھی۔

ٹویٹر پر افواج پاکستان اور جماعت الدعوہ کی امدادی کارروائیوں کا خوب چرچا رہا

پاکستانی سرحدوں سے 26 میل کے فاصلے پر پیدا ہونے والے زلزلہ کا مرکز سیستان میں 51 میل زیر زمین تھا۔ جھٹکوں کے اثرات نئی دہلی، جدہ اور دبئی تک بھی محسوس کئے گئے تھے۔

ناہموار پہاڑی خطوں نے دونوں ممالک میں امدادی کارروائیوں کو مشکل بنا دیا ہے۔ جماعت الدعوہ کی امدادی ٹیم کے نائب رابطہ کار شاہد کے مطابق جانی نقصان میں اضافہ کی توقع ہے۔ مشکل ناہموار راستوں کا حوالہ دیتے ہوئے انہوں نے کہا کہ “مکمل تصویر ایک یا دو دن تک ابھر کر سامنے آئے گی۔”

ایرانی سرکاری عہدیداروں نے ایران کی سرکاری خبر رساں ایجنسی ‘فارس’ کے ذریعہ نشر کی گئی 40 ہلاکتوں کی ابتدائی خبروں کی تردید کی۔ سیستان کے گورنر حاتم ناروی نے خبر رساں ذرائع سے آزادانہ طور پر نشر کی گئی خبروں کے بجائے دفتر برائے بحرانی امور کی رپورٹ پر انحصار کرنے کو کہا۔ دفتر برائے بحرانی امور کے ڈائرکٹر رضا اربابی نے ان خبروں کی تردید کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ “کوئی بھی ہلاک نہیں ہوا۔”

ایرانی عہدیداران کا خود کو یقین دہانی کروانے والا یہ رد عمل جوہری حفاظتی اقدامات پر بین الاقوامی رد عمل کے جواب میں سامنے آیا۔ 9 اپریل کو بوشہر جوہری توانائی کے مرکز میں آنے والے 6،3 ڈگری کی شدت والے زلزلہ نے تقریبا 40 افراد کو ہلاک اور 8 سو سے زائد کو زخمی کر دیا تھا۔

بین الاقوامی شعبہ برائے بحرانی امور کے ایرانی ماہر علی واعظ نے بیان دیا کہ، “۔۔۔ حالیہ جھٹکے ایک خوفناک یاد دہانی کرواتے ہوئے اس بات کی طرف اشارہ کرتے ہیں کہ ایرانی خطے حقیقتا کس قدر زلزلوں کا شکار ہیں اور ایرانی حکومت کے لئے کسی جوہری ہنگامی صورت حال کے لئے تیار رہنا کس قدر اہم اور ضروری ہے۔”

پاکستانی حکومت کا رد عمل

صدر آصف علی زرداری نے قیمتی جانوں کے ضائع ہونے اور تباہی پھیلنے پر گہرے صدمہ کا اظہار کیا۔ انہوں نے ایرانی حکومت کو امداد کی بھی پیش کش کی۔

صرد زرداری نے کہا کہ “پاکستانی عوام آزمائش کے اس وقت میں اپنے ایرانی بھائیوں کے ساتھ شانہ بہ شانہ کھڑے ہیں۔”

زلزلہ کے بعد ازاں جھٹکے

امدادی کارروائیوں کی نگرانی کرنے والے ایک مقامی صحافی کے مطابق زلزلہ کے بعد آنے والے ریکٹر سکیل پر 6،0 کی شدت والے جھٹکے بھی بدھ کی صبح کو آس پاس کے علاقوں میں محسوس کئے گئے۔

طلحہ ابراہیم پی کے کے ایچ میں شریک تحقیق کار ہیں۔ ان سے ahlatibr@hotmail.com

ڈاکٹر آمنہ صدیقی دواساز اور آزاد مصنف ہیں؛ ان کی دلچسپیاں مذہب اورانسانی نفسیات سے متعلق ہیں۔ وہ The Dead Poets Sanctuary میں اپنا بلاگ لکھتی ہیں۔

_ _

PKKH Editorial

The month of April has brought yet more eventful happenings to the speedily changing frame-work of perception; as events fall upon one another, comprehension becomes a test, more difficult to pass than ever.

Since April began, the Pak Army has engaged itself in close-encounter with terror outfits, rooted deep in the tribal structure, posing identical to the civilians they aim to kill. As spring blooms into colors, the Pak Army readies it’s Jawans for coloring the fences of the nation with their blood; this is how they feast, more than 25 armed personal have given away their lives for that of this nation. The Army had started their move since March, when they started evacuating civilians from the problem areas. Now that the terror-outfits had been singled out, in the Valley areas of Tut Sar, Aakakhel and Tirah, their whole chemistry started to break; S.A. Haqqani, a chief of TTP Grand Shoora, suddenly announced his resignation; but in doing so published a list of 20 different ways how TTP had been a disaster and ill-coordination all along, an outfit not in the driving seat, but certainly one being driven by shifting sources. However, the Army seems to have dispersed these horrible outfits, but their dispersal is yet another threat and another challenge for the Army.

TTP and LeI dispersal is not on account of the Army alone, so much as it was foreseen by the Army in the approach of the 2014 withdrawal; TTP and the like were to be beaten out the moment their supplies were to cease from across-borders funders, and that brings us to the bafflement in the obscure camps of the US/NATO/India alliance across the border. Seems like the Hawks of the West are down on their knees and air has been blown out of the eastern white elephant, as they cut their funds and supplies to those they had been training in terror for the last whole decade to keep their war alive. There are no rules in War, but perhaps the NATO side wasn’t thinking that this goes for the other side too; eventually Pakistan and Afghanistan have survived, and the bounty-hunters are retreating, in shame.

We all know India panics under pressure, whence it has shown in Kashmir. Being in a wretched state in Afghanistan, with all dreams of hegemony broken, it raged it’s smote on the peaceful civilians of Kashmir. Starting with Afzal Guru, they went on a kill and assault spree in the Valley of Kashmir, they have kept their foot on the chest of the Valley by continually harassing and imprisoning their Freedom Leader, Syed Ali Geelani, throughout the month of April.

Pakistan, in the meantime, has entered its phase towards Elections; the exhausted public of Pakistan is once again faced with the high bunkum slogans of false promises, from the same ones who have been looting them for decades and decades. Relentless corruption and torment has rendered the common Pakistani oblivious to the possibility of ‘change’, while the democratic despots are content with the status-co, empty of the weight of guilt.

