Pakistan Link
VOL. 25/3 - 25 Rabi ‘ul-awwal 1436 H PAGE 12
21st Amendment Suicidal Attack on Parliament: Asma India Helping Terrorists in Pakistan: Khawaja Asif Islamabad: Building on recent ac-
cusatory statements by government representatives, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday claimed that India was helping terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out “heinous acts”. In an interview on DawnNews’s program News Eye, the minister claimed that India “has designs on Pakistan”. “The Taliban have links with India. Also, India’s involvement in the insurgency in Balochistan cannot be ignored,” he said. He added that his allegations were based as much on conviction as on experience. Public statements against India have been making their way into mainstream media. A day earlier, Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said that India was involved in acts carried out from Afghanistan’s soil in Pakistan. Asif said that India wants to keep Pakistan busy with skirmishes on the eastern border so that the country remains distracted from
ASIF, P29
I Am Malala Included in US University Curriculum
The Largest Circulated Pakistani-American Newspaper in North America
Friday, January 16, 2015
PAGE 15
PAGE 12
Reham Khan: From Hazara to Bani Gala
Pakistanis Victims of Terror Like People of Paris
Kerry Praises Pak Military Operation
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Pakistani Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz
Islamabad: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday praised the Pakistani military’s operation against militants in the country’s northwest, saying the results are “signifi-
US & Canada $1.00
cant,” but cautioned that more work needs to be done. The current operations “in the northwest have disrupted militant activities in the tribal areas and resulted
in important seizures of weapons,” Kerry said, speaking during a press conference in Islamabad with Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs.
“The operation is not yet complete but already the results are significant. Pakistani soldiers and their commanders deserve enormous credit,” he said. KERRY, P29
For news, updated round the clock, visit
www.PakistanLink.com Raheel Seeks UK’s Support in Choking Funds for Terror Groups London: Chief of Army Staff Gen-
eral Raheel Sharif on Wednesday sought UK’s support against antiPakistan elements, banned organizations and terror financing. Beginning his three-day tour of England on Wednesday, the Army chief met a host of high ranking British officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron and National Security Advisor Sir Kim Darroch at 10 Downing Street. According to DG ISPR MajorGeneral Asim Bajwa, the Army chief raised the issue of action against anti-Pakistan elements and proscribed organizations operating from outside Pakistan. Further, he sought support in choking funding to terror groups. Gen Sharif also held extensive discussions with UK’s Chief of Defense Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton on regional security, stability, and Afghanistan. They also discussed defense cooperation between Pakistan and UK. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Syed Ibne Abbas and senior British defense officials received the army chief on his arrival.
Muslims Hold Vigil with French Community in Sacramento
Washington, DC: Pakistani teen-
age activist Malala Yousufzai’s inspirational memoir, ‘I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban’ has compelled George Washington University’s Leadership Program to incorporate it into its Summer Reading Series Symposium, according to the university’s website. To further expand the reach of Malala’s memoir, the GWU, in collaboration with the Malala Fund, has also developed a resource guide for high school, college and university students. Launched in Nov 2014 with Malala’s father Ziauddin Yousufzai in attendance, the resource guide supports global efforts to mobilize people to address girls’ rights to education. In order to ensure that the resource guide does justice to Malala’s story, the Global CURRICULUM, P29
A large number of people attended the vigil including many area Muslims, interfaith and ethnic leaders, and a sizable French and Pakistani origin contingent from the Sacramento area
n By Ras H. Siddiqui Sacramento, CA: A “Peace Vigil” was held by the American Muslim Voice (AMV) Foundation (Sacramento Chapter) and assisted by the local CAIR and COSVIO organi-
zations at the western steps of the California State Capitol on Friday, January 9, 2015 to express a unified outrage against the recent terror strike in Paris at the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Approximately 100 people at-
tended the vigil including many area Muslims, interfaith and ethnic leaders, and a sizable French and Pakistani origin contingent from the Sacramento area. During this attack in France, eight journalists and four others were killed,
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including two police officers. More casualties were reported the following day and at the time of this writing the main culprits of this atrocity have been killed by French security forces. VIGIL, P19
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OPINION
P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Why Right Now Is a Crucial Time for Islam in Europe
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n By Dr Akbar Ahmed Chair of Islamic Studies at American University Washington, DC
T
he sense of absolute horror at the terrible tragedy that took place in Paris has not yet abated. The enormity of what happened -- an attack on the foundations of the idea and practice of a free press -- is unprecedented. France grieves and so should all right-thinking people who value democracy and human rights. We commiserate with the families who have suffered such tragic loss.
The president of France, Francois Hollande and his political rival and former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, appeared together in a show of unity to condemn what had happened in the strongest words. They faithfully reflected the defiance, anger and shock that the nation felt. World leaders from President Obama to the prime minister of the UK rallied around in a show of solidarity with France, vowing to stand by it. Both Hollande and Sarkozy cast the attacks in Paris in terms of the Huntingtonian thesis of the clash of civilizations between the West and Islam. Hollande condemned the “exceptional barbarism” and Sarkozy declared this to be a “barbaric” attack on civilization itself. It was “a war on civilization,” said Sarkozy. Implicit in such statements was Huntington’s idea of the clash. It was precisely to look at what is happening in Europe in the context of Islam that I, along with my research team, conducted fieldwork across Europe, which concluded this week. We were in France a fortnight ago. During fieldwork for the research project called “Journey into Europe,” we visited about 50 towns and cities and 50 mosques, interviewed over 30 imams, across the length and breadth of Europe. We talked to students and professors, taxi drivers and shopkeepers, presidents and prime ministers, archbishops and chief rabbis. The relevance -- indeed urgency -- of our project to study the Muslims of Europe was underlined as we traveled last summer. Geopolitical developments in the Middle East -- and elsewhere -were linking European Muslims directly to world events. The media were reporting that several thousand European Muslims were involved with the battles raging in Syria and Iraq. Of these, the British government claimed some 400 were from Britain. In mid-August, when James Foley, the American journalist, was brutally beheaded by a man who spoke with a British accent and wore a mask, the media frenzy to uncover his identity was the focus of the news. American air strikes began and there was talk of greater military involvement in the Middle East. In some senses, it appeared that it was déjà vu. But this was a substantially changed situation with new players. The theater of conflict was no longer Afghanistan, and the Taliban were no longer the protagonists. The media were now talking of European Muslims being the threat, a Trojan horse. The media discussed “Jihadi John” as they had earlier talked of ”Jihad Jane.” It was now a matter of life and death to understand the European Muslims. From the prime minister of Britain down to ordinary journalists, the question on people’s minds was how to convert Jihadi John to Malleable Mustafa
and Jihad Jane to Loyal Leila. The problem was that this question could not be answered without some knowledge of the Muslim community -- its definition of its own identity, its leadership patterns, its religious and political players, the role of the imams, the position of mothers and women in the family in influencing the young men, and relations with government and the broader public. While few people had the answers, these were precisely the questions which needed to be addressed. That is why our study assumed a greater topicality than had been intended when it was designed. It is an up-todate study of the Muslim community in Europe in the context of its impact on the world. Because the study is based on fieldwork conducted in the community, it is as authentic as possible, and because it aims to present a holistic picture of the Muslim community throughout the continent, it is able to juxtapose the whole range and diversity of Muslims, from Edinburgh in the north of Great Britain down south to Melilla, a Spanish possession in North Africa, from Cordoba in the west to Xanthi in the east
migrants arrive in Europe to work and find better lives from the second half of the 20th century onwards. A second and third generation of Muslims is now coming of age in Europe. There are many issues around these generations that create debate, controversy, anger and even hatred in the majority population. Issues of “terror”(such as the attacks in Paris), Sharia and the hijab are broadly associated with Islam in the popular imagination. Here are some preliminary conclusions: 1. What happened in France was shocking and tragic, but not entirely surprising. While we were in the country there were at least three incidents of Muslims committing acts of violence. Most Muslims live in ghetto-like and impoverished “rough” areas. There were entire areas in Marseille, a city in which about 30 percent of the population is Muslim, which seemed to be “nogo” areas. Gangs involving Muslims sold drugs freely. Violence therefore emanating from communities like this is not surprising. 2. The relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims across Eu-
Muslims may have been using religious rhetoric, but these attacks are a consequence of the sociological environment of their lives in Europe today. Therefore, the response needs to be to prevent effectively such incidents in the future rather than getting involved in futile theological discussions in Greece near the border with Turkey. Muslims fall into three broad categories in the context of Europe today: they are indigenous or native (like the majority of Bosnians); immigrants (many of them come to the country that colonized their land so feel they have a right to be there as a fact of historical reciprocity -- North Africans, especially Algerians, to France, South Asians to Britain; although exceptions include Germany as it invited “guest workers” mainly from Turkey a country that it did not colonize); and converts (especially the young seeking answers to their spiritual problems). I suggest we examine these different categories of Muslims in Europe in three distinct phases of its history: Muslims have been in Europe since 711, which can be taken as the start of the first phase of the Muslim presence in Europe. It was a time in certain places and for certain periods of what the Spanish call La Convivencia -- The Co-Existence . This phase ended in 1492 with the fall of Granada, the last independent Muslim kingdom, and the eventual expulsion of Muslims (and Jews) from the Iberian Peninsula. The second phase of Muslims in Europe starts around the 15th century and lasts until the 20th century and is formed by the clashes between European Christian forces and Ottoman armies. Ideas of Islam as alien and predatory are settled in European minds as a result of this phase. The third phase starts when European countries colonize Muslim lands in the 19th and 20th centuries and im-
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rope also feeds into the sense of Muslims feeling under siege today. Over 17,000 Germans marched in Dresden against Islam and three mosques were attacked in rapid succession in Sweden. Muslims were being depicted as “nonEuropeans” and “barbarians” who had no place in a “civilized” Europe. 3. Muslims throughout the continent were touched by a sense of uncertainty. While there was a significant counter push -- for example, the historic Cologne Cathedral darkened its lights against the protests in Dresden -- it did little to calm the sense of anxiety. 4. We noted a clear-cut double failure: Muslim leadership and organizations have dramatically failed because murderers such as those in Paris are coming out of the Muslim community. Without strengthening the Muslim leadership and community, these tragic incidents will continue. For example, there is no central mosque in Marseille. There is thus no focal point for social organization and action. Muslim leaders should be underlining the fact that the community lives in a different social and cultural context from the ones that they originally inhabited in Algeria or Pakistan; that Muslims everywhere would be unhappy with perceived insults to their faith and their prophet but that the way to protest is not through violence. 5. Local European administrations have also failed. Otherwise, such attacks would not be happening with such frequency. Effective strategies need to be worked out in close coordination with the Muslim community in order
to check violence in the future. Violence will not be controlled unless both Muslim and non-Muslim leaders work together. The sense we had was of haphazard initiatives in one place and the excessive use of force in another. 6. We often forget in the United States how close Europe is to Africa and Asia. The continents actually meet; both in the west, with Spain and Morocco, and in the east with Turkey and Greece. This means that borders are “porous.” Some 150,000 immigrants landed in Italy in 2014. Some 1,300 were rescued from the sea while we were on the island. As long as there is political chaos in North and Central Africa and the Middle East, people will flee their homes to find shelter abroad and Europe will remain a destination. A longterm policy to deal with refugees needs to be worked out as soon as possible or local resources will be overwhelmed very soon. 7. Considering the various incidents happening at the same time across Europe, it is not difficult to conclude that the issue of Muslims in Europe will pose a huge challenge to society, including the question of law and order, in the coming time. Dealing with it is a matter of top priority. 8. The president of France and the imam of the main mosque in Paris both rightly condemned the murderers, saying they would go to hell, etc. The problem is the assumption that these actions are religiously motivated. Muslims may have been using religious rhetoric, but these attacks are a consequence of the sociological environment of their lives in Europe today. Therefore, the response needs to be to prevent effectively such incidents in the future rather than getting involved in futile theological discussions. Besides, the strategy and policy to deal with the minority community needs to be set in an all-European context. 9. It is a troubled time in Europe, and it will require wisdom, courage and compassion in both Muslim and non-Muslim leaders. Fortunately, there are men and women of extraordinary vision who we were privileged to meet -- from Bent Melchior, the former chief rabbi of Denmark, to Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury, to Mustafa Ceric, the former grand mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In their messages of interfaith and intercultural cooperation, dialogue, and understanding, they reflected the Jewish notion of tikkun ulam -- to heal a fractured world. We should heed them. (Professor Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, Washington D.C., and was the former High Commissioner from Pakistan to the UK and Ireland. His latest book and film project is Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Empire)
Vi e w s and opinions expressed by authors and contributors in articles, letters, opinion pieces, reports, advertisements, etc appearing in Pakistan Link and Urdu Link are their own. The paper neither shares nor endorses them and thus should not be held responsible for the views/opinions of the writers & advertisers.
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P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Governor Taseer: A True Martyr
n By Syed Kamran Hashmi
C
Westfield, IN
lerics despise skepticism. Maybe out of personal fear or as an excuse to avoid tough questions, they designate it as a slippery slope, a path that will drag every believer to the dead end of apostasy and atheism. So even if you do not question the religion itself or doubt its fundamentals but you somehow typify those people who prefer objectivity over emotions and empty rhetoric or those who fall in love with literature regardless of its language, be it English, Urdu or Russian, you still may very well be marked as disloyal. And if that happens, I have got one piece of good news and at least two pieces of bad ones for you.