Amidst prevailing darkness, PKKH does not concur to despair and believes in the possibility of change, progress and hope. We believe that the solution for mankind resides in the simple paradigm shift, where good and bad can be distinguished at the simplest standards, and where subjective good is given equal regards when compared to physical good, if not more. Although physical indicators mean a lot, but oppression, injustice, abuse, exhaustion and depression are all felt in the heart and mind, and it is in the heart and mind where their cases can be conducted. This brings us to 62/63:

A society, which can be so confused upon the simple recognition of good and bad, is destined to fall; the whole argument upon Sadiq and Ameen is mind-blowing; will we not have rulers that are at least not liars, frauds and racketeers? How is it that two common people in the market cannot conduct a minor business without truth and trust, and such big offices that govern the matters of the whole nation, should be vouchsafed in the hands of such who are baffled on the very question of honesty and truthfulness? Is it really impossible to determine truth from falsehood, or is this another racket by the secular minded media, to score upon the very basic human instinct of good and bad upon which all societies stand, rendering them oblivious to any right or wrong whatsoever.

While all this was going on, the 16^th and 17^th of April brought two more blows to humanity. First, the bombings in the Boston Marathon; though only 4 were killed and over a hundred injured, the world was terrified in apprehension. 9/11 was put back to memory, and around the world, a message was sent; who will be the next victims of US terror, as it goes on to make this a plea to strengthen its war on terror around the world? The world is terrified by the US repercussion in the form of modern 4^th generation terror, which the mainstream media preaches to be ‘peace-missions’.

The Earth tore itself again, this time deep below its surface in Sarwan, Iran; jolts of 7.8 magnitude were felt as far as Karachi. The far-flung areas deep in Baluchistan, where little of roads and other infrastructure are found, have been hit hard. Places like Mashakhel and others are such that even the news of causalities or destruction took more than a day to pass through. Those whose katcha houses may have been demolished or whose live-stock may have been killed, how will they survive? Who will come to their rescue, when our president has done no more than condolence for these neglected people of our own? There seems to be no state machine responsible for the rescue operation at such emergencies, we see no activity of the NMDA, but see only help from the Army and some private charity organizations, while the bulk of our political champions have not been able to give as much as a word for these disaster-struck brethren.

Related articles

• Report : Earthquake, Mashakhel, EQ Report

PKKH Exclusive|By Atiq Durrani

Two bombs exploded in the crowded streets near the finish-line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing at least three people including an 8 year old child and injuring more than 140. According to law enforcement sources, more bombs were set to explode but did not.

Immediately after the blasts, two questions were most important for the U.S., the rest of the world and especially for the Muslim world. Who was behind this and why?

“Why” was quite obvious, it was done to terrify the people of the US; but who did this is still not clear. The Muslim world is clearly apprehensive that the US will immediately associate bombing attacks on US citizens with Muslim extremists.
Although after every terrorist attack in the US or anywhere in the world, leaders of the Muslim world condemn it and express their sympathies with the effected country and its people, but the fear of “which country will be destroyed for these attacks?” is always looming upon them.

After 9/11, the US invaded Afghanistan; none of the terrorists involved in 9/11 attacks was Afghani, but still they invaded Afghanistan to wipe out Al-Qaeda and kill Usama bin Laden. After 10 years, they managed to kill Usama, invading the sovereignty of a Muslim country and front line ally – Pakistan. In this War on Terror, almost 50,000 civilians were killed in Afghanistan and 3300 civilians died in Pakistan because of US drone attacks.

Iraq was invaded in March 2003; Bush administration stated that this invasion was the “serious consequences” spoken of in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Resolution 1441, which had offered Iraq a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations or face serious consequences (the Resolution had not authorize the use of force by member states).

Although the Iraqi government subsequently allowed the UN inspectors access to Iraqi sites, but that was not enough to make the US happy. In March 2003, the US invaded Iraq in search of Weapons of Mass Destruction that were never found, but this war killed 109,032 Iraqi’s including 66,081 civilian deaths, from March 2003 to Dec 2009. A peaceful country was turned into a living hell; Iraqi people are still facing the consequences of the US invasion in the form of bomb blasts and suicide attacks.

These wars made it clear for Muslim countries that they can be invaded without any reason. No one is there to ask the US about the WMD of Iraq for which they killed 66,000 Iraqi civilians. The problems of Palestine and Kashmir are still unresolved after decades and multiple resolutions but resolutions like 1441 can be passed within a few days and promptly implemented by the US.

Similarly, there is no action against a country like Israel, destroying the peace of the Middle East and possessing WMD, but if a Muslim country will be involved in any such case the actions are always very efficient. If it’s Iran or Iraq, Libya or Syria, Afghanistan or Pakistan; at that time they don’t even segregate them as Shia or Sunni, they just know one thing – “it’s a Muslim country”.

After killing Usama Bin Laden in May 2011 and al-Awlaki in Sep 2011, Obama Administration announced to the nation that “Al-Qaeda is on the run and on its path of decline”. But still, whenever a terror attack or even a shooting by some retarded person happens in the US, Muslims pray that the involved should not be a Muslim.

There were reports that a Saudi national, student in Boston, was questioned in the hospital about the Boston blasts. According to a news report, “The man was tackled and held by a ¬bystander after he was seen running from near the scene of the explosion”. Later, the Saudi man told the FBI that he ran only because he was frightened.

Rush, a regular on Fox News, also blamed Islamic Extremists for the Boston blasts without having any reason. Not only that, he went a step forward and has called for all Muslims to be killed in a sarcastic tweet.

He is ready to kill all the Muslims for the act of a few people who killed 3 Americans – while those few people who planned or executed this are not even known yet – but the Muslims of Iraq and Afghanistan are still pondering, after the decade of war, ‘ whom they should kill for the thousands of Muslims killed in the war against terror by the US army’.

A Libyan Twitter user named Hend Army tweeted a message, “Please don’t be a Muslim”, after the Boston attacks. The same message was retweeted by Jenan Moussa, a journalist in Dubai, with an addition that the plea was “The thought of every Muslim right now.”

This and hundreds of other tweets, Facebook statuses and articles clearly indicated that there is negative apprehension in the Muslim world. This apprehension is not for the fear of death; this is an apprehension of being treated unfairly once again. This fear of injustice for Muslims, may sometimes compel them to wear a suicide jacket and attack the US Army and their installations in Afghanistan and Iraq, some of them think of taking a revenge and plan a terrorist attack again them in their countries (US, UK etc.), some of them raise their voices against their own leaders and condemn them for being friends of the US and the West, some of them start questioning the role of the UN and ask about its double standards. The reactions are different but it is quite obvious that the fear is there.

Destroying a country and then rebuilding it with funds like the USAID cannot prove that you are the well-wishers of that country. What did a decade long war change in Afghanistan? For a decade, the US was fighting against Taliban, and today they are sitting around the same table with them, discussing their own peaceful exit and situation of Afghanistan with the same Taliban they attacked 12 years back. Same is the case with Iraq; a peaceful country with a great economy was destroyed in the name of WMD’s, and today it is the home of bomb blasts and suicide attacks.

The US and the UN will have to change their strategy towards the Muslim countries; they will have to remove apprehension from the hearts of the Muslims to make the US and the rest of the world peaceful. Bringing peace in the world with the help of wars did not help, they already tried the military solution in a few countries and the consequences are clear to all of us; after billions of dollars spent and millions of humans injured and killed and their livelihoods destroyed, the US and its allies were not able to secure their interests. The US must learn the lesson that the rest of the world will not sit with folded arms and not react as they do on destroying and plundering around the world; and if they meant any good, they should know that destroying a country is not always essential to build that country; it can be built without destroying.

This time, it would be better for them to try the peaceful way! If the US and the UN are really interested in bringing peace in the world, they should try to solve their issues with the Muslim world on equal standing, respecting their sovereignty; help them where they need your help, and don’t help them where they don’t need you! Try to take apprehensions out of their hearts, and if you want real friends around the world, make them on hope, trust and peace.

Atiq Durrani is an IT professional and student of Mass Communication. Can be reached at atiq.pkkh@gmail.comand tweets at @SunnyDurrani738

PKKH Exclusive

Translated by Ghareebah,Original article is here

اپریل کے مہینہ نے تخیل کے پل پل بدلتے پردے پر مزید پے در پے واقعات نقش کئے ہیںتک بھی نہ کہہ سکے۔
، ایک کے بعد ایک آنے والے واقعات کو سمجھ پانا بھی ایک امتحان ہے، اور اس امتحان میں کامیابی دن بہ دن مشکل ہوتی جا تی ہے۔
اپریل کے آغاز سے ہی پاکستانی افواج ان شر پسند عناصر کے خلاف براہِ راست تصادم میں مصروف ہو گئیں جو قبائلی ڈھانچے میں بہت گہری جڑیں رکھتے ہیں، اور بظاہر ان شہریوں جیسے ہی نظر آتے ہیں جن کے قتل کے درپے ہیں۔ موسمِ بہار کے رنگوں کے کھلنے کے ساتھ ہی، پاک فوج اپنے جوانوں کو وطن کی چاردیواری میں اپنے خون سے رنگ بھرنے کے لئے تیار کر رہی ہے؛ وہ اسی طرح جشنِ بہار مناتے ہیں، 25 سے زائد مسلح اہلکار اس وطن کی خاطر اپنی جانیں دے چکے ہیں۔ فوج نے اپنی کارروائیاں مارچ میں ہی شروع کر دی تھیں، جب انہوں نے مصیبت زدہ علاقوں سے شہریوں کے انخلاء کا انتظام کیا۔ اب جبکہ دہشت پسند گروہ وادی میں توت سر، اکؑا خیل اور تیراہ علاقوں میں محدود ہو گئے تھے، ان کی پوری بنیاد ٹوٹنے لگی۔ ایس اے حقانی، تحریک طالبان پاکستان کے شوریِ عظمی کے سربراہ نے اچانک استعفی کا اعلان کر دیا، اور اس کے ساتھ 20 نکات کی ایک فہرست شائع کر کے واضح کیا کہ تحریکِ طالبان پاکستان کس طرح مستقل بے انتظامی اور باہمی رابطہ اورنظم ونسق کی شدید کمی کی مثال رہی ہے، ایک ایسی تنظیم جو قائدانہ نشست خالی ہونے کی وجہ سے مستقل بدلتے ہوئے ذرائع کے رحم وکرم پر ہے۔ تاہم فوج ان خطرناک گروہوں کو منتشر کر دینے میں کامیاب معلوم ہوتی ہے، اگرچہ
ان کا منتشر ہونا بذات خود ایک خطرہ اور فوج کے لئے ایک اور چیلنج ہے۔

تحریکِ طالبان پاکستان اور لشکرِ اسلام کا منتشر ہونا محض فوج کی وجہ سے نہیں ہے، بلکہ 2014 کے امریکی انخلاء کے قریب آتے آتے فوج نے اس کی پیشین گوئی کر لی تھی، بیرونِ سرحد شر انگیز عناصر کی طرف سے امداد کی فراہمی میں رکاوٹ آتے ہی تحریکِ طالبان پاکستان اور اس جیسے گروہوں کے شکست کھا جانے کی امید تھی، اور یہیں سے ولایت ہائے متحدہ/ناٹو/ہندوستان اتحاد کے مشکوک سرحد پار کیمپوں کی بوکھلاہٹ بھی سمجھ میں آ جاتی ہے۔ معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ مغربی باز گھٹنے ٹیک چکے ہیں اور مشرقی سفید ہاتھی کی ہوا نکل چکی ہے، چنانچہ انہوں نے انہی کو امداد اور عطیات کی فراہمی بند کر دی جنہیں اپنی جنگ کو مشتعل رکھنے کی غرض سے وہ گزشتہ دہائی میں مستقل مزاجی سے شر انگیزی کی تربیت دیتے رہے ہیں۔ محبت اور جنگ میں کوئی قواعد نہیں ہوتے، لیکن شاید ناٹو اور اس کے اتحادیوں کو یہ توقع نہیں تھی کہ دوسرے فریق کا بھی یہی اصول ہو سکتا ہے۔ بالآخر پاکستان اور افغانستان تو بدستور اپنی جگہ پر قائم رہے، لیکن قسمت آزماؤں کو منہ چھپا کر پسپا ہونا پڑا۔

ہم سبھی جانتے ہیں کہ ہندوستان دباؤ کے تحت گھبرانے لگتا ہے، جیسا کہ وہ کشمیر میں ثابت بھی کر چکا ہے۔ افغانستان میں اپنی خستہ حالت اور اپنی قیادت کے تمام خوابوں کی شکستگی کا بدلہ اس نے کشمیر کی امن پسند عوام پر قہر برسا کر لیا۔ افضل گرو سے ابتداء کرتے ہوئے اس نے وادئ کشمیر میں قتل وغارت گری کا ایک سلسلہ شروع کر دیا، اور وادی کے رہنمائے آزادی سید علی گیلانی کو اپریل کے مہینہ میں لگاتار ہراساں اور گرفتار کر کے وادی کے سینے پر اپنا پاؤں مسلط رکھا۔

اس دوران پاکستان انتخابات کے مرحلہ میں داخل ہو گیا ہے۔ تھکی ہاری اور عاجز آ چکی پاکستانی عوام کو ایک مرتبہ پھر انہی حکمرانوں کی طرف سے بے بنیاد وعدوں کے بلند وبانگ نعروں کا سامنا ہے جو انہیں دسیوں سال سے لوٹتے آ رہے ہیں۔ ختم نہ ہونے والی بد عنوانی اور ظلم وجبر نے عام پاکستانی کو تبدیلی کے امکان سے ہی غافل کر دیا ہے، جبکہ جمہوری شہنشاہ موجودہ حالت پر مطمئن اور گناہ کے احساس اور ضمیر کی چبھن سے عاری ہیں۔