The good news implies that you probably hold a liberal ideology (Pakistani version), which promotes tolerance and pluralism in society and inspirits a Pakistan that welcomes all faiths and ethnicities. The bad news entails that because of your views you will soon be declared a fascist or an enemy agent. You just need to express in public that the practice of religion should be regarded as a personal matter rather than the state’s affair and insist that the rights of minorities need to be fiercely guarded. The second bit of bad news can be considered more or less a warning: if you do not conform to the (extreme) vision of the clerics, and your disapproval of their bigotry
continues to grow, then sooner or later a religious leader will issue a decree inciting your murder and a zealot, confirming his place in paradise, will take you down. The last one piece of bad news deals with the reaction of the people after your assassination. You think Pakistanis will sympathize with you if something happens to you, right? Wrong. On the contrary, Pakistan will celebrate your death as a day of jubilation instead of observing it as a day of mourning for losing an innocent life. With that background in mind, you can understand post-Zia Pakistan the same way I do: an increasingly conservative country where bigotry is the most revered virtue. Here, people through their love and admiration, their hatred and condemnation, their attire and outlook and even through their support for peace or appreciation for violence are committed to establish the authenticity of their faith onto others. And it was because of this attitude that the late governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer had to lose his life. In 2010, he stood up all alone to protect Aasia Bibi, a poor Christian female wrongfully accused of blasphemy in Sheikhupura, as no one would dare help her. By supporting her, did the governor defy the clerics and religious establishment? Of course he did. And by comforting her did he uphold the core Islamic principles of clemency and compassion? Yes, he did. Then what was his crime? Everyone knows Salmaan Taseer did not commit blasphemy
F m
in regards to the Prophet (PBUH) and always expressed his indebtedness to the Apostle of God. However, he did raise his voice against the priests who abuse the law. He did stand up for the weak and he did defend hapless minorities. That was his real crime and in Pakistan everyone gets punished for it. From a social point of view, when his security officer, Mumtaz Qadri, opened fire, the unstable religious fanatic must not have realized that he was opening the gates of hellfire for minorities. Moreover, he was setting a new precedent for all criminals to settle personal scores on religious grounds and was legitimizing the culture of crushing business rivalries, avenging tribal conflicts and resolving land disputes in the name of blas-
H
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phemy. Politically speaking, the cold-blooded murder of Mr Taseer has brought a greater tragedy to the nation than the assassination of the former Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto. At least the nation recognized her services for the country and admired her courage to oppose the two martial laws in her lifetime. Despite some criticism on her performance as the PM by the opposition, everyone condemns the suicide attack that resulted in her death and pays tribute to her as a martyr. Simply put, seven years later, she continues to rule the hearts of most Pakistanis. On the other hand, in the case of Governor Taseer, except for some mumblings from moderates, we do not hear a single word of sympathy from anyone, including his
OPINION own party, the PPP, which claims to hold the rights of minorities at the top of its agenda. After losing two of its most brilliant minds in less than five years, the PPP had, we thought, the moral, ethical and religious responsibility to resist radicalism. However, under its current aloof and ineffective leadership, it preferred to keep quiet, giving in to the extremists. It did not bother to educate people on the difference between blasphemy and the blasphemy law nor did it galvanize civil society in raising awareness about its misuse. What it did was stay focused on the completion of its fiveyear term and remained involved in as many financial scandals as anyone can in a single tenure, a tragedy that still haunts Pakistan. Experts think after Benazir Bhutto, the late governor embodied the true spirit of the party, a brave man who could defy the clerics even if it threatened his own life. After him, the party has seized to exist as a left-leaning, progressive organization, the party of Zulifkar Ali Bhutto, if we agree that the party exists altogether. Nowadays, no one can distinguish the PPP from the right-leaning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) or the PML-N, both of whom allegedly have close ties with local extremist groups. A few years from today, the PPP, if it fails to provide brave and honest leadership, will join many other political parties that exist not on the ground but only on paper as part of history texts. (The writer is a freelance columnist. He tweets at @KaamranHashmi and can be reached at skamranhashmi@gmail.com)
OPINION n By Dr Mohammad Taqi
F
Florida
or Pakistan, the year 2014 ended with the tragedy at the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar and 2015 has been ushered in with inauspicious tampering with the Constitution. The 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Army Act (Amendment) Bill 2015 were approved unanimously by both houses of parliament within a matter of hours to provide constitutional cover to summary military courts. Parliament seems to have shot itself in the foot by approving an abhorrent mutation to the Constitution that allows the establishment of a parallel judicial system. Adding an aberration in the name of national security ranks right up there with the Second Amendment that excluded the Ahmedis from the pale of Islam and constitutionalised their persecution, the Eighth Amendment that provided a military dictator the power to dissolve the National Assembly, and the 17th Amendment that gave constitutional protection to yet another dictator’s actions after he usurped power. However, the cast of characters that approved the current amendment makes it so much more painful as all the parties voting for the law have remained at the receiving end of military justice at some point in their political trajectory. The ruling PML-N has been bruised and battered over the last several months through the sit-in (dharna) and shutter-down protests in various cities by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). According to the PTI’s former president, Mr Javed Hashmi, the party’s protests had been prodded by elements associated with the security establishment. I have argued in this column that the PTI protests were designed to weaken elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s hand vis-à-vis the security establishment and to position the latter as the arbiter of political disputes
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7
Military Courts: A Backwards March
at home and firmly in control of foreign policy. Discussing the military’s tutelary interventions, Professor Aqil Shah notes in his recent book, The Army and Democracy, “Whether a military has actually internalized the norm of political neutrality or adheres to it only conditionally is particularly revealed during political crises.” Professor Shah accurately writes that while the military has not intervened overtly, “its institutional behavior between 2008 and 2013 reveals that it reserves the right to abandon its declared political aloofness and intervene in governmental affairs whenever the high command determines that the civilian government is not acting properly, and that its actions or performance are undermining political stability, military institutional autonomy and national security. The military’s tutelary mentality has since reasserted itself in its efforts to arbitrate political conflict, exercise oversight of the government, preserve its corporate autonomy and skirt the rule of law.” The manufactured political crisis in 2014 sprang directly from the establishment being gung ho about retaining this tutelary role; the tragedy at APS Peshawar provided it with an excuse to try to legitimize its interventions. The
way the military leadership has been openly calling the political shots and virtually presiding over meetings — held on military premises — with elected representatives has lifted the fig leaf that was in place from 2008 to 2013. Like the national security disasters from the 1971 Dacca
It is certainly parliament’s prerogative to amend the Constitution but truncating fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial and judicial due process by introducing anomalies in the Constitution is not the way to go about exercising that privilege
debacle to the 2011 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the security establishment has skirted accountability for the APS tragedy. However, unlike 1971 and 2011, the massacre at the APS did not even entail an inquiry. Instead, the blame has been diverted to the judiciary. Ironically, a slew of hangings have been carried out over the
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last couple of weeks punishing the terrorists who had been convicted through the same judicial system over the last several years. No civilian leader deemed it necessary to point that out or that the military courts are not the antiterrorism panacea they are being sold as. As a Pashto adage goes: “Sa jranda wurana aw sa danay lamday” (The mill may be faulty but the oats are wet too). The military establishment is certainly used to getting its way but a pliable political leadership too has clearly failed to protect its rightful domain. If the PML-N government, like its predecessor the PPP, thinks that appeasement would get it off the hook, it is in for a rude awakening. Those who called off the PTI’s protests are likely to unleash them again soon. Sadly, the PML-N’s crumbling set off a domino effect within parliament. The MQM and the PPP were next to fall in line on the military courts issue, honorable exceptions among its parliamentarians notwithstanding. The Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Awami Party (PMAP), with their limited parliamentary presence, were unlikely to take on the military establishment once the others had been cowed down. Ironically, proestablishment parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat-i-Ulemae-Islam (JUI-F) and the PTI weaseled their way out of voting for the military courts on one pretext or the other while the PML-N, PPP, ANP, PMAP and MQM were left holding the bag. Abraham Lincoln once said: “I walk slowly but I never walk backwards.” The Pakistani polity unfortunately marched backwards and that too on the double. The gains of the last six years in civil-military relations were squandered within a matter of days. Where a firm, proactive leadership was needed to provide alternatives — through urgently reforming the existing justice system — to the proposed military courts, politicians opted to roll over and play dead. Not as much as a clause to protect minors from being tried in the summary military courts was proposed. The haste shown in defacing the Constitution is bound to haunt the democratic COURTS, P26
OPINION
P8 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Bad for Business: India’s White Elephant Kashmir - 2 n By Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai
U
Washington, DC
ltimately the referendum in Scotland was held in a peaceful manner, and the people decided according to their own free will not to be an independent nation. This was undoubtedly a victory for democratic principles and universal values. The people of Kashmir do not want anything more than that. They want the same principle to be equally applicable to Kashmir. Let the people decide.
They want a transparent, free and fair election, devoid of rigging, manipulation and external coercion. They do not want the interference of either army, be it Indian or Pakistani. They want the demilitarization of Kashmir on either side of the Ceasefire Line before the referendum takes place. The people of Kashmir want what was promised to them by both India and Pakistan and agreed upon by the world community -- an election where the people of Kashmir are free to exercise their right to self-determination, i.e., whether they want to be the part of India or Pakistan or want to become independent. The people of Kashmir want what Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the founding Prime Minister of India, wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on November 21, 1949, “I have repeatedly stated that as soon as peace and order have
been established, Kashmir should decide of accession by Plebiscite or referendum under international auspices such as those of United Nations.” What is good for goose should be good for the gander. If it is up to the people of Scotland to decide, as the Indian foreign minister says, then it should be up to the people of all zones of Jammu & Kashmir to decide as well. All neutral reporters who have visited Kashmir say that the word referendum is common on the lips of Kashmiris and it stirs up excitement among them. Professor Richard Price, a well-known British historian says, “If Kashmir somehow secured a vote for its independence, the people would probably vote to secede.” Yes, probably, but one thing should be clear: whatever the outcome of the referendum –- be it India, Pakistan or independence -provided it is conducted, monitored and supervised by an internationally neutral agency, it must be binding and must be acceptable to all parties – India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership. On Sunday November 9, 2014 Catalans, like the Scots, also voted in a referendum for independence from Spain. These are two instances in which people believed that their own uniqueness deserved not only autonomy but sovereignty. Both countries have a form of “devolved” government in which they have some control over their affairs. And while the Scottish referendum had legal force and recognition, the Catalonian referendum did not and was
officially banned by the central government and its courts. Undoubtedly, with more than 80% voting in favor of independence, the matter will be given greater attention by Spanish authorities. Nevertheless, both proceeded without violence
an effort to hold a plebiscite would probably be executed on charges of sedition by the government. The mere mention of the word independence is likely to get you shot by troops who may use their own discretion to decide whether or not you
India needs greater allocation of its resources to solving its internal problems of poverty, disease and corruption. Allowing a peaceful resolution to this long festering problem with Kashmir would be a bold step toward that goal or relative interference from the central government. The balloting was conducted peacefully, which allowed people to voice their opinions without fear of reprisal. However, in Kashmir, which now, at least in theory, supposedly enjoys a semi-autonomous status as well, and has a several decadesold tradition of demanding a referendum, anyone who makes such
are a threat to the integrity of India’s claim over that territory. Arundhati Roy, the Booker prize-winning novelist of India, faced sedition charges in 2010 simply because she said, “The disputed territory of Kashmir is not an integral part of India.” Yet, in acquiring such control after a war with Pakistan, India agreed in 1948 to allow such a plebiscite or referendum to take place. It has never hap-
pened. Kashmir and India share a common heritage, and yet both have their own unique qualities which make them different. Just as siblings have differences that demand that each be given their own private space, Kashmir and India are similar. Were India to allow Kashmir its independence, both sides would be much more accepting of their differences, and both might share in the cultural and economic values that both have to offer in a marriage of mutual cooperation that supports each other’s identity. Today, only divorce is on the table. It was for the very same reasons that when Britain gave India her independence that Pakistan was created as a separate country to give both Hindus and Muslims their own unique cultural identity and space. Kashmir was somehow caught in the middle, and was illegally acceded to India by its Maharajah against the wishes of its people and in violation of the rules governing the Partition of India with the breakup of the British Indian empire. However, there is still great opportunity for peace in Kashmir, but it cannot occur unless the people of Kashmir are permitted to have their own identity and chart their own course. The referendum in Scotland outlines the ideal path for that to take place. Fundamentally it is a win-win solution for both India and Kashmir, and peace might finally come to the Ceasefire Line with Pakistan. India needs greater allocation of its
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OPINION
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9
n By Karamatullah K. Ghori Toronto, Canada
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o the easier part is done. The parliament, by near-consensus, has approved the 21st amendment to the constitution paving the way for military courts to deal with crimes of terrorism with alacrity. The stage is set for a terrorism-haunted and psychologically-beleaguered Pakistan to take the battle to the enemy threatening to undo its integrity.