موجودہ تاریک حالات کے باوجود پی-کے-کے-ایچ مایوسی کے بجائے امید، تبدیلی اورترقی کے امکان پر یقین رکھتا ہے۔ ہم سمجھتے ہیں کہ انسان کے تمام مسائل کا حل معیار کی ایک سادہ سی تبدیلی میں مضمر ہے، جس کی بنیاد پر اچھے اور برے کو سادہ اور آسان ترین کسوٹی پر پرکھا جا سکے، اور جہاں معنوی خوبیوں کو بھی ظاہری خوبیوں سے زیادہ نہیں تو کم از کم برابر اہمیت ضرور دی جائے۔ ظاہری اشاروں کی اہمیت اپنی جگہ، لیکن ظلم وجبر، ناانصافی، زیادتی، تھکن اور مایوسی کو دل اور دماغ ہی محسوس کرتے ہیں، اور ان کے مقدمات دل ودماغ میں ہی منعقد ہو سکتے ہیں۔ یہی بات ہمیں دستور کے بند 62، 63 تک لے کے آتی ہے۔

ایک ایسا معاشرہ جس میں اچھے اور برے کا ایک عام تصور یا واضح پہچان بھی نہ ہو، یقینی تباہی کے ہی راستہ پر ہوتا ہے۔ صادق اور امین پر ہونے والی تمام بحث دماغ کو بھک سے اڑا دینے والی ہے۔ کیا ہمیں یہ بھی حق نہیں کہ ہمارے حکمران کم از کم جھوٹے، بد عنوان اور دھوکہ باز نہ ہوں؟ ایسا کیوں ہے کہ دو عام لوگ تو بازار میں ایک معمولی کاروبار بھی سچائی اور باہمی اعتماد کے بغیر نہیں کر سکتے، لیکن پوری قوم کے معاملوں میں فیصلے کرنے والے اتنے بڑے عہدے ایسے افراد کو سونپے جا سکتے ہیں جو محض سچائی اور ایمانداری کے سوال پر ہی ہکا بکا رہ جائیں؟ کیا واقعی حق اور باطل کی تمیز کرنا ناممکن ہے؟ یا یہ لامذہب ذہنیت رکھنے والے میڈیا کا انسانی ذہن کی بھلے برے سے متعلق اس بنیادی اور فطری سمجھ بوجھ پر ایک اور حملہ ہے جس کی بنیاد پر معاشرے تعمیر ہوتے اور کھڑے ہوتے ہیں، تاکہ وہ صحیح اور غلط کی ہر ممکن تمیز بھول جائے؟

یہ سب ہو ہی رہا تھا کہ 16 اور 17 اپریل نے انسانیت پر دو مزید ضربیں لگائیں۔ اس میں سے پہلا بوسٹن ماراتھن میں ہونے والا دھماکہ تھا، جس میں اگرچہ صرف 4 جانیں گئیں اور سو سے زائد زخمی ہوئے، تاہم دنیا کو خدشات نے خوف زدہ کر دیا تھا۔ یادداشتوں میں 11 ستمبر پھر سے تازہ ہو گیا، اور دنیا بھر میں ایک پیغام گردش کرنے لگا؛ جب امریکہ دنیا بھر میں دہشت گردی کے خلاف اپنی جنگ کو مزید مضبوط بنانے کے لئے اس واقعہ کو بھی ذریعہ بنائے گا تو، امریکی قہر کا اگلا نشانہ کون ہو گا؟ دنیا امریکہ کی جدید ترین صورت سے پھیلائی ہوئی فورتھ جنریشن حکمتِ عملی کی اس دہشت انگیزی کے اثرات سے خوف زدہ ہے جس کو عام ذرائعِ ابلاغ ‘امن مشن’ کا نام دیتے ہیں۔

زمین ایک مرتبہ پھر سے پھٹ گئی، اس مرتبہ اپنی سطح سے کہیں نیچے، ایران کے شہر سراوان میں۔ 7،8 کی شدت کے جھٹکے کراچی تک محسوس کئے گئے۔ بلوچستان کے اندرونی دور دراز علاقوں میں، جہاں سڑکیں اور بنیادی ڈھانچہ بھی کم ہی نظر آتا ہے، سخت تباہی آئی ہے۔ مشؑا خیل اور دیگر علاقے ایسے ہیں کہ جانی نقصان اور تباہی کی خبریں پہنچنے میں بھی ایک دن لگ گیا۔ جن کے کچے مکانات منہدم ہو گئے ہیں یا جانور مارے گئے ہیں، وہ زندگی کس طرح گزاریں گے؟ ان کی مدد کو کون آئے گا، جبکہ اپنے صدر صاحب نے زلزلہ زدگان سے محض ہمدردی کے اظہار پر اکتفا کیا ہے؟ بظاہر کوئی بھی سرکاری شعبہ اس قسم کے ہنگامی حالات میں امدادی کارروائیوں کے لئے ذمہ دار نظر نہیں آتا، ہم قومی شعبہ برائے بحرانی انتظامات کی کوئی سرگرمی نہیں دیکھتے؛ بلکہ محض فوج اور کچھ نجی خیراتی اداروں کی امدادی کوششیں نظر آتی ہیں، جبکہ ہمارے بیشتر سیاسی قائدین تو ان آفت زدہ بھائیوں کے لئے ایک لفظ تک بھی نہ کہہ سکے۔

Ghareebah is doing her MA in English, a passionate Indian Muslimah, searching for the higher truths

PKKH Exclusive

Translated By Ghareebah

علامہ اقبال کا پیغام بنام محمد علی جناح بتاریخ 28 مئی 1937

نجی

عزیز جناب جناح صاحب

مناسب وقت سے موصول ہونے والے پیغام کے لئے آپ کا بہت شکریہ۔ مجھے یہ سن کر خوشی ہوئی کہ میں نے لیگ کے پروگرام اور آئین میں تبدیلی کے حوالے سے آپ کو جو لکھا تھا آپ اس کو ذہن میں رکھیں گے۔ مجھے اس میں کوئی شک نہیں کہ جہاں تک مسلم ہندوستان کا سوال ہے، تو آپ کو صورت حال کی نزاکت کا مکمل طور پر اندازہ ہے۔ لیگ کو بالآخر یہ فیصلہ کرنا ہو گا کہ آیا وہ ہندوستانی مسلمانوں کے بالائی طبقات کی ہی نمائندہ جماعت رہے گی یا مسلم عوام کی جنہوں نے کسی وجہ سے اس میں اب تک کوئی دلچسپی نہیں لی۔ میرا ذاتی خیال ہے کہ کوئی بھی سیاسی تنظیم جو متوسط مسلمانوں کے حالات کو بہتر بنانے کا وعدہ نہ کرے وہ کبھی ہماری عوام کو اپنی طرف نہیں کھینچ سکتی۔