Now Deliver, Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif couldn’t have asked for more. The nation, at least for now, seems to have conceded to him the leadership role. That’s sensible of the people and political parties. Nawaz owes it to Imran Khan who made this possible by suspend-
ing his Dharna. Imran had Nawaz on the ropes. One more blow on his jaws and the gutless PM would’ve thrown in the towel. But Imran put the nation above himself, above his party and everything else he and his comrades had so steadfastly pursued the past four months. He realized that it was no time for politicking. A nation on the brink of disaster had to be pulled back from the brink. So he relented to rally around the government for the sake of Pakistan. The catalyst for the sea-change in Nawaz and his lackluster coterie of knaves and poltroons was, without doubt, the tragedy of Peshawar’s Army School. The mayhem of 134 innocent children was a trauma beyond anybody’s bearings, least of all a wounded nation like Pakistan. So it would be out of sync with popular sentiment to give the credit for the extraordinary bonhomie seen in the National Assembly of Pakistan on January 6— the day the 21st constitutional amendment was passed. It wasn’t that political parties were all of a sudden touched by evangelic sentiment and decided to coalesce under the government’s banner. Their hands were forced, as was the government’s hand, by the groundswell of public support for the battle to be taken to the murderers who’d the gall to snuff out so many innocent lives in one barbaric act of terrorism. Who could’ve imagined, otherwise, that a lackadaisical man like Nawaz—known for his laid-back style of governance—would be so robustly jogged into action as to let the murderers of innocent children know—in no uncertain terms, at that—that he’d be chasing them to every nook and cranny of Pakistan and hunt them down with no mercy. All credit to Pakistan’s civil society that has been given a hefty shot in its arm by the trauma of Peshawar. They have finally come to realise the importance of their role as a catalyst of change. For the first time in decades they have been awakened not only to their pivotal role in a democratic polity but also to their responsibility of overseeing the performance of the government saddled in power with their votes. With the passage of the 21st amendment to constitution the easier part is done for both the people and their leaders. The harder part should now begin without further ado. It’d be a test for both the rulers and the ruled. The civil society of Pakistan owes it to the legacy of those 134 children—who galvanized them into a force to be reckoned with—to stand in guard over the government and make sure that the mandate handed to it is carried out to the people’s highest expectations. Nawaz, of course, has the heavier weight to pull.
Cartoon courtesy Daily Times, Lahore
He and his bumbling minions have always had this fetish for a ‘heavy mandate.’ They used to glibly talk of it even when they didn’t have it. Now they have it in the truest sense of the word. Not that they earned it on their merit. They owe it to the sheer coincidence of the sea-change in the national narrative triggered by the trauma of Peshawar. A nation at war has reluctantly conceded to the time-tested wisdom that you don’t change horses in mid-stream. Ordinarily a nation at war doesn’t change its leader unless there’s a Winston Churchill around as handy replacement for a failure Chamberlain. Nawaz pretty much behaved like Chamberlain in his failed attempt to appease and placate the murderous Taliban. They didn’t oblige him with peace, just as Hitler didn’t cater to Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement. So, now, Nawaz has the challenge of his life to
Imran had Nawaz on the ropes. One more blow on his jaws and the gutless PM would’ve thrown in the towel. But Imran put the nation above himself, above his party and everything else he and his comrades had so steadfastly pursued the past four months. He realized that it was no time for politicking. A nation on the brink of disaster had to be pulled back from the brink. So he relented to rally around the government for the sake of Pakistan prove himself as worthy of his nation’s trust in him as did Churchill to his people. One will have to be naïvely optimistic in the extreme to believe that Nawaz would hold a candle to Churchill, although Pakistan is, without doubt, as much into an existentialist war as was Britain in World War II. The predatory Taliban are as grave a peril for the future of Pakistan as were the Nazis to Britain’s. But let’s be honest to the man and his limited capabilities. He’s no Churchill and never could be. Despite that—and his limited visceral and intellectual credentials aren’t a secret to anyone—the nation has taken a big gamble by wagering its money on Nawaz and hoping—against hope, no doubt—that the weight of responsibility entrusted to him would do some magic and raise him to the minimum level expected of him. Pray, dear Pakistanis, and hold on to your optimism. You’d need it in droves as we go down the treacherous route that leads to the sanctuaries and
n By Mona Shadia Award-winning Egyptian-American journalist and writer
A
venged, they said?
The Prophet Muhammad was not avenged by the massacre of the 12 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The Prophet and the majority of Muslims around the world were betrayed by those who claim to hold Islam as their religion and use it for their own political gains. Shame on them. But I’ll tell you, those murderer terrorists sure do have something in common with the prophet. It is in the encounter between a victim and his oppressor. These terrorists are the prophet’s and Islam’s enemies. The
hide-outs of the Taliban. There would be bumps aplenty, en route and trap doors to devour us and dislodge us from the path that goes to the enemy’s heartland. What we will have to be most mindful of is the progress of the establishment on the road of taking the war to the cowards. We must keep a hawk’s eye out on the government, the leadership and all their paraphernalia to make sure they aren’t about to buckle or waver from the path charted for them. There’s one great thing going for both the nation and Nawaz. It’s the military establishment. They are fully on board with the people and the civilian setup in what General Raheel Sharif has rightly articulated as the nation’s war. It isn’t a secret that the military leadership has played a pivotal and critical role, behind the scene as well as upfront, in convincing the politicos of the
enemies who existed while he lived. The ones who would bully, attack and injure him. The enemies who would attempt to silence him. There’s something so ironic about that. I find it perplexing and sickening that there are people out there who think they can defend God and the prophet with violence. Like they need you?! The bottom line is that a person who is confident enough in their religious convictions and in who they are would never be moved by an offensive depiction of their faith figures. Disgusting. And not in my name. There’s an ongoing debate within the American Muslim community on whether or not Muslims should condemn such attacks in the
wisdom of people’s vociferous demand for transparent and quick justice meted out to terrorist criminals. It’s quite understandable that in the process of putting a sharp accent on the people’s demand the brass may have stepped on many a toes and twisted a few elbows, here and there. At least the brass was more alive to the popular sentiment than a foodie PM Nawaz. That brings up the issue of military courts trying terrorists and others of their ilk on a summary basis. The 21st amendment to the constitution has now made military courts an essential part of the justice system needed to bring terrorist criminal to book. There’s a lot of chest-thumping going around among the intelligentsia of Pakistan. The mourning, ostensibly, is for the constitutional role granted to military courts. Naysayers are ruing the passage of the 21st amendment as a “sad day” in the history of Pakistan. A pseudo democrat like Senator Raza Rabbani of PPP is shedding crocodile tears for having voted
Not in My Name name of Islam. There’s an argument that Christians and Jews and Buddhists never have to go out in full force and condemn acts done in the name of their respective religions.
The Prophet and the majority of Muslims around the world were betrayed by those who claim to hold Islam as their religion and use it for their own political gains Even though, like with the Paris massacre case, those who do twist and turn religious texts to justify these actions. There is an argument that in
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“against his conscience” when he endorsed his party’s decision to support the idea of military courts. He says he never felt so ashamed in his life before. What cheek Rabbani has in presenting himself as a man of conscience who has sacrificed so much of his moral probity in voting for the amendment. Surprising, isn’t it, that the man felt no pang of conscience when he served, for five long years, under the brazen Zardari? Let there be no issue on it that no democracy can be proud of military courts, even when checks and balances are built into the system—as in the 21st amendment—to guard against abuse of power by these courts. At the same time, there should be no misgiving on the fact that extraordinary circumstances have spawned this necessary and unavoidable ‘evil.’ No one would’ve given a second thought to the need for military courts had our regular system of justice delivered to the people’s expectations of transparent and agile justice. But a corrupt and moth-eaten judicial and bureaucratic setup dashed all such expectations. The archaic, time-consuming and translucent system of justice dashed all hopes that it would deal with the scourge of terrorism as desired by the people. There’s, of course, no guarantee that military courts would be an ideal—or even most efficient—substitute for regular judicial system known to the people. But the people’s faith is riding on them, and faith under the extraordinary circumstances that Pakistan is grappled with is a great asset to hold on to. Yes, the intelligentsia has a right to be skeptical and suspicious of the military’s ingress into the civilian domain. The Pakistanis have lingering bitter and unsavoury taste in their mouth of the military inroads into politics. It isn’t unnatural at all for a people bitten once too often by Bonapartes to be shy and wary of them in any garb or disguise. However, there’s a huge qualitative difference between the unfolding discourse and past narratives. In the past, military adventurers had burst on to the scene at the cost and expense of democratic leaders. This time around it’s the democratic leaders themselves who have asked the military to lend them a helping hand to deal with a menace too heavy and cumbersome to be dealt entirely on the civil side of the court. The army hasn’t invited itself into the equation but asked by the democratic dispensation for help. The military courts ushered in under the new scheme have an expiry date: two years, and no more. The Cassandras and the Jeremiahs are sneering at this façade of military courts shelf-life too. They are reminding the people and politicos that General Ziaul Haq had presented himself to the people as a 90-day referee but stayed on for 11 long years. So, they argue, don’t be tricked by the ‘best-before’ time syndrome. They have a point, but not quite. Ziaul Haq’s promise was a Bonaparte’s word. This shelf life is mandated by the highest law of the land. Have faith in those who have passed this law. More than anybody else they, the law-makers, are conscious of it that they shouldn’t let the khakis poach on their turf indefinitely. Military courts may not be an idea whose time has come. But it’s an idea worth experimenting. By the same token, Nawaz Sharif is not Churchill. But Pakistan at war can’t dump its Chamberlain for the simple reason that there’s no Churchill around. There in is Nawaz’ chance of a lifetime to prove that he isn’t totally gutless, after all. - K_K_ghori@hotmail.com (The writer is a former ambassador and career diplomat)
condemning these acts we are admitting that it is done on behalf of Islam, that we are responsible and we are attaching guilt and shame to ourselves and Islam. There is an argument that the West has much more to apologize for its acts of genocide and war in the Middle East and other places. There’s an argument that in expecting Muslims to apologize, we are subjugated by the West and held in a catch-22 scenario of having to apologize, even though these acts have nothing to do with our religion. And then there are those who argue that we Muslims must condemn these actions, not to please anyone but to remain proactive and in charge of our destiny. This is the side of argument to which I belong. I simply condemn these acts
out of my Islamic religious convictions, which teach me that I should speak out against injustice. All forms of injustice, and that I do. There’s a certain pain that I feel when I watch as my religion is being run through the ground by loud ruthless voices who take all the headlines. If I’m able to counter that, by my actions before my words, I will always do it. I do not care whether Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists or any other group condemn or not condemn acts of terrorism in their name. I do not care whether the word terrorism has unjustly become exclusive to Muslims by the media and islamophobes. I, a Muslim, am responsible for making sure my religion is portrayed factually, not to please anyone, but to be true to myself and my religion. I am responsible because it is what my religion teaches me.
OPINION
P10 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Education in Pakistan: Building More Schools to Combat Extremism n Madiha Waris Qureshi
E
ight years ago, I briefly held what was perhaps the best job in Pakistan. I was the documenter of good news.
You see, good news has become bit of a rarity in Pakistan. After being ravaged by a violent surge in militancy, widespread violations of women and minority rights, and paralyzing political impasse, in December Pakistanis faced what was probably the hardest-hitting tragedy yet: 132 families in Peshawar buried their children following the attack on a military-run school. It was a heart-breaking epilogue to 2014 for Pakistani children, who have seen about 1,000 schools closed by the Taliban in recent years. In 2006, I began working for a young nonprofit that built schools for Pakistan’s most impoverished communities, many of which had never even seen a government-run “ghost” school before. Part of my job was to write down the stories of the children in these schools for Pakistani civil society members take part in a vigil for the students and teachers killed in their school by the use in our fundraising campaigns. Taliban I heard parents’ stories, too. The mothers, who were mostly illiterate, captivated me with to drink water in the same cups as the Hindu cle of poverty. I am reminded of the children of their faith in education as the only thing that children. They said they had been instructed the Karachi slum Machar Colony, whose only would save their children from repeating the by their parents to do so. The principal tackled other option, if not school, was to be recruited cycle of poverty. The kids were often enrolled this the only way she knew how: her staff made by criminal gangs or an extremist sectarian orinto school after having already spent years sure there were no separate cups for anyone. ganization with deep roots in the community. on the neighborhood streets, or worked long They then calmly explained to the children But, openly shunning those options, there was why such discrimination was wrong and soon the 10-year-old epileptic boy who would walk hours at odd jobs to support their families. And yet, each one of them retained a posiThe response to this movement – led by civil society and independent of the tivity about the future that was almost inexplicable to me. Perhaps it was due to the dogged Pakistani government – has been palpable. It received individual commitments teachers who juggled multiple roles of mento build four of the schools in just the first three days, and at least 16,000 people tor, family counselor, even nurse in the case of around the world have pledged their support. TCF believes it can reach the children in one Karachi community who came target in three years, which is likely given its record of building 70 to a 100 to school each morning with battered fingers schools a year. The first school will open its doors in 2015 after spending their nights cleaning shrimp for a seafood company. But of all the stories that I heard that year, their students shed values borne out of long- several miles in the scorching summer heat it is one from a school in Daharki that haunts held ignorance and began mingling with the to his school and wanted to be a scientist, the me today after one of the worst years ever for Hindu children. school maid’s son teaching his illiterate mother Pakistan’s minorities comes to an end. This is just one tiny example of the enor- how to read, and the thousands of young girls The city had a sizeable Hindu minority mous impact of a good education and educa- planning to become the first women in their living in relative isolation from the majority tor. Apart from cleansing minds of hatred and families to ever graduate school. Muslims. The principal told me that when the bigotry, education can also trigger ambition Of course, even back then, Pakistan was school first opened, the children would refuse that is often the first thing to dissolve in the cy- on a path to pervasive radicalization. The at-
tack in Peshawar is yet another nail in Pakistan’s coffin, cynical residents and pundits alike will tell you today. But people who work with its children every day and see them grasp the potential they were born with – are seeing things differently even today. The Peshawar attack reflects a ubiquitous problem of extremism finding easy victims among a growing population of disenfranchised youth failed by a grossly underfunded and mismanaged education system. It is also disingenuous to separate Pakistan’s education problem from the unbridled growth of radicalism in its most neglected regions. In the wake of the Peshawar attack, a web movement to build 141 new schools across Pakistan – one in the memory of each victim – went viral. The Citizens Foundation (TCF), my former employer in Karachi, has committed to build all the schools. It needs to raise $21m (£14m) to build the schools. The response to this movement – led by civil society and independent of the Pakistani government – has been palpable. It received individual commitments to build four of the schools in just the first three days, and at least 16,000 people around the world have pledged their support. TCF believes it can reach the target in three years, which is likely given its record of building 70 to a 100 schools a year. The first school will open its doors in 2015. This is just one initiative, but perhaps the best tribute possible to the students and teachers who were giving and receiving the one thing that directly undercuts the criminal ignorance that took their lives. Pakistan can beat extremism but it cannot do it without reforming its broken education system; breathing life in each one of its ghost schools; rewriting the national curriculum to reflect progressive and tolerant values; and putting every single child into school. Nelson Mandela told us, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” It won’t be the first time. (Madiha Qureshi is a development communications professional. She formerly worked with the Citizens Foundation in Karachi)
Islam Is Actually a Feminist Religion: Five Myths about Islam n By Rabah JTL
T
oday, society’s most prominent ills are frequently attributed to Islam. Islam’s own view is then dismissed. Given the daily misfortunes we witness, the urge to have a catch-all blame name is understandable. However, that does not mitigate the absurdity of this practice.