نئے آئین کے تحت اعلی عہدے بالائی طبقات کے افراد کو ملیں گے، اور نسبتاؐ چھوٹے عہدے وزراء کے دوستوں اور رشتہ داروں کو ملیں گے۔ دیگر معاملات میں بھی ہمارے سیاسی اداروں نے عمومی طور پر مسلمانوں کی بہتری کے بارے میں کبھی نہیں سوچا۔ روٹی کا مسئلہ دن بہ دن مزید سنگین ہوتا جا رہا ہے۔ ایک عام مسلمان یہ محسوس کرنے لگا ہے کہ گزشتہ 200 سالوں سے اس کی حالت مزید پستی کی ہی طرف گامزن ہے۔ عمومی طور پر وہ یہ سمجھتا ہے کہ اس کی غریبی کا باعث ہندو بنیہ اور سرمایادارانہ نظام ہے۔ اس کے ذہن میں یہ تصور ابھی مکمل طور پر واضح نہیں ہوا کہ غیر ملکی حکومت بھی اس کے لئے یکساں طور پر ذمہ دار ہے۔ تاہم یہ تصور بھی ایک دن واضح ہونا ہی ہے۔ چنانچہ سوال یہ ہے: کہ کیا مسلمانوں کی غربت کا مسئلہ حل کرنا ممکن ہے؟ اور لیگ کا پورا مستقبل ہی اس مسئلہ کے حل کے سلسلہ میں اس کی سرگرمیوں پر منحصر ہے۔ اگر لیگ ایسا کوئی وعدہ نہ کر سکی تو مجھے یقین ہے کہ مسلم عوام پہلے کی ہی طرح اس کے تئیں لا تعلق رہیں گے۔ اطمینان بخش بات یہ ہے کہ اسلامی قوانین کے نفاذ نیز جدید نظریات کی روشنی میں ان میں مزید پیش رفت کے امکانات کی صورت میں اس مسئلہ کا حل موجود ہے۔

اسلامی تشریع کا بغور تفصیلی مطالعہ کرنے کے بعد میں اس نتیجہ پر پہنچا ہوں کہ اگر اس قانونی نظام کو بخوبی سمجھ بوجھ کر نافذ کیا جائے تو ہر ایک فرد کو کم از کم بقا کا حق ضرور حاصل ہو جاتا ہے۔ لیکن اس ملک میں اسلامی شریعت کا نفاذ یا اس میں پیش رفت ایک آزاد اور خود مختار مسلم ریاست یا ریاستوں کے بغیر ناممکن ہے۔ یہی برسوں سے میرا ایماندارانہ پختہ خیال رہا ہے اور میں ابھی بھی اس کو مسلمانوں کا روٹی کا مسئلہ حل کرنے کا نیز پر امن ہندوستان کو یقینی بنانے کا واحد طریقہ سمجھتا ہوں۔ اگر ایسی کوئی صورت حال ہندوستان میں ناممکن ہے تو اس کا واحد متبادل خانہ جنگی ہے جو کہ مسلم ہندو فسادات کی شکل میں کچھ عرصہ سے حقیقتاؐ جاری ہے۔ مجھے اندیشہ ہے کہ ملک کے بعض حصوں، مثال کے طور پر شمال مغربی ہندوستان میں فلسطین کی کہانی نہ دہرائی جائے۔

جواہر لال کی الحادی اشتراکیت کو مسلمانوں کی طرف سے بہت مثبت ردِ عمل ملنے کی امید نہیں ہے۔ بلکہ جواہر لال کی اشتراکیت کا ہندو سیاسی ڈھانچہ میں شامل ہونا تو خود ہندوؤں کے لئے بھی خاصی باہمی خونریزی کا باعث ہو سکتا ہے۔ اشتراکی جمہوریت اور ہندومت کا باہمی مسئلہ براہمنوں اور بدھ مت کے مسئلہ سے مختلف نہیں ہے۔ میں یقینی طور پر یہ تو نہیں کہہ سکتا کہ ہندوستان میں اشتراکیت کا مستقبل بھی وہی ہو گا جو بدھ مت کا ہوا تھا۔ لیکن میرے ذہن میں یہ ضرور واضح ہے کہ اگر ہندومت اشتراکی جمہوریت کو قبول کر لیتا ہے تو وہ یقینا ہندومت ہی نہیں رہ جائے گا۔ مسلمانوں کے لئے اشتراکی جمہوریت کو اسلام کے قانونی اصولوں سے مطابقت رکھتی ہوئی کسی مناسب شکل میں قبول کر لینا انقلاب نہیں بلکہ اسلام کی خالص اصل کی طرف واپسی ہو گی۔ چنانچہ جدید مسائل کو حل کرنا ہندوؤں کی بہ نسبت مسلمانوں کے لئے زیادہ آسان ہے۔ لیکن جیسا کہ میں نے پہلے عرض کیا، مسلم ہندوستان کے لئے ان مسائل کے حل کو ممکن بنانے کے لئے ملک کی از سرِ نو تقسیم اور کم از کم ایک آدھ مسلم ریاست میں واضح اکثریت ہونا ضروری ہے۔ کیا آپ مجھ سے اتفاق نہیں کریں گے کہ ایسے کسی مطالبے کا وقت آ گیا ہے؟ شاید یہی بہترین جواب ہے جو آپ جواہرلال کی الحادی اشتراکیت کو دے سکتے ہیں۔ بہر حال میں نے اس امید پر آپ سے اپنے خیالات عرض کر دئے کہ آپ ان کو اپنی تقریر میں یا لیگ کے آئندہ اجلاس کے بعد ہونے والے مباحثوں میں سنجیدگی سے اہمیت دیں گے۔ مسلم ہندوستان پُرامید ہے کہ اس سنگین موڑ پر آپ کی صلاحیتیں ہمارے حالیہ دشواریوں سے نکلنے کا کوئی راستہ دریافت کر لیں گی۔

آپ کا مخلص،

سید محمد اقبال

نوٹ: اس خط کے مضمون پر میں آپ کو ذرائعِ ابلاغ کے ذریعہ ایک کھلا پیغام لکھنے کا ارادہ رکھتا تھا۔ لیکن مزید غور وفکر کے نتیجہ میں مجھے موجودہ حالات اس قسم کے قدم کے لئے مناسب معلوم نہیں ہوئے۔

Ghareebah is doing her MA in English, a passionate Indian Muslimah, searching for the higher truths.