Gender discrimination is one of the most overwhelming and ill-founded allegations used to discredit Islam. Yet gender discrimination does not actually exist in Islam — I know, bold claim. To prove this, below are five popular myths (gathered from Facebook, my informal pollster) which perpetuate this gross stereotype. Each will be addressed in turn, with reference to evidence-based analysis. The purpose of this article is not to enforce any ideology. Rather, it is to correct entrenched misconceptions by use of objective facts. Myth 1: “Islam practices FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)” There is no evidence to corroborate this from within Islam or otherwise. According to UNICEF, Ethiopia and Nigeria total 43.7 million out of 125 million FGM cases in the 29 countries studied. That is two of the oldest Christian states already accounting for 35% of victims. FGM is evidently rooted in the central African culture. It is a regional practice, not a religious one.
Myth 2: “Muslim women are not allowed to receive education. Muslims are taught against Science” Islam specifically encourages education and the pursuit of knowledge — be it in research or study. “[20:114] … And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge.” Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 74: “Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim.” The word “Muslim” is inclusive of both men and women. In fact, this notion of education is so strong in Islam that Muslims are required to question the Qur’an itself: “[38:29] … (They) may ponder over its Verses, and that those of understanding would be reminded.” This is not lost in practice. Fatima al-Fihri, a Muslim woman in the 9th century, was responsible for establishing the world’s very first University (in existence to this day as the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fes, Morocco). Myth 3: “A wife at home has no right to any property, financial security, or to work; if she asks for a divorce, she must return her dowry and has no rights” The earliest notion of women owning property in Europe was by way of laws passed in the 1860s onward known as the “Married Women Property Acts.” French women had to wait until 1938 to be able to enter a contract. 1,300 years before that, Islam gave women the right to own property, work, and material entitlements for the sake of independence. Islam respects a woman’s right to financial security. Women are entitled to a limitless personal dowry upon marriage (“gift”), irrevocable in divorce or disagreement. This is in
contrast to many Asian cultures where men receive the dowry. A woman also has the right to keep her last name, property she owned prior to marriage, and any income earned during marriage. Her property is recognized as hers alone rather than “for the household” or “for the man.” If a divorcee has children, she is entitled to child support. Islam is aware of the bitterness which can accompany divorce and preempts it: “[2:231] When you divorce women, and they reach their prescribed term, then retain them in kindness and retain them not for injury so that you transgress (the limits) …” Therefore, instead of a religion which oppresses women in material matters, Islam seeks to safeguard and empower them. Myth 4: “Women are overlooked — they have no say nor importance in Islam. If they dare to interject, they will be criminalized.” More than half of Islam comes from a woman. ‘Aisha (RA) narrated over two thousand Hadith (major source of guidance for Muslims) and is noted for teaching eminent scholars. No other major religion ordains a female as an authority used to cite religious virtues. Much less, a figurehead who exerted influence on men and women, while residing over them in politics, society, and inspiration. The Prophet’s first wife Khadijah (twice widowed before) was a businesswoman, one of the wealthiest in Arabia. Khadijah (RA) was the first woman to accept Islam. To disregard a woman in Islam, is to disregard the consideration given to them through Islam. Even 1,400 years ago, there
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were women more outstanding than their male peers. To say women should not “dare to interject”, when 1.5 billion Muslims across the world look to a woman’s work in guidance of their faith, is neither logical nor sane. Myth 5: “Showing disrespect to a woman is fine — a man’s status is higher than her’s” The Qur’an explicitly refutes this countless times. “[3:195] Their Lord responded to them: “I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do, be you male or female — you are equal to one another.” “[4:124] As for those who lead a righteous life, male or female, while believing, they enter Paradise; without the slightest injustice.” “[49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another.” At a time when equal rights between tribes was unthinkable, let alone between men and women, the Qur’an would constantly reinforce this notion of equality The global attitude towards women at this time was disastrous. The West held councils to decide whether women had “souls” and regarded them as objects to be bought and sold. Practically the same situation existed in Arabia. Considering this, for a religion to envisage that a mother has “Paradise beneath her feet” was radical in its justice. Let alone that “Daughters are a blessing: they are kind, helpful, good companions, blessed, and like cleanliness,” or to teach that men must “Dwell with their wives in kindness for even if you MYTHS, P26
PAKISTAN
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P11
General Raheel Greets APS Students as School Reopens after Winter Vacation
COAS General Raheel Sharif greets schoolchildren as classes recommence at the Army Public School in Peshawar
Peshawar: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Monday morning visited the Army Public School, Peshawar – target of the December 16 attack – as it reopened after an extended winter break, Radio Pakistan reported. The vacations, in schools across the country, were extended for 12 days in the aftermath of the Taliban attack on the Army Public School (APS) that killed 150 people in Peshawar. The COAS, along with his wife, met the schoolchildren and their parents at the entrance of the armyrun school. DG ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted about the army chief ’s visit: Psr:Begum & Gen #Raheel join students in mrng assembly. Lab pe aati ha dua-solidifies our soul. Standing proudly to sing national anthem Shahrukh Khan, a teenage victim – shot in both legs –told AFP
that he had lost 30 of his friends and that he will have mixed feelings sitting in an empty class. “I have lost 30 of my friends. How will I sit in the empty class, how will I look towards their empty benches?” he told AFP before the school reopened. “My heart has been broken. All the class fellows I had, have died. Now my heart does not want to attend school,” he added. Another survivor, Zahid Ayub, said he was not scared to attend his school. “I will go and will tell the attackers, we are not afraid of you,” he added. At least 20 soldiers were seen at the main entry point of the APS in the morning, with an airport-style security gate installed at the front. Elevated boundary walls with steel wire fencing were also put in place around Peshawar and in schools throughout the rest of the
country. Parents spoke of having to sit down with their children and mentally prepare them for their return to the school, which has undergone a complete renovation to remove all traces of the bloody attack. “He was terrified but we talked him up. We cannot keep him imprisoned between four walls and we must stand against militancy,” Muhammad Zahoor said as he walked his son along the city’s main Warsak Road. “I want to go to school to see my friends. I will join the army after my schooling and will take revenge,” said Muhammad Zaid, his son. Survivors recounted Taliban gunmen moving from room to room hunting for students and teachers. Sometimes the militants toyed with them and pretended they would let them go, before lining them up and shooting them in front of their peers.
Imran Warns of Launching ‘Dharna Convention’ if Demands Not Met Islamabad:
Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaaf (PTI) on Monday warned the government of launching a street movement in the country if an empowered judicial commission is not constituted to probe allegations of rigging in the 2013 general elections. Addressing the media in Islamabad, PTI chief Imran Khan announced to hold a ‘dharna convention’ on January 18 to unveil his party’s next strategy. “I will announce my future course of action on January 18,” he said. “Come what may… we will come out on the streets if a fair investigation under an empowered judicial commission of the 2013 polls is not initiated.” Imran said the PTI sit-in at DChowk had ended in the wake of the Peshawar attack, but added that they would continue the protest if their demands were not met. Commenting on an inquiry report on vote verification of NA-122, the PTI chairman said the commission has pointed out that there were 34,376 bogus votes in total. “…moreover, 128 polling stations did not have Form 14 and Form 15,” he said, adding that voting bags were not sealed in 28 polling stations, which is a violation of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rules. The PTI chief argued that Pakistan’s judicial system was such that one could come into power through rigging, without any accountability. “Can a common man get justice in the existing judicial system?” he asked. Imran said National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has been hiding behind stay orders because he knew about rigging, and that he would be de-seated if there was a fair investigation. He alleged that the ROs and presiding officers during the 2013 general elections were backed by the then caretaker government. “Weren’t they (ROs, presiding officers) present when the people’s mandate was being stolen,” said Imran. “Who was behind them…?” Imran added that even electoral reforms won’t work till those who rigged the 2013 polls were held accountable. PTI leaders Jahangir Tareen and Shah Mehmood Qureshi accompa-
nied the PTI chief. He also said those involved in vote rigging should be charged under Article 6 of the Constitution. “The people responsible for rigging the vote are the enemies of the state and should be punished for it,” he said.
Centcom Chief Discusses Regional Security Islamabad: General Lloyd J. Austin
Commander United States Central Command (Centcom) called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi Monday, according to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, including bilateral defense cooperation and the overall regional security situation with special emphasis on Afghanistan, came under discussion. The Centcom chief lauded the sacrifices rendered by the Pakistan Army in the war against terror and operational gains in Zarb-i-Azb, which have resulted in an effective degradation of terrorist networks. Earlier, on arrival at the GHQ, Gen Lloyd J. Austin laid a floral wreath at Yadgare-e- Shuhada to pay tribute to Pakistani martyrs. “General Lloyd J. Austin III visited the Defence Ministry in Rawalpindi and held a meeting with Secretary Defence Lt.Gen (r) Alam Khattak,” a spokesperson for MOD told Dawn. During the meeting, General Lloyd J. Austin III offered condolences over the Peshawar tragedy and praised Pakistan’s role in the war against terror. The Centcom chief had arrived in Pakistan on a two-day official visit and was due to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday. Defence sources told Dawn that General Lloyd J. Austin III was visiting Pakistan to assess the latest security situation in the region in the wake of the Dec 16 Taliban attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School, which left 150 people dead, including more than 140 schoolchildren, and to strengthen coordination between Pakistan and Nato forces in the post-US drawdown situation in Afghanistan.
Imran and Reham Khan Break Bread with Madrassa Students
n By Sammar Abbas
Islamabad: A day after an intimate
marriage ceremony which garnered hysterical media coverage, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his better half, journalist Reham Khan on Friday drove to Mufti Saeed’s madrassa to distribute food to children. With Imran in the driving seat, the couple pulled up at the madrassa, to meet and share a meal with Mufti Saeed and the students. Due to the recent Peshawar tragedy, Imran had decided against having a grand Valima ceremony and chose to distribute food to less privileged children. Shireen Mazari earlier told Dawn, “Imran is in no mood to celebrate after the Peshawar tragedy.” She added, “This is not a time to celebrate.” While speaking to the media
from the madrassa, Imran Khan mentioned that the wedding was planned for later, but due to ill-informed news going viral, he decided to go ahead with the wedding. “Getting married was not my plan right now, I thought I would do it after the 20th,” said Khan. “But because of the kind of stories that were spreading and ill-informed news about Reham Khan, I decided to get married sooner. So, I spoke to my children and got married,” he added. The PTI chairman also said that Pakistan should start a new tradition. Instead of spending huge amounts of money on weddings, people should make efforts to donate to the underprivileged. On behalf of Imran Khan, PTI Imran and Reham Khan decided against having a grand valima and chose to share food with the less privileged children of a representatives also distributed food madrassa to orphans at a Sweet Homes centre in the capital. night, a school during the day for centre is a project of Pakistan Bait-ul- Pakistan. The children are from Dera With 30 centres in 28 cities, both boys and girls and is home to Maal to provide a home for children Bugti, Kashmir, Bannu and various Sweet Homes is a hostel for boys at 3,400 kids across the country. The affected by militancy in Northern parts of North Waziristan. - Dawn
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PAKISTAN
P12 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Karachi Heats up with Several Deaths in Target Shootings
Karachi: Gunmen killed two doc-
tors, a lawyer and an Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat cleric in the city on Saturday, as violence flared in the port city. An office-bearer of a religious party and a lawyer were killed in separate violence incidents on Saturday. Abdul Hakeem alias Siddiq, 40, who was said to be associated with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, was shot and injured by two unidentified motorcyclists near 24-Market in Baldia Town. He was rushed to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) for treatment but succumbed to his injuries. According to rescue sources, Hakeem was the district president of his party in Baldia. Meanwhile, lawyer Malik Tanveer was shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in his car while he was on his way with his wife near 23rd Street in DHA. The body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC) for medico-legal formalities. The killer managed to flee from the spot. SSP South Tariq Dharejo said the slain lawyer had received two bullets on his chest and his mobile phone was missing. A case was lodged and police was investigating. Another three people – Asif, aged about 60, Farhan, 23, and Dilawar, 55, all residents of Lyari – were shot and injured by unidentified armed men near Moosa Lane in Lyari. They were shifted to CHK for treatment. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old girl was shot and injured by gunmen in
Decision to Establish Military Courts Has Saved Future Generations
Lahore: Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said that all political parties need to unite and together defeat terrorism in order to protect the future of Pakistan, Express News reported. Zardari, who is also the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman, told party workers at the Bialwal House in Lahore on Sunday that it was not the time to take decisions in haste. According to a statement, he said that despite differences, their party had extended support to the government over 21st amendment because they want to eliminate terrorism. He said that they were focusing on countering terrorism since elimination of terror was important for safety of the future generations. Zardari said that despite numerous attempts by many over the years, the PPP has prevailed because the party was a political entity, and not some company which could be dismantled. He said that due to security concerns, he was avoiding large
MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi addresses a press conference in Karachi
A victim of target shooting in Karachi
Baldia Sector 12. She was shifted to CHK for treatment. Three people including two doctors were gunned down in separate incidents of target killing within one hour, in various parts of the city on Saturday night. According to police, a doctor lost his life when gunmen showed up at his clinic in Paposh Nagar area of Nazimabad and opened fire on it. In a similar incident, armed assailants shot and killed one more doctor in Anarkali Bazar, another area of Nazimabad. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday announced
public gatherings. But, he assured supports that rallies will soon be staged in Faisalabad and KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Zardari also took a swipe at the Imran Khan, criticising the PTI-led administration in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, claiming ‘[Imran Khan] Niazi’s government’ had failed in the province. The former president also said that in the current situation, political parties along with state institutions need to work for reconciliation. Zardari said taking the oath of office during the tenure of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was necessary at the time and that one had to be realistic while making decisions. He said the PPP was the country’s largest political party and could not be weakened. He also announced that the PPP would hold rallies in KhyberPakhtunkhawa and other parts of Pakistan. Recently, the former president had said that his party would support the government’s counterterrorism measures, including the establishment of military courts. However, during Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary on December 27, 2014, Zardari had warned that under the new law on military courts one could not rule out the possibility of both him and Prime Minister Nawaz ending up behind bars. He later had mollified his stand by demanding assurances that the new law would not be used against “any political party, scholar or journalist”.