By Aneela Shahzad

Aneela Shahzad is an editor at PKKH.tv and can be contacted via info@pakistankakhudahafiz.com,  and you can also find her at Aneela Shahzad’s Blog.

by Dan Qayyum

Muslims around the world held their breath once news of the cowardly Boston marathon bombings broke initially, and with good reason.

In the post 9/11 world, any attack perpetrated by someone remotely linked to the Islamic faith is blamed on the religion and way of life followed by the world’s 2.2 billion Muslims. This line of thinking is reserved exclusively for attackers and terrorists linked to Islam, or Muslims. The Anders Breiviks, James Holmes’, Narendra Modis of this world don’t have to go through such scrutiny.

Internet forums such as 4chan and Reddit were soon buzzing with armchair detectives identifying ‘brown folk’ on images and videos of the Boston marathon. Then there was the Saudi national – a victim of the bombing just like the other 150-odd people – injured and trying to get away in the panic that ensued. Even as he was being questioned by the authorities at the hospital, some media outlets started reporting it as a significant breakthrough and him as a ’suspect’. The Boston police eventually nullified that rumour, but by then the narrative had been set.

If this wasn’t the handiwork of an Al-Qaeda linked sleeper cell, it must be a disgruntled ‘lone wolf’ Muslim extremist. If it turned out to be a Caucasian it’ll probably be a convert indoctrinated with extremist ideology either in a mosque in the US or on a trip to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

The emergence of two ‘Chechen’ brothers as prime suspects made the job easier for the media. Never mind the Chechnyans having more on their mind than attacking the US for foreign policy blunders and aggression in far off Muslim lands. Never mind a full blown decades long conflict right at home, fighting the Russian armed forces for freedom for their homeland. If it is a Muslim, or in this case if the suspect has written the word ‘Islam’ on his social media profile, he must be a Jihadi.

Here we had two American citizens, brought up in the US after migrating over a decade ago, spent their years growing up integrated in the society they lived in – the younger brother Dzhokhar more so than Tamerlan. Seemignly intelligent and talented youngsters, their influences, upbringing, social fabric, interactions and their anger is more American than it is Chechnyan or anything else.

There is no record of the brothers spending long stretches of time in foreign lands. If they are Islamists, and if they were properly radicalized, why were they so intent on escape? If there was a political message, where is it? There’s no video, no letter, no blogs, no diaries – nothing that has come to light that can come close to linking their alleged actions to faith-based terrorism.

There are a million questions that need answering once Dzokhar – or Jahar as he’s known – is in a position to talk. However, disowning two American citizens because of their Chechnyan background will not help America’s cause. If there is a problem at home, particularly one that isn’t seemingly a reaction to the ripples caused by the US foreign policy and the injustices it leaves it its wake, America’s interests would be best served by deep introspective look at – and a question that should be of utmost importance to Americans – what pushes its citizens to cause murder and mayhem – whether it is in a village in Afghanistan in the early morning hours, in a packed school or university, or at the finish line of a sporting event.

Dan Qayyum is an editor and analyst at PKKH.tv – writing on Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Dan also writes for the defense and security journal Fortress Magazine, published out of Karachi, Pakistan, and is a senior research fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Strategic Affairs.

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• Editorial: Badami Bagh Christian Community; We Stand With Them

by Shah Tavseef Mairaj

“Are you a Kashmiri?” was the question the boy, with whom I shared the cabin of the Sleeper class compartment of Sampark Kranti Express on my way to Delhi, asked as soon as I completed my two Raka’hs (Qasr) of Isha. I was kept guessing as to why should my being a Kashmiri take the credit for my religiousness but I preferred to continue the conversation. And as it turned out to be, the whole family joined the conversation and as a mark of pride the boy began to show me photographs he had clicked on his trip to Kashmir a year back. Furthermore, they told me about their Kashmiri Pandit neighbours and their closeness to them as a mark of being close to and loving Kashmir and Kashmiris. And they even went a step further and offered me and my friends a share in their dinner which we politely managed to evade as we had already packed our bags with dining stuff.

Probably, I felt pride for my identity and I got to know that there are still people who love us, love Kashmiris, different from all the stereotypes! After this conversation I could say to myself that it was a good start to a journey which many students like me had taken in the past and had returned ‘Framed, Damned, Acquitted’ in order of the mention! I felt proud to be a Kashmiri!

Next, I was waiting with two of my friends at a Delhi Metro station and i noticed an Angrezi man (Englishman) taking notes while he was standing in the queue. He had a wolverine style half-beard which seemed to me as atrocious a style as the behavior of people while boarding or deboarding the Metro! I followed that man into the compartment and started the conversation. He happened to be a freelance journalist working for BBC and was reporting on Tourism. After introducing myself as a Kashmiri, he was pretty amused as were the other travelers in the metro who didn’t even blink at the sight of a Kashmiri boy-with-a-skull-cap interacting at ease with an English journo. He had been to Kashmir in 2010 and talked about the “tensions there” but admitted keeping himself away from political reporting focusing instead on Tourism only. After exchanging pleasantries we parted. He went towards the Baha’i temple and our next stop was Nehru Place.

Nehru Place – a shopping haven for electronic goods was where a friend of mine had to get a laptop. After much haggling and comparison we finally settled for one! As the showroom owner was drafting the bill he started the conversation by addressing me as, “Khan Saab! Kashmir se ho?” (you are from Kashmir?) He then enquired about the ‘situation’ in Kashmir and about ‘terrorism’ in Kashmir. The ‘T’ word struck like a bolt from the blue but I maintained my composure. I could well have given him a modified form of the SRK dialogue as “My name is not Khan and I am not a terrorist” but I preferred a straightforward answer and said, “It depends (on perception)”. I answered in this manner with the hope that he would ask more but he, probably, sensing my dissidence with his views shifted the conversation towards a more common theme – Tourism! I guess people from Naxal affected states of India are never asked about Naxalism neither are people from Assam asked about the ULFA insurgency nor are people from Nagaland asked about NSCN terrorism. So why me?

My next stop was my exam-centre where I met a few fellow engineering students some of whom invited me for a cup of tea whereas others were comfortable asking questions and answering some of mine, for some last minute brush-up of concepts just before the exam. While travelling back alone to my friends’ in an overcrowded metro, I had in fellow travelers some policemen, contemporary students and some pan-stained-mouth unruly young men ogling at jeans clad girls!

One has to behave as an ultra-polite person so as not to invite the uneasy glances of the elderly travelers as well as others suspecting yet another terrorist attack! One has to smile at people staring at you, seemingly till eternity, and not expecting a smile back!

And I wonder similar could be the circumstances in which young Kashmiri students get picked up only to be Framed, Damned and finally Acquitted without any charge! And aptly, one of my friends who called me while I was travelling in the metro exclaimed, “Akeley!?” (Alone!?) after I told him I was travelling alone! And at a personal level, one has to be always mentally prepared to negotiate such a situation having read about many fellow Kashmiris being held on the mere basis of suspicion! And it is because I am a Kashmiri!

Shah Tavseef Mairaj is a Chemical Engineering graduate from National Institute of Technology Srinagar. He can be reached at his blog  http://kashmired.blogspot.in and tweets at @Islamocrat

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by Dr. Aaminah Siddique

Since the past few years, Pakistan has witnessed an increase in the amount of terrorist attacks and civilian deaths. Through suicide bombings, target killings and drone attacks, the image of Pakistan has been reduced to a state under constant warfare. Much needs to be done to revive the lost image, as government incompetency and terrorist activities continue to hammer it down the trails of anarchy.

Presently, vital steps are needed to allow the country to restore itself, in terms of development and prosperity that seems to have come to a sudden halt. When it comes to development, the significant points needed to be primarily focused upon are education and a firm infrastructure. Apparently, the concept of development as per the liberal class of our society seems to be slightly twisted. They believe that fashion can play a fair hand in rescuing Pakistan from this dilemma.

For this purpose, the Pakistan Fashion Industry holds the Pakistan Fashion Week annually, bringing to light new designers under the name of “development”. Hundreds and thousands of rupees are squandered upon bizarre outfits that one wouldn’t even imagine wearing to the circus! Top class models walk the ramp, as the rich audience rattle their jewelry in approval, and this three-day event is featured by equally liberated newspapers of the country.

Meanwhile, there are kids on the streets with less than a shirt on their back. There are textile industries that have shut down due to lack of production. People need money to get back to their feet. There are people still recovering from the trauma that death has brought to their homes. The people of Pakistan need saviors that can help improve their condition. They don’t need women in revealing outfits to promote liberation in an attempt to restore the picture of Pakistan.

Also, allow me to remind us, that such events are un-Islamic; no matter what purpose, and what name you may give them. I can almost hear the Liberals scoffing now – but this is the truth. It is next to ignorance to believe that a woman with a comical hat upon her head, and a “dress” that looks like a devoured peel of banana skin, can be in any way productive to the society. Such is the unfortunate condition of our perceptions that we tend to prioritize our desires and our understandings over logic and struggle to pull out reason to justify our attempts in that manner.

The form of liberation that is brought about by nudity, and vulgarity, speaks for itself in the present picture of India today that is struggling under a rape-epidemic. When our minds are ready to accept that development can come if our women show skin on big screens; is the time to realize that we are the ones suffering from a mental sickness.

If anything, the Pakistan Fashion Industry can play its role productively, by investing that amount of money on restoring textile cities, textile universities, and cotton production. Textile engineers and Textile designers are out of jobs, and have to buy their way in to starting small businesses of their own. The PFI can help them with a head start by funding these brilliant minds, so they don’t have to fly abroad to Bangladesh or Germany for a better future in the textile industry.
It is time to act sensibly, and discourage such events that only serve as entertainment to the filthy rich only, and leave the homeless kid starved and cold for yet, more nights.

Dr. Aaminah Siddique, pharmacist/ freelance writer; interests: religion/human psychology; blogs at http://wwe.deadpoetsanctuary.wordpress.com/

by Dr. Aaminah Siddique

In the circuit of the recent turn-over, the change that is visible is only one that has left us divided rather than united, which later was actually required. Ironically, as a nation, we understand that the only gaping hole within us is the fact that we aren’t unified against one enemy, and still we try to prove our points by insisting upon the worst of them all. To each, the enemies are the same; but to each, they hold a different threat-level. There are the terrorists; there are the Islamists, the liberalists, the Army, the Government; and to some extent, the media; and in some dark alley of a dark mind, the different sects.

Sadly, while several of us wait for a change to arise, we all fail to comprehend the usual pattern in the change of events. We need to understand that as the saying goes, ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’,’ our enemies are friends among one another, and united against us. We’re the ones to be enslaved by perception once the time comes.

Now let me elaborate, or in something like a case, illustrate this. Let’s start with a breaking news that hits our channels, while we were watching a harmless family drama on a poor woman being mistreated by her in-laws; so wait-. Let’s move ahead later, just note the current theme of most dramas and movies coming up. Women are being mistreated by their husbands, fathers, brothers, etc., the typical system of a Muslim household, is it? Note the way the role of a man in running the family circle is now transferred to the woman. Not being sexist here; but it’s what men are sent here for; to lead the family, provide the wife and kids with their needs, and be able to make decisions that actually include several matters other than just divorce.

Anyhow, since the mother-in-law decided to play boss while the husband was away, we see what’s on the NEWS. Some Pakistani actress (apparently) posed for a magazine in a very ‘revealing’ manner. This is just one NEWS that brings us a series of different responses. Some liberalists laugh at it; they’re too cool to take it seriously. The Islamists take it seriously. The media takes it even more seriously and decides to exclusively submit the next day’s transmission to it. Some feminists take it offensively in a rather different perspective. Some say that the whole hype is ridiculous, what is of more importance is the number of women who die of burns everyday(?!). Meanwhile, the ISI, the government and the terrorists, all shrug and get back to their work. Thank you, media, for taking our minds off more important issues!

The only change that comes after, if we care to halt for a moment and breathe it in, is a change in our perception. We suddenly realize how we are so different from our very friends, how our minds are totally apart and we feel disgusted. Any step ahead to unity? I think not.

Hate against the system is natural; when we experience power breakdowns, adulterated food, counterfeit medications, irresponsible authorities in every organization, it just develops within. And it increases when we suffer a sense of betrayal, when our people lose their value over white-skinned gentlemen with blue-colored booklets in their pockets. It’s natural; but it fails to make the desired impact. Why so?

Because our media does not allow us to make the impact! Time and again, it brings up spicy dramas, talk shows, contradictory issues, and NEWS that make no sense but do make a better impact than that of a person starved to death. We sit in our homes and at our computers and take in everything that is fed to us, and we do not absorb the real intention behind it, but just how delicious it tastes and how great we feel! We call ourselves the anarchists when it is us who are drowned in anarchy, losing our ability to think, and analyze; an ability that makes us different from other higher animal, makes us different from even rotten apples.

We know the media lies to us. We know it, by its reputation, as the entertainer in the neighborhood no one likes, but still listens to for enjoyment. The foul-mouthed, but pretty-faced man who tells stories for money, but we still trust his stories, not grasping the motto behind the story-telling. It is to divide us from amongst ourselves; through domestic violence to civil violence, whatever it takes. So our enemies can do what they’re doing, blatantly, yet without any interruption.