MQM Calls off Monday’s Strike in Karachi
to observe a countrywide day of peaceful mourning today (Sunday) in the wake of what it called murder of its activist in police custody in Karachi. MQM chief Altaf Hussain has also ratified the decision of the party’s Rabitta Committee which has appealed to the transporters and businessmen of Sindh to keep their activities suspended for a day in protest. It said protests will be staged across Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir
Asma Says 21st Amendment Suicidal Attack on Parliament
Karachi: The Muttahida Qaumi
Movement (MQM) called off a strike announced for Monday, as the party observed a day of mourning over the custodial death of an activist. Party chief Altaf Hussain directed the Rabita Committee to appeal to transporters and traders to resume activity and business by 5pm Sunday evening. The MQM leadership earlier Sunday announced an extension of protest till Monday and called for a strike in Sindh and mourning across the country. Party supporters gathered outside the Sindh Chief Minister House and demanded that Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah meet the families of the victims and order a probe into the killing. Party chief Altaf Hussain gave Shah a “15-minute deadline” to express solidarity with the grieving family members. On the chief minister’s failure to meet the deadline, MQM called off the protest and announced a strike call. Talking to reporters outside
the Chief Minister House, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said the party would conduct funeral proceedings of the dead worker Monday, while there would be a shutter-down strike in Sindh on Monday. Earlier, the Rabita Committee meeting had strongly condemned the “worst form of torture on party worker Faraz Alam in police custody”. Alam, an MQM party activist, had died Saturday in the Khokhrapar Police Station while under custody. Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon appealed to the MQM to review their strike call. Memon assured that the MQM’s demand of a judicial probe would be accepted, adding that the issues could be discussed through talks. The provincial information minister also said that the Sindh government would take action against those found guilty. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said that the MQM has the right to protest but they should not give strike calls.
Pakistani People Are Victims of Terror, Just Like People in Paris: Pentagon Lahore: Former president of Supreme Court Bar Association and chairperson of Friends group, Asma Jahangir, has termed the 21st amendment a suicide attack on parliament. She said the new legislation would have a serious impact on political discourse of the country. She was talking to the media on Saturday at the Lahore Judicial Complex where she had come to cast her vote in the Lahore Bar Association election. She claimed the parliamentarians were ‘blackmailed’ on the issue of military courts. Ms Jahangir said members of the parliament failed to question the reasons behind terrorism and to come up with a rational solution to curb the menace. Former dictator Musharraf also tried to establish military courts but failed to do so due to the strong opposition by the civil society. However, she regretted a democratic government itself delegated powers of the parliament to the military courts. When asked whether the ASMA, P29
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Washington, DC: A Pentagon spokesperson, while speaking of the common threat of terrorism to the US and Pakistan, said on Friday that “it is important to remember the Pakistani people have become and are victims of terrorism, just like the people in Paris are this week.” “It is for Pakistan to continue the fight against terrorism in its own interest as Pakistanis have been victims of terror,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby during a press briefing in Washington. He also said that the United States would continue to support Pakistan to eliminate the shared threat of terrorism, adding that military cooperation also continues to improve between the two countries. “And it’s a common threat, a common challenge that we all have to continue to work on together and to look for ways to improve that cooperation. I will also tell you that cooperation with Pakistan and Pakistani military in general continues to improve,” Kirby said. Responding to a question regarding Washington putting pressure on
Pakistan, Kirby said, “It’s not about us putting pressure on the Pakistani government. It’s about the Pakistani government continuing to address this threat in keeping with their best interests and the interests of their people.” “And it’s a shared threat, a shared challenge that we have, and we have maintained an interest in helping them deal with, and that will continue,” he added. Further regarding militant sanctuaries, Kirby said it has long been an issue of concern for them. “It’s long been a topic of discussion with our Pakistani counterparts.”
PAKISTAN
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
Fiery Bus-Tanker Collision Kills 62
Karachi: At least 62
people including women and children were killed early Sunday in southern Pakistan when their bus collided with an oil tanker, starting a fierce blaze which left victims burnt beyond recognition. Initial reports said the tanker was travelling on the wrong side of the road along a dilapidated stretch of highway, police said. It was the second crash involving major loss of life in Sindh in less than three months. Authorities transferred the remains to a local morgue after taking samples for DNA testing in order to identify them. Doctor Simi Jamali at Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital said another four passengers with minor injuries have been discharged. The bodies were “completely burnt and stuck to each other”, she earlier told AFP. The overloaded bus was en route to the town of Shikarpur from the southern port city of Karachi when the collision occurred. “I was sitting on top of the bus when I saw a tanker hit it, and a minute later it caught fire,” said Ikhtiyar Ali. “There were three of us on the roof of the bus. We jumped to the ground to save our lives when we saw the fire.” The tanker was carrying oil and a compressed natural gas cylinder was fitted in the bus, said Talib Husain, a relative of one of the victims. “After the collision the bus caught fire and, as a result, the CNG cylinder
Following the collision, the bus burst into flames with passengers still on board and the doors locked. Around half-a-dozen passengers, who were sitting on the roof of the bus, managed to jump to safety
exploded,” Husain said. “One passenger bravely smashed the window from inside and rescued his family while the bus was on fire.” Senior police official Rao Muhammad Anwaar said the bus “hit the oil tanker, which according to initial reports was coming in the wrong direction” and caught fire. “We are trying to ascertain if the driver of the oil tanker was solely at fault or whether the bus driver also showed negligence,” Anwaar said. Another senior police official, Aamir Shiekh said it appeared that the poor condition of the single-track road contributed to the accident. After that crash police blamed the poor condition of the road and the lack of warning signs and said they would investigate the government department responsible -- the first time such an investigation has been launched in the country. According to initial details, Al Shoaib coach (JB-1158), with nearly 60
passengers on board, was travelling to Shikarpur from Steel Town in Karachi. It was on the Kathor link road of the Super Highway when it collided with a tanker which was coming from the wrong side just after midnight. Following the collision, the bus burst into flames with passengers still on board and the doors locked. Around half-a-dozen passengers, who were sitting on the roof of the bus, managed to jump to safety. The bus driver, cleaner and the truck driver managed to save themselves as well. Two women, a man and a child were the only ones rescued from inside the bus. But as many as 40 passengers, including women and children, were burnt to death. A family of eight were also among those who were killed. So intense were the flames that the fire brigade had to be called out to put the blaze out. However, by the time the fire brigade put the
Remittances Hit $8.98b
flames out, the bus and the tanker had been completely gutted. Police officials said that their initial investigations show that the fire erupted due to the CNG cylinders on the bus exploding after the collision. Once the fire was put out, rescue workers tried to recover the bodies. They had to cut sections of the bus using heavy machinery to reach some of the bodies. Police officials claimed that fire tenders from Steel Town did not arrive on the scene quickly enough to put the flames out. While a fire official from the city’s Landhi fire station said that a tender was dispatched soon after they received a call. Witnesses said that the first fire tender reached the site nearly two hours after the incident took place. Five young and jobless friends who wanted to join the police force to support their families were burned alive in the passenger bus that collided with an oil tanker on Saturday night.
Pindi’s Sectarian Wounds Bleed again
A man is consoled by a relative as he uncontrollably bursts into sobs following the death of a family member
Rawalpindi: The suicide bomber ripped through the calm of Friday night. At the Imambargah Abu Muhammad Rizvia, located on the street leading from Chittian Hattian to Bhabra Bazaar, a group of over 100 Shia devotees were celebrating a milad - a function held to mark the birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). In Shia tradition, the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) birth anniversary is celebrated on the 17th of Rabiul Awal. The narrow streets and alleys of the Chittian Hattian neighborhood are congested, yet cozy. The closeness of the homes is a reflection of how tightly knit the community is. But in the aftermath of the suicide attack on Friday night, that same closeness turned into a nightmare for the imambargah’s immediate neighbors. The significance of this area is indicated by the fact that Allama Amin Shaheedi, a key Shia cleric and leader of the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) used to live next door to the imambargah that was attacked and only moved house a couple of years ago. Even as rescue workers tried to gain access to the site of the explosion, local first responders held them up. People were seen wheeling the injured out of the maze of alleys on stretchers and push carts, while others were on their phones, reassuring their loved ones they were safe. Angry locals insisted that the heinous act was a sectarian attack.
remittances amounting to $8.98 billion in the first half of 2014-15, which translate into a year-on-year increase of 15.26%, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan on Monday. Remittances amounted to $7.79 billion over the same six-month period of the preceding fiscal year. Pakistanis based in foreign countries sent home $1.58 billion last month, which was 19.88% higher than the remittances received in the preceding month of November.
Inflows from Saudi Arabia were the largest source of remittances in the first half of 2014-15. They amounted to $2.64 billion in July-December, up 20.24% from the same period of 2013-14. Remittances received in JulyDecember from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) increased 25.54% to $1.97 billion on a year-on-year basis. Inflows from the UAE registered the largest increase from any major remittance-sending country during the last six months. REMITTANCES, P29
PINDI, P29
ISI Chief, Afghan President Agree to Boost Anti-Terror Cooperation Islamabad: Inter-Services Intel-
Karachi: Overseas Pakistanis sent
This area, they said, had been the site of tensions in November 2013, when a standoff between the Taleemul Quran seminary and the Muharram procession resulted in full-blown riots in Rawalpindi. During the ensuing violence, seminary students had torched the nearby Chittian Hattian Imambargah on Nov 17, 2013. Ibne Rizvi, the custodian of the imambargah, is the brother of Aun Rizvi, a PTV employee who was assassinated in 1999 in a sectarian attack. Ibne Rizvi is also the local leader of the PPP dissident group, led by Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi. His wife was former MPA Raana Rizvi. The Chittian Hattian area is densely populated and located right next to the bustling Raja Bazaar. There are three imambargahs in the vicinity: the Imambargah Chittian Hattian, Imambargah Abu Muhammad Rizvia and the Imambargah Col Maqbool. “There is no doubt that it was a sectarian attack; all the victims were Shias,” said Azam Zaidi, who lives nearby. Shaukat Rizvi, who lives in the same lane where the imambargah was located, said that over the past three years, the imambargahs had been targeted consistently, but the government had not taken any action or made any arrests. He said that this was the third imambargah to be attacked over the past two years after the Imambargah
ligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar on Sunday met Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in Kabul and discussed ways to boost anti-terror cooperation, according to the Afghan Presidential Palace said. It was Akhtar’s third visit to Afghanistan since he assumed office in November 2014. He first travelled to Kabul just after taking charge as ISI chief, while in December he accompanied the army chief in the aftermath of the Peshawar school attack. “The President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani received Pakistan intelligence ISI chief Lt General Rizwan Akhtar in his office on Sunday,” the Presidential Palace said. “In the meeting both sides discussed ways to further strengthen joint efforts against terrorism and extremism,” the statement added. They also talked about peace and security in Afghanistan, Paki-
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It was General Rizwan Akhtar’s third visit to Afghanistan since he assumed office in November 2014
stan and the region, among other matters. A Pakistani security official confirmed the visit but refused to comment on the nature of the meeting. “The Afghan statement is enough and we will not add anything more,”
he said when approached to get the Pakistani version of the meeting. Pakistani and Afghan security officials have increased contacts following the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani in September. Last month army chief General Raheel and his Afghan counterpart General Sher Muhammad Karimi agreed that their commanders would begin meetings immediately to further coordinate cross-border security operations. Indicative of the growing military-to-military cooperation, Islamabad and Kabul reached an understanding to ‘reactivate’ border control centers to coordinate operations against militants. Two AfPak Border Coordination Centers will be revived at the border points of Torkham and Spin Boldak, officials and Afghan sources say. The Express Tribune has learnt military commanders of the two countries have increased interaction in recent weeks.
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PAKISTAN
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P15
With ‘Chaand Sitara’, Vital Signs and Junoon Greats Hope to Lift Pakistan’s Spirit
From left to right: Salman Ahmed, Junaid Jamshed and Shahi Hasan. The much anticipated reunion of Vital Signs and Junoon has finally taken a turn for the better, as former bassist for the band, Shehzad Hasan, released the teaser for ‘Chaand Sitaara’ on his official Facebook page
Karachi: Earlier in September, the bassist had tweeted a photo which showed Shoaib Mansoor and Junaid Jamshed in a studio together. Former guitarist for Junoon, Salman Ahmad, had also shared similar news on his social media which hinted at an imminent reunion of the singers. On another account, Junaid had also promised a ‘national’ song for the people of Pakistan. The teaser which has voiceovers by Junaid Jamshed, Salman Ahmad and Shahi Hasan starts with images and videos from the past of both the bands performing and moves onto talking about the circumstance the country finds itself in. Narrating the journey toward ‘Chaand Sitara’, Jamshed says in the video: “It all started on one bright Eid day when all of us, me, Salman Ahmad, Shehzad Hasan and Shoaib Mansoor ... we all got together after years.” ‘Shahi’ says the experience brought back great memories from the past. “Seeing each other, hanging out with each other reminiscing the old times, it all brought back so many memories of the golden times of our country,” he says. “Of our youth, when we were naïve and hopeful when we used to get together to create music for Pakistanis and the whole country used to sing Dil Dil Pakistan or Jazba Junoon with us,”
Salman adds. In ‘Chaand Sitaara’, the melodious voice of Junaid Jamshed with Salman Ahmad’s promises to lift the spirits of a nation witnessing turbulent times. Responding to questions over email, Salman who is currently in New York, said that he is very hopeful about the song. “Pakistanis are yearning for peace, hope, courage and unity. ‘Chaand Sitara’ seems to have hit the right chord without even being released as yet.” Giving details about ‘Chaand Sitara’, Salman explained, “I had composed ‘Chaand Sitara’ in 2011 when Shoaib Mansoor wrote lyrics to it. During the 2014 summer I was recording new songs for Junoon 25 at Shahi (Shehzad Hasan’s) studio in Karachi when on Eid, all four of us met after a very long time. Junaid heard Chand Sitara and wanted passionately to be a part of paying tribute to Pakistanis. “Shahi produced it from scratch. He made four different arrangements of it. When the horrific December 16, Peshawar tragedy took place, we felt we needed to express our grief by doing something positive. Shahi came up with the brilliant idea of a self-narrated ‘rockumentary’ on Chand Sitara. It’s now racing to a million views in less than 10 hours.” Shehzad Hasan also had similar views. “The response is beyond our ex-
pectations. As true Pakistanis we are just doing our job without any expectations.” Shehzad also assured that of future ventures. “Of course. People will see more ventures like this in future. This is for Pakistan first. No religion, cast, race or politics comes before our motherland. We all are united for the sole reason.” Salman strongly believes that the song will lift the spirits of people: “Culture unites what politics divides. When General Zia-ul-Haq was in power, Dil Dil Pakistan raised the spirits. During the cricket World Cup, Jazba Junoon again united the country. Now it seems that the history is repeating itself. Chaand Sitara is urging Pakistanis to shine like the sun and become the light.” Pre viously, he had also said that he would like a Junoon reunion in 2015, on its 25th anniversary. “Well, its Junoon’s 25th anniversary in August, I’ve already spoken to Ali and Brian and told them that my door is always open for them.” SPIRIT, P29
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Reham Khan: From Hazara to Bani Gala Mansehra:
Reham Khan became ‘naya Pakistan’s’ first lady today following nuptials with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. Reham, who hails from the Hazara Division, is a former BBC journalist and at present is a current affairs anchor for a private television channel in Pakistan. However, this is not the first marriage for the newlywed Reham. She was previously married to her first cousin Ejazur Rehman when she was just 19 years old. Her cousin and former husband was 33 at the time. Her first marriage ended five years ago after the couple developed differences over Reham’s job at the BBC, according to her family. Like Imran, Reham also has children from her previous marriage – three – all of whom live with their father in England. “As far as I know, Reham’s husband objected to her busy work routine,” one of her relatives told The Express Tribune. Imran’s new wife has been under heavy media scrutiny for the past few weeks over her marriage with the PTI chief. Interestingly, Reham’s real name is Reham Nayyar, and is the daughter of Dr Nayyar Ramzan who is from the Baffa village in Mansehra District. She belongs to the Lughmani branch of the Swati tribe. Another interesting fact is that the former civil servant and governor of the then North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Abdul Hakeem Khan, was her paternal uncle, Reham’s family revealed. Her father is a physician who moved to Libya in the late 1960s, and Reham was born in Ajdabiya on April 3, 1973. She has two sisters and a brother, and currently resides in Rawalpindi with her mother.
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WOMEN
P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015 WOMENS WORLD
By Samina Shaheen
S
o you are all dressed up wearing trendy jeans, a chic top and your favourite handbag, yet there is still something missing in your outfit. Do you know what every woman needs to complete a specific 'look'? Yes, you guessed it right; it's jewellery that we are talking about here. No outfit is complete without appropriate jewellery to go with it, be it weddings, a party or even a dinner with friends. Wearing jewellery is a must for all affairs. Go ahead and try it out. Add earrings to a simple lawn suit that you plan to wear to a lunch or to office and notice the change it will bring to your overall look. In fact, the impact of jewellery on one's attire is so strong that it can make or break your appear-
ance. Why do you think brides all over the world have been focusing on the jewellery they wear on the wedding for decades now? Since jewellery itself has become a fashion statement nowadays, You! has decided to take a look at the current trends. Relax, no need to steal your husband's credit card. The jewellery you buy does not necessarily have to be of real gold or diamonds. One can easily find fake jewellery to die for. All that is needed is the awareness of what's 'in' currently. The bigger the better Since the past few years, the trend of wearing big jewellery has caught the world by a storm. Even though there are still many women who prefer delicate and subtle jewellery, we highly advise them to give this trend a
JANUARY 16, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK
go. Start wearing a chunky necklace for starters. Once you get used to sporting big jewellery, nothing else will catch your fancy. The current trend however, is not to just go big, but to also wear jewellery with accentuating details and bright tones. This includes rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. For an even more diversified and creative option, you can look for pieces with big and colourful jewels. Oversized and graphically shaped finger rings are also a trend that has been noticed on runways all over the world. Other trends that can be adapted in statement jewellery are tribal inspired pieces, bandana necklaces and pendant earrings. Focus on the neck! Forget about watches, rings and earrings for a while because according to the current trend, what you wear around your neck matters the most. This season you can simply go crazy buying pendants and necklaces as long you know what exactly you must buy. Seen on the runway were elongated chains, metallic pendants, padlock necklaces and beads. Making a big comeback are chokers, coming with a big list of shapes and decorations including metallic details, plastic elements, bright and sparkling jewels, and even fur details. Floral pieces are a must have but can be worn with specific outfits only. Go gold We have always had to fight with ourselves to choose between silver or gold. Well, this season we won't have much difficulty making a choice because the colour golden is ruling the runway. You can go as creative as you want and choose numerous geometric shapes. Want to stand out from the crowd? Go ahead and add gems to your gold jewellery. You can go for as many coloured stones as you want. Jewellery galore Wondering where to buy trendy jewellery from? Fret not as there is a new jewellery brand 'Outhouse' in town that has unique blingy items to offer. The launching ceremony was recently held in Karachi with a spectacular event where many artists from the entertainment industry were in attendance. For those who don't know, 'Outhouse' was initially started
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by Sisters Sasha and Kaabia Grewal. The jewellery brand is a fusion of contemporary style and rich craftsmanship and is housed at multi brand boutiques in India, London and Dubai. The brand has been recently brought to Pakistan by Sana Hafeez Sheikh. For those who want to make a style statement with their jewellery, this brand is the way to go. The pieces are edgy and eclectic and will add an Avant Garde element to your outfit. The statement pieces are available in a myriad of colours, textures and stones, giving them a modern and bold appearance. Every single piece is clean, chic and classy and many of the ornaments are composed of Swarovski elements and semi precious stones like jade, quartz, lapis
and rose quartz. Adding to the reputation of the brand is the fact that many celebrities including fashionistas like Sienna Miller, Sonam Kapoor and many other Bollywood actresses often sport the jewellery created by the brand. Impressed yet? What are you waiting for? Go ahead and grab a piece of your favourite statement jewellery and stand out from the rest. Happy shopping!
COMMUNITY
Community Link
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19
Friday, January 16, 2015
VOL. 25/3 PAGE 23
egum PAGE 24
Revealing Tales from across the Border
From Poet to Political Prognosticator
25 Rabi ‘ul-awwal 1436 H
PAGE PAGE30 17
Meera’s Film Set for Nationwide Release
For news, updated round the clock, visit
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Muslims Hold Vigil with French Community in Sacramento
Glimpses of the vigil
VIGIL FROM P1
Before I proceed with this report some clarification is necessary here. The level of difficulty in writing about such activities has increased as it involves delving into sensitive areas for many people. So let us make one thing very clear. There is no way that we support or encourage ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or any other religious figure. Nor do we encourage anyone to engage in such activity. But much more alarming than the tasteless cartoons in Charlie Hebdo is committing murder to defend the Prophet’s honor. That act for all practical purposes is disgracing his name. Those involved in “freedom of speech” should certainly consider the sensitivities of people. And there are various ways that we can show our collective displeasure. But violence and mur-
der is not an acceptable response and it is from that point of view that this report is being written. The formalities of the vigil began with AMV Foundation National President Khalid Saeed thanking everyone for coming here and detailed the supporting organizations involved in putting the peace vigil together. “We are here to condemn this terrorist attack,” he said. He added that on his own behalf and on behalf of the AMV he condemns this act. He said that terrorism does not have a religion and that the people who did this are savages who have a savage agenda and towards that agenda they will kill anybody. One of the policemen killed in Paris was a Muslim by the name of Ahmed. Khalid also recognized vigil participants present on the occasion from Sacramento’s French community. He then asked a lineup of
speakers to come to the stage and introduce themselves before sharing their thoughts. Tom Hamilton from the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento (ICGS) spoke first. Tom said that this act in Paris has affected each one of us. He described Muslims as good and Godly loving people and that he has many friends from this community. He added that this {act of violence in Paris) is not who they are. He said that people who did this shame God. Imam Qasmi from the Downtown Sacramento Muslim Mosque next asked everyone to observe a moment of silence for the victims in Paris. He said that this is a very sad moment for everybody around the globe and he condemns this attack personally and on behalf of our community and offered his sincere condolenc-
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es to the families who lost their loved ones. He condemned the terrorist mindset and said that this (terrorism) is impacting Muslim countries (e.g. Pakistan) as well. This mentality is a totally sick mentality, he said. The religion of Islam does not endorse this. Former State Assemblymember (and we hope future State Senator) Mariko Yamada also said a few words. She said that she joined us here today with a heavy heart certainly, but also one who is proud to stand with the Muslim-American community of the greater Sacramento region. She added that it was important for all voices to come together on occasions like this, united in our common humanity. She said that it is important for us to hold up our pen here because this was also an attack on freedom of speech and on freedom of expression.
Chairperson of the SALAM Board Anne Kjemtrup said that this tragedy has hit all of us hard and then shared two surprises with us. She said that she herself had found both love (her Muslim husband) and Islam in France so this impacted her deeply. She then proceeded to share her grief with members of the French community present in fluent French! Danna Elneil representing CAIR (Sacramento Valley) said that her organization strongly condemns this act against the innocent victims in Paris. Tom Bhe of the local Asian organization APAPA also added his sentiments. Beatrice Hildebrand of the Alliance Française de Sacramento also touched many hearts here with her short delivery. Dr Irfan Haq, Chair of the COSVIO organization was VIGIL, P20
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P20 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Islamic Shura Council’s Annual Conference on March 21
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he Islamic Shura Council has announced that its annual conference and banquet will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Aptly titled, this year’s theme is; “Honoring the Past - Celebrating the Present - Shaping the Future.” By the grace of God, the Shura Council will celebrate its 20 year anniversary this year, says a press release. It adds: The conference will honor the pioneers of yesterday and the contributors of today while embracing those who are ready to receive the baton and keep the legacy of service alive in the decades to come. • We urge families to calen-
dar March 21st to celebrate our collective memories of the last two decades. • Tickets are now available online and we are pleased to welcome young Muslims to attend the conference for free with a valid student ID. • We invite the Masajid to plan and showcase their history and growth over these past two decades at the conference. For details please contact Br. Kalim Farooki at (951) 858-2358 orkfarooki@hotmail.com. • We also urge the community members to lend us any pictures that you may have of events and activities during these last two decades. We promise to return your pictures
after scanning them. This will help us put together a collage of memories for all of us. • We invite Muslim vendors and service organizations to showcase their products and services at this important event. The conference will honor the senior leaders along with those who are currently serving Muslim communities across Southern California. We have also invited a few guest speakers who will share their expertise about other communities from across the nation helping us chart our future decades, the press release concluded.