And after all that, when the call for prayer penetrates the walls of our cozy homes and reaches us, we do not get up and bow down to Allah and ask for forgiveness. We wait for the Adhan to end so we can turn on the volume and listen to this heated discussion between Daffodil Manzoor and a few important guests. And then we can enjoy the evening tea with our group of ‘intellectual friends’ and discuss this there. To us, this is more important and, “please, let’s not bring religion into this?”

Where change was a self-aspiring process, it so turns out that the change we have so far achieved is the one we want, the one that changes itself from time to time as our wants change, and not the one that we actually need, to move a step forward.

Dr. Aaminah Siddique, pharmacist/ freelance writer; interests: religion/human psychology; blogs athttp://wwe.deadpoetsa

By Gareebah and Aneela Shahzad

278 days without food or water! Was it such an unimportant, negligible event, to go totally unnoticed by our media and our intellectuals? Our media has been flooding us with the London marathon in solidarity with the USA, we have been getting coverage of the birthday celebrations of the Queen of England, we all know how many months pregnant the Duchess of Cambridge is; but this man declared several times to be ‘on the verge of death’ by Israeli doctors, does not deserve a single mentioning?!

Was it such a commonplace, everyday thing, for a posing-to-be very-much-humane global society, to remain unheeded? And surely unheeded remains the limit of hopelessness we have dragged a section of humanity into! We, the people to stuff-in three complete meals per day, have been so indifferent to a person not having a single meal, not for a day or two, but for a whole of 278 days! If this tragedy of a dying man, and his determination, resilience and the strength behind his frail body cannot move us, then what will?

The very tiny amount of coverage given to this event by the international media and watch dogs is almost unbelievable. Neither the Human Rights Watch, nor Amnesty International, nor any pro-human rights body of the United Nations ever looked at it with the perspective due to an actual tragedy. International media houses like the BBC have taken the pains to report the case only after it has already been solved.

A tragedy it was; a human tragedy – a young man refusing to take in a morsel of food or a drop of water! But this is not the whole picture. What makes the tragedy even more tragic is what is behind it. What can make a young man – in the prime of his life, with a mother and a father and siblings wishing and praying for his long and prosperous life – do this?

The Palestinian nation – for the months ensuing his hunger strike – have been constantly protesting, hundreds of thousands of countrymen have been holding sit-ins and organizing protests and enduring police brutality for his sake, they have made him a symbol of their resistance – he is a portrait of their ordeal, their desperation and their hope. Is not this oneness in decades-long sharing of a pain what has made this man refuse food and water till he could be on the verge of death? What can make him refuse the most basic human needs, fall on a wheelchair, and almost lose the ability to see or hear or speak or even stand upright or comprehend normal stimuli, but a far greater tragedy than death? A tragedy that he beheld beyond family and friends, a tragedy that encompasses the whole humanity; but no, only those who would just as much as care!

And does such a grave tragedy leave any room for indifferent global silence? Can the cause that makes a man refuse food and water for 8 months be so negligible? Can the people, who stayed quiet while that young man was ready to embrace even a sure and sudden death, still make any claim to humanity? Even more, can the world still be a good place to live, if such an incident goes unheard of by many; because those who knew it deliberately chose to be quiet about it, and those who did not may have had indulged themselves with more pleasurable news they like to hear?

So while SamerIssawi kept on bearing painful starvation for over nine months, who was the one to be pitiful on? A man who has the courage to stand up for the cause of his people, his belief, his God; or ‘us’, the humanity, who could not forsake a spoonful for his sake? Was SamerIssawi dying, or was the dying humanity inside us getting the last blows?

After failing to answer Issawi’s call, can the inhabitants of such a place still apply for humanity or human rights? In the so-called Dark Ages, maybe! But today, in the 21st century, when the World boasts of being civilized, of respecting human rights and valuing them above and beyond anything else, of having set up numerous champions to fight for the rights of all humans even if it requires waging bloodthirsty wars against whole nations; can these claims ever coincide with such tragedies? Or, has Issawi’s case stripped such claims off even the least chance of credibility or validity?

And to top it all, in the almost complete absence of any positive response, the negative ones were many and most cruel. The Israeli military and prison staff resorted to mercilessly beating the hungry man and neglecting his physical condition in the prison hospitals, his family was repeatedly harrassed and their homes were raided, his siblings were arrested and beaten, and the authorities tried to deport him to a foreign country in return for a cancellation of the strike.

But the most insensitive was the offer of the Israeli intellectuals of a symbolic pizza, when they promised that if he stops demanding for the right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees, gifts the settlers the lands they wrongfully and cruelly acquired, recognises the formation of another state and consents to his brethren being second-class citizens in their own land; only then would the said intellectuals be kind enough to intervene and advice their government to slightly loosen the shackles around Samer’s corpse.

So, finally, none of the human rights champions came for Issawi’s rescue. Even the Muslim Ummah mostly kept a blind eye, as if Issawi – or the ones he was fighting for – were not of their own. Issawi did it alone; he and his people fought against the tyrant, against the Israeli oppression, till they gained victory on Tuesday, all alone! Issawi’s unbreakable resolve, ended up breaking the vanity of the Israeli camps; and the Israeli authorities finally signed a deal with SamerIssawi, promising to free him on the 23rd of December this year, and allowing him to return to his own beloved homeland – Jerusalem. In return, Issawi has agreed to break his 8-month long fast and take supplements.

It is comforting to know that humanity still remains alive and awake in many – this young man who risked a sure and sudden death for the sake of the rights of his people; and those who stood up for him, and risked their own lives in turn, for the sake of his freedom. Twitter was astorm for more than two months and a half. A group of Palestinian activists, led by Dr. Tariq Shadeed aka Doc Jazz, have conducted these Twitterstorms for around three months, where they trended something in solidarity with SamerIssawi till it topped the worldwide trends lists.

On Tuesday, they trended #IssawiDefeatsIsrael for more than an hour. Twitter users hailed Samer Issawi, not only for his victory in the face of oppression, using no weapons except his own hungry stomach; but also for the sense of pride it brought to all the people fighting for a cause, and the assurance it brought home to all, that the truth cannot be crushed by force. The Twitter users were proud of the Hero who bought the right to stay in Jerusalem through hunger, and some commented that they were celebrating the little amount of flesh remaining on his skeleton and not the right to return to Jerusalem – nobody could ever deny him that; he would definitely have it, dead or alive!

Ghareebah is doing her MA in English, a passionate Indian Muslimah, searching for the higher truths.

Aneela Shahzad is an editor at PKKH.tv and can be contacted viainfo@pakistankakhudahafiz.com,  and you can also find her at Aneela Shahzad’s Blog.

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