Consulate to Issue Ten-Year Validity Passport Los Angeles, CA: The Consulate Gen-
eral of Pakistan, Los Angeles has started issuing machine readable passports with a ten-year validity period, effective January 2, according to a press release. It states: Now applicants can avail this facility. On payment of normal fee of $83, the passports with the ten-year validity period shall be delivered in six to seven weeks. On payment of the urgent fee of $216 the passport will be delivered in two to three weeks. The service began with the consideration that people, from all the Mid and West Coast States, covering a distance of thousands of miles as far as Alaska, must travel to Los Angeles
VIGIL FROM P19
next and especially eloquent and detailed in his presentation. He said that on behalf of the Sacramento Muslim community he condemns the acts that have taken place in France. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, their loved ones and to the people of France. This is not the way of Islam, he added. There are two ironies here, he said. First, the radicals while shooting were using the words Allah Akbar which means God is most great which is what we use to pray or to celebrate happy occasions. And these criminals used the term while they were murdering these people! The second irony was that the victims were people who used their pen to write which is a gift from God. These criminals went out to destroy the people who used the pen. These are people whose understanding of faith we do not know. They have definitely never read or understood the Qur’an, he said. We have to stand up against them. Florin Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Co- President Andy Noguchi next said that he was glad to stand here with good people standing up for freedom, human life and peace. He added that
for issuance of their MRP passports, every five years on expiry of the documents. The procedure requires all applicants to come personally for photographs and fingerprints, therefore, the Pakistani community requested for is-
this attempt to terrorize us has had the opposite effect. It has united people. He said that he wanted to make it clear that this was not an attack by Muslims but an attack by evil, an attack by terrorists and that is our enemy. Looking back at his own family’s WWII JapaneseAmerican experience, he cautioned that we have to be careful to blame the people causing the problem and not the whole Muslim community, many of whom he counts as his close friends. Kazman Zaidi, President of the Sacramento Taxi Cab Union, Suzana Malik from the Ar Razzaq Food Bank (who has been feeding needy of the community since 2009) followed by two young girls (Usha and Ayesha), and this writer all took the opportunity to strongly condemn this act in France. Mrs. Durriya Syed who works at the Office of Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and is a Counselor at the Social Services Foundation said that her heart weeps for the victims and their families in France and that she stands in solidarity with all peaceful people-citizens of this world. She said that terrorism has no place in civil society. It destroys the very fabric of humanity
suance of passports which are valid for ten years in order to mitigate the travel costs and ancillary expenditures. The new Consul General, Mr Hamid Asghar Khan, after taking charge of his post last month, issued directions to immediately start issuing passports with a ten-year validity period to facilitate the community. The Consul General is committed to improving public service delivery services through computerization and better management systems. The Pakistani community has been requested to put forward their suggestions and join hands with the Consulate to ensure that the services are provided efficiently, and courteously.
and we should all be united against it. There is no other option, she added. We cannot allow these small groups of people to bully the whole world. American Muslim Voice Sacramento Chapter President Asif Sattar offered his concluding remarks by thanking everyone for attending the vigil, especially the French community. He said that this tragic event in France shocked and infuriated him. Everyone is sad. Our prayers go out to the victims and their families, he said. He also stressed the point that terrorism has no religion. And just as we were ready to leave, another speaker from the French community, Sophie Lambert appeared on stage and shared her sentiments. She said that she really wanted to thank the Muslim community for putting this (vigil) together. This is beyond touching, she said. This is a hard situation for everyone, especially with the terrorism you are having in your own countries. We are all very touched and I really wanted to thank you, she added. To end this report, thanks are in order to all the organizers and supporters who made this vigil successful. For those who were left out
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IC Professor to Create Theatrical Performance in Pakistan
119 Pakistani Students to Spend a Semester in the United States
n By Matthew Hayes Ithaca: An Ithaca College professor Washington, DC: A large group
will soon be traveling to Pakistan to get material for a theatrical production she’s creating about the 1947 partition of that county from India. Kathleen Mulligan, associate professor of theatre arts, received a grant from the US Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan for her sabbatical project “Voices of Partition.” The proposed project will be based on the narratives of survivors of the violent 1947 partition, according to Ithaca College. Mulligan was scheduled to leave Ithaca on Monday night to join Theatre Wallay acting company as she collects the survivor narratives. She will be joined by theatre alumna Sarah Herbert-Johnson, ‘12, who volunteers with the Performing Arts for Social Change Initiative. The initiative was created in 2007 by Ithaca College professor Cynthia Henderson as a collective of theater, music and dance performers providing an artistic outlet to groups in a community who are often not heard, according to their website. The college said Mulligan will return to Pakistan in April under the Fulbright Specialist Program to create an original piece in collaboration with Theatre Wallay. When finished, the production is slated to open in Islamabad, tour to Lahore, and then be brought to Ithaca College in the fall of 2015. IC grad gets kudos: An Ithaca College alum made a list of the brightest stars in sports under the age of 30, sharing accolades with the likes of soccer star Cristian Ronaldo, baseball pitcher Clayton Kershaw, and MMA fighter Jon Jones. U z m a Rawn, class of ‘06, made the list put out by Forbes.com, noting her as an executive brokering a number of high-level sports sponsorship agreements, including a $40 million deal for the stadium naming rights for the professional basketball team the Portland Trail Blazers. Rawn, 29, is vice president at Premier Partnerships based in New York City. She majored in sports management at Ithaca College. - Ithaca Journal
because it was a hurried effort let me add here that this time we could not wait because the deep wound of Peshawar, Pakistan (December 16, 2014) terrorist attack on school children was still hurting many of us. This group wanted no delay in expressing outrage at this act too and in showing solidarity with the French people. And to the French people who participated, one final observation. We may not like some of the cartoons published in your country and describe them as poor in taste but the French people, as we witnessed at this event, certainly touched our hearts as well. Vive la France! Let us all unite against terror. (In solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar attack, on its one month anniversary- January 16th)
of 119 student leaders from underserved segments of population across Pakistan arrived in the United States last week to spend a semester at American schools. The program for undergraduate studies is managed through the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program of the US State Department. Dluring the semester, participants will gain the skills needed to implement long-term civic and economic changes in their home communities while fostering cross-cultural understanding through academic study, service-learning projects and cultural activities. The organizers hope that while interacting with Americans in the community and on campus, the participants will also become student “ambassadors” for Pakistan, promoting a better image of their country in the United States. The students will make presentations about their country and culture in local schools and organizations, sharing their unique perspectives and backgrounds.
Muslim Worker at Paris Kosher Grocer Saves Customers Paris: A Muslim employee of a ko-
sher grocery store in Paris is being hailed as a hero for hiding several customers in a walk-in freezer to save them from a violent gunman. Lassana Bathily, 24, led the others into the basement of his workplace, Hyper Cacher, when Amedy Coulibaly opened fire on Friday, according to French media. The gunman burst into the store just hours before the Jewish Sabbath began and killed four people in what President François Hollande called “a terrifying anti-Semitic act.” “I opened the door, and several people came in with me. I turned off the lights, I turned off the freezer, and they got into the freezer,” Bathily told local station BFMTV. “I told them to calm down, to not make noise. If he knows we’re here, he can come down and kill us.” The young man managed to exit the facility through a freight elevator, but when he got outside, police mistook him for one of the terrorists and cuffed him, he said. Bathily says he helped the officers with his knowledge of the floor plan as they prepared to storm the grocery store in the Porte de Vincennes neighborhood of the capital. The people he saved expressed profound gratitude after the violence was over, he said. “When they got out, they congratulated me,” Bathily told the station. “They said, ‘Honestly, thank you for having thought of that,’ and I said, ‘You’re welcome. It’s nothing, that’s life.’” A source told Le Parisien that six people had been holed up in the freezer. At least 19 people are dead, including the three gunmen, after the worst terrorist violence France has seen in decades.
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JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21
Muslim Community Forum on the “CRISIS of ISIS” a Success
n the evening of Friday, January 9, the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), in partnership with the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Islamic Society of Orange County (ISOC), hosted an educational community forum on how to address the issue of ISIS and its negative effects on American Muslims and the world community.
Nearly 150 attendees filled the main prayer hall of ISOC to learn and partake in the discussion. Panelists included ISOC Religious Director Dr Muzammil Siddiqi, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush, MPAC President Salaam Al-Marayati and ICOI Shaykha Muslema Purmul who presented their views on the origins, issues, and solutions to the “CRISIS of ISIS”. The forum was moderated by Ustadha Lobna Mulla of ISOC.
n By Michael Finnegan
T
he rain-soaked scene outside Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday was a fitting tribute to Maher Hathout: Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Sikh leaders in religious garb paused during his memorial service to observe a moment of silence for victims of the terrorist massacre in France.
Hathout, the longtime chairman of the Islamic Center of Southern California, was one of America’s leading Muslim voices advocating peace with other religions. “It’s at moments like these that we feel the absence of someone like Dr. Hathout intensely,” said Rabbi Ken Chasen of Leo Baeck Temple in Bel-Air. To the scores of people gathered under umbrellas in City Hall’s Spring Street courtyard, Chasen offered a prayer calling for an end to violence in the name of religious extremism — first in Hebrew, then in English. Others offered Christian and Islamic prayers. Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, bemoaned “the evil and the darkness
n By Rafique S.M. Ahmed
H
.R. 5771, the “Tax Increase Prevention Act (TIPA) of 2014” was signed into law by President Obama on December 19, 2014 extending more than fifty already expired or expiring individual, business and energy tax breaks for another year. This also paved the way for the Internal Revenue Service to do the necessary programming to accommodate the changes resulted from the TIPA without further delay.
The IRS is confident of making all required changes within thirty days and has recently announced the commencement of 2015 tax season on January 20, 2015 which will also be the first day of electronic filing and processing tax returns for the IRS. The US Congress cut the IRS budget by $346 million for the budget year that ends in September 2015 making the IRS Commissioner, John Koskinen very upset and extremely concerned since the budget cuts would have an adverse affect on
Dr Muzammil Siddiqi described ISIS as a cult and an evil perversion of the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. Denouncing the ongoing brutality and ideology of ISIS, he emphasized that Muslims in America and around the world have an obligation to ensure that Muslims and others understand the true teachings of Islam. Hussam Ayloush praised American imams and scholars for continuing to refute and challenge ISIS’s de-
viant and destructive ideology. Advocating a preventative and proactive approach, he encouraged youth to take advantage of the leadership training programs available to equip themselves to become advocates for justice here and abroad. Ayloush urged Muslims to work with their fellow Americans to pressure our government representatives to stop supporting international governments that engage in occupa-
tions, human rights violations and repression. “We must refute ISIS’ false claim to Islam and help bring freedom and justice around the world in order to remove the grievances that ISIS exploits.”, said Ayloush. “Islam stands for freedom.”, said Salaam Al-Marayati. The root problem with (ISIS) is their ideology of compulsion which stems from some Muslim countries that practice this
Religious Leaders Honor Prominent Muslim Voice of Southern California
Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Michael Downing, right, presents a flag to Ragaa Hathout during a memorial service Saturday honoring her husband, Maher Hathout, who died Jan. 3. He was widely known as a champion of moderate Islam and peace with other religions. (Courtesy Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
and the despair of the senseless, barbaric act that happened in the last few days in Paris.” He praised Hathout, who founded the council, for speaking out against religious extremism. “We are standing on his wide shoulders to continue his work,” he told the crowd. Hathout, 79, died of cancer on Jan. 3 at City of Hope hospital in Du-
arte. A cardiologist born and raised in Egypt, Hathout was a leader of the Islamic Center for about three decades. Outside the Islamic community, Hathout was best known for trying to strengthen ties among religious groups in Los Angeles. He spoke with presidents Clinton and George W. Bush about improving relations with the Muslim world.
the quality of service. The IRS Commissioner recently said,” Budget cuts at the IRS could delay tax refunds, reduce taxpayer services and hurt enforcement efforts. About half the people who would call the IRS for assistance this filing season won’t be able to get through to a person, and once returns are filed, there will be fewer agents to audit them.” Over all, the quality of service at the IRS would be drastically compromised and would also have a negative impact on its ability to collect delinquent taxes. The US government broke all previous records and brought in $3.02 trillion in tax and other revenues in fiscal 2014. $1.39 trillion came from individual income taxes; $320.7 billion from corporate income taxes; and #1.03 trillion from social insurance and retirement receipts. The following are the other significant changes in the tax landscape of 2014 which may affect your tax returns: • Same-sex legally married couples will be recognized as married when filing their 2014 Federal income tax returns. They will be required to file as married filing jointly or mar-
ried filing separately. The ruling does not apply to registered domestic partners, civil unions, or other relationships recognized by state law. Samesex couples are also allowed to amend the previously filed Federal tax returns that are still open under the statute of limitations, namely 2011, 2012 and 2013. • The adoption credit in 2014 has increased to $13,190 of total costs. Form 8839 must be completed. The adoption credit is completely phased out if the taxpayer’s modified AGI is in excess of $237,800. • Personal and Dependent Exemption amount increased to $3,950 and is subject to phase-out if income exceeds specified amounts. • Social Security Tax will be withheld by employers at 6.2% up to a maximum wage limit of $117,000. • Standard Deduction for each filing status also increased for 2014. • Foreign earned income exclusion increased to $99,200 for 2014. • The tax rate of 39.6 percent affects Singles with income exceeding $ 406,750 and Married filing jointly with income in excess of $ 457,600.
In 2006, Hathout became a source of controversy when he was nominated for a humanitarian prize. Over the objection of some Jewish leaders who denounced him for calling Israel an apartheid regime, the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission went ahead and awarded him the John Allen Buggs award. On Thursday, leaders of multiple faiths described Hathout as a champion of peace and moderate Islam. Nirinjan Singh Khalsa, a California Sikh leader, called him one of the “few shining lights” who stepped forward after the 9/11 attacks to tamp down expressions of bias against Sikhs and Muslims. The Rev. Gwynne Guibord, an Episcopal priest, compared Hathout to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., saying he was a “seeker of justice” and “lover of truth.” The Rev. Ed Bacon, the rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, called Hathout “one of LEADERS, P29
2015 Tax Season Commences January 20
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• The exemption amounts for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 2014 are $52,800 for single individuals and heads of household and $80,800 for married couples filing a joint return and surviving spouses. • Standard mileage rates for business use of vehicle and also for medical care or move of residence decreased to 56 cents per mile and 23.5 cents per mile respectively. No change in 14 cents per mile for charitable use. • Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Act of 2007 for short sales, foreclosures and loan modification of principal residence up to the maximum amount of debt of $2 million was extended through December 31, 2014. • Certain teaching expenses up to $250 for elementary and secondary school teachers were extended through 2014. • Mortgage insurance premiums deduction treated as mortgage interest extended through 2014 and is subject to phase-out for taxpayers with AGI of $100,000 or more. • Deduction of State and local general sales taxes also extended through 2014. • Tax-free distribution from
ideology.” “We as American Muslims have the opportunity to declare freely and openly that we are Muslims because Islam stands for freedom”. Shaykha (scholar) Muslema Purmul explained the obligation the American Muslim community has to contribute to the accurate portrayal of Islam by leading through example in our daily interactions with others and become well integrated as a community to positively influence the public’s perception of Islam and Muslims. WATCH: SoCal Muslim Community Reacts to Paris Terror Attacks CAIR-LA had co-sponsored a similar panel a few months back with MPAC and the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley (ICSGV) that was well-received. SEE: Muslim Community Forum on the “CRISIS of ISIS” Gets Robust Response
Tausif Malik Grieved Mr Ata Ur Rehman Malik, father of Tausif Malik, organizer of Muslim Spelling Bee Competition, passed away in Chicago. His burial took place in the Bohemian National Cemetery of Chicago on January 9. Late Ata Ur Rehman Malik was born in Pune, India in 1943 and immigrated to the USA in 1990. He lived a modest life and helped people on personal level. In 2011, he supported his son Tausif Malik in launching the Muslim Spelling Bee competition www.muslimspellingbee. com. He is survived by his wife Razia Malik and son Tausif Malik. “Please keep us in your duas, JazakAllahkhair, “ said Tausif in a message. May his soul rest in peace and God grant the bereaved family courage and fortitude to bear the loss. (Ameen) individual retirement plans for charitable purposes extended through 2014. • The R&D credit of 20 percent for qualified research expenses or a 14 percent alternative simplified credit also extended through 2014. • 50 percent Bonus Depreciation for certain property acquired and placed in service during 2014 with a longer production period extended through 2014. • Credit for qualified energy improvements up to $500 extended through 20014. • Credit for energy-efficient new homes extended through 2014. • Above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses for higher education extended through 2014. (Rafique S.M. Ahmed is a professional Tax Accountant and has been providing accounting and tax services in California for more than thirtyfive years. He is also an Authorized IRS Electronic Filing Provider. His office, Automated Tax and Financial Services is located at 1109 Via Verde, San Dimas, California 91773. He can be reached at (909) 599-1412 or (909) 599-1414.)
COMMENTARY
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n By Nayyer Ali MD
n January 5th I attended the burial of my dear friend and mentor Dr Maher Hathout. Dr Maher, as he was known to most us, was one of the founding pillars of the American Muslim community, and played a leading role in the creation of the Islamic Center of Southern California, the flagship mosque of Los Angeles. But he was far more than a builder of mosques. He was an intellectual and moral giant, whose understanding of Islam was so deep and profound that he cast a huge influence on the entire American Muslim community. Having been born Egyptian, Arabic was his mother tongue, and he couldn’t soften his Arab accent much. But that did give him great credibility with the immigrant generation. His knowledge of the Qur’an and of the Islamic traditions and thinkers was expansive. He could match up quite evenly with any sheikh or even Al-Azhar rector.
What made Dr Maher such a visionary though was that he was not constrained by tradition or sectarianism or chauvinism of any sort. He could read the Qur’an and understand its profound message, and convey that message to others. He went beyond that, building institutions such as the ICSC, the New Horizon schools, and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, that will continue to carry his wisdom long after he has left the scene.
Maher Hathout: A Tribute Dr Maher once summarized Islam as “monotheism and good manners, all the rest is details”. He rejected sectarian views of Islam and was a great promoter of gender equality both in and outside the mosque. He mentored a generation of young men and women to be leaders in the Muslim community and in the country as a whole. He also pioneered the whole concept of a distinct American Muslim identity. His view was that one could be both wholly American and wholly Muslim, the two did not contradict each other. In fact, his view was that the American Constitution did a far better job of incorporating Islamic principles than the legal systems of most Muslim countries. He very astutely pointed out that home is not where our grandparents are buried but where our grandchildren are born. These views are now commonplace among the American Muslim community, but they were quite controversial 30 years ago. Dr Maher was not one to shy from controversial stands. He always held the view that wearing headscarves for women was a personal choice but not an absolute religious obligation based on the Qur’an. The Sunday school at the ICSC, and the New Horizon
against authority, and never succumbed to the temptation of those who wished to buy his loyalty. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Gulf oil money was washing through the American Muslim
His view was that one could be both wholly American and wholly Muslim, the two did not contradict each other. In fact, his view was that the American Constitution did a far better job of incorporating Islamic principles than the legal systems of most Muslim countries schools, do not obligate girls to wear headscarves, a view I agree with completely. He also was always willing to speak
community, but he drew a line against ever accepting money from sources outside our community, whether it be the American gov-
ernment or a foreign one. That policy served organizations like MPAC in good stead. He was also willing to speak against the American government when it was in the wrong. He was a relentless critic of America’s one-sided support of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinians, and he was completely opposed to the Iraq War. This was not an anti-Jewish stand, he had many friends in the Jewish community and was always willing to work with other religious leaders on issues that we shared. He never allowed his views of Israeli policy to turn him into someone who trafficked in anti-Jewish sentiment. Dr Maher had great intellectual integrity. He knew that as a Muslim, people are free to speak both for and against Islam. As such, he was an ardent supporter of free speech, and was among a handful of American Muslim leaders who supported Salman Rushdie’s right to write as he wished, when Muslims around the globe were incensed by Rushdie’s satire of the Prophet in The Satanic Verses. Again, when a Danish newspaper printed the cartoons of the Prophet in 2005, he refused to side with those who wished to ban or burn the paper. Which brings us to the tragic events in Paris just two days after Dr Maher’s burial. The killing of the cartoonists is a sad reminder of how much work the Muslim Ummah still has in front of it. It must come out of this morass of extremism that has swallowed up far too many, and return to the basic message of the Qur’an, namely to uphold peace, justice, and human freedom in this world while we recognize and serve our Lord to whom we will give account on the last day.
Pakistan Native Tries to Demystify Native Country with Software Start-up
P
n By Thomas Heath
akistan-born Imran Aftab was traveling in 2004 when an AOL Time Warner colleague posed a rude question.
“Imran, you’re from Pakistan, yet you seem normal,” Aftab recalled. “What is the problem with the rest?” Aftab, then director of global outsourcing at AOL, spent half an hour explaining that there was more to the millions of Pakistanis than the public perception after the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy. “People see all bad news. I thought, ‘How can I change things even at a small scale through business?’ ” After that trip, the chemistry major decided to use his knowledge of outsourcing at AOL to start his own business that could make money while also helping his fellow citizens in Pakistan. The business he created is called 10Pearls, a profitable custom software company based in Herndon, Va., and Pakistan. The company has more than 150 software experts supervised by Aftab’s brother in a 33,000-square-foot office in Karachi. Only about 15 employees work in Herndon. Aftab creates customized software for all kinds of interfaces, including mobile platforms, kiosks and Web sites. Clients include NVR, Time Warner Cable, Discovery Education, National Geographic and Zubie, a spinoff of Best Buy. For Zubie, 10Pearls helped develop an Android and Apple application that allows people to see where their cars are located, diagnose auto repair issues and track historic routes. Although 10Pearls is relatively small, with revenue of less than $10 million, Aftab said it has been profitable since it began 11 years ago, making Web pages for handyman businesses. The company, which Aftab calls
a social experiment, reminds me of the “double bottom line” businesses that Washington sports mogul Ted Leonsis espouses. That refers to businesses that earn profits while accomplishing some social good. “I see that business causes positive impact,” said Aftab, who makes three visits a year to his native country. “It can change things even at a small scale. Business is a good way for people to learn about each other.” The enterprise isn’t all about altruism. Pakistan is a good candidate for outsourcing because of its large English-speaking population — 180 Imran Aftab, second from left, co-founder and CEO of 10Pearls, a software applicamillion or so — that is tech-savvy tion development company, has a meeting with staff members in Herndon, Va. (Pete and has mathematical skills. Its labor Marovich/For The Washington Post) costs are also far below those of the United States and other developed dropped out of school, unable to million in outsource spending across countries. continue the higher education in this seven countries at AOL Time WarThe labor-cost difference, which private school, due to the financial ner. Aftab refers to as “a labor arbitrage,” hardships that my family was facing. In June 2004, following the is helping drive his profit margins. Bishop Lobo slipped a white piece of discussion with his colleague about He calls it a “blended shore model.” paper in front of us and in his boom- the perceptions of Pakistanis, he apPakistani software developers ing voice said, ‘Please write down the proached his brother Zeeshan Aftab, earn about a third to half of what it amount you can afford.’ ” who lived in Karachi. Aftab’s idea costs to hire someone with similar Aftab stayed in school and end- was to start a software company that talents in the United States. When ed up earning a full scholarship to created Web sites, portals and digital the less-expensive labor in Pakistan Bard College in Upstate New York, logos for small businesses. is “blended” into the entire cost where he earned a bachelor’s degree “I took $2,000 from my pocket structure of the company, it increas- in chemistry. After earning a mas- and told my brother to quit his job,” es 10Pearls’ competitive position. ter’s in chemistry at the University Aftab said. “I said we are going to do To lure creative millennials, of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in something very simple. I am going to Aftab owns a sister company called 1997, he joined JPMorgan Chase, find small businesses who need help, Game Plan8, which produces car where he evaluated deals for the in- and we are going to do it cheaply for them.” racing, zombie and other games for vestment bankers. He started calling friends, askmobile platforms. “I knew I had to make money “People in this day and age want for my family,” said Aftab, who has ing them if they knew anyone who to be motivated intrinsically,” Aftab several brothers and sisters. He had needed small software jobs for as said. “It’s a sense of achievement that taken corporate finance and stock little as $200. He visited digital marthey build a game that people are market courses while pursuing his ketplaces online. He walked through playing around the world.” postgraduate chemistry degree at strip malls, visiting small businessAftab’s first break in life came Chapel Hill, which gave him some es and restaurants, asking if they early. He had dropped out of an elite comfort about entering business. needed help with their online logos, Jesuit high school in Karachi beThe investment bank job taught menus or Web sites. Most told him to get lost, but cause his family could not afford the him to take a hard look at business opportunities, estimating cash flow a few small jobs started dribbling tuition. The principal of the school and finance and distinguishing a in. First-year revenue was a paltry good business from a poor one. $50,000. He kept his job at AOL called in Aftab and his father. After Chase, he worked at Mi- Time Warner, then took consulting “I still remember the day when I sat across [the principal’s] desk ac- crostrategy and then AOL Time work to make ends meet while he companied by my late father. I had Warner. He oversaw more than $150 pushed his nascent business forward.
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He knew the bigger money was in developing software applications, but he had to build experience first. He quit AOL Time Warner in 2005 and worked as a consultant while he expanded 10Pearls. Bigger contracts started coming in, including one from a big telecommunications firm that needed help. During the Great Recession that started in 2008, business stagnated and 10Pearls pivoted to mobile applications. “I could see that mobile was going to grow explosively,” he said. The company’s big break arrived in 2011, when it won a highly competitive contract to build a mobile application for Social Radar, a Washington company started by Blackboard co-founder Michael Chasen. A key part of Social Radar’s business is that the app allows users to interact with people in the immediate vicinity. The deal with Chasen helped establish 10Pearls’ credibility. That led to more and larger mobile app contracts. Aftab, who lives in Herndon with his wife and three children, owns the largest share of the company. His brother owns the rest. He said the US and Pakistan offices, as well as customers, keep in touch via Skype, telephone and online. Even in a small way, he said, he feels he has broken down barriers and helped at least a few people make a better life. “My employees in Pakistan have developed a better appreciation of the entrepreneurs and professionals in the US,” he said. (Thomas Heath is a local business reporter and columnist, writing about entrepreneurs and various companies big and small in the Washington Metropolitan area. Previously, he wrote about the business of sports for The Post’s sports section for most of a decade. The Washington Post)
COMMENTARY n By Dr Asif Javed
“
Williamsport, PA
I cannot count how many threats and hate mail I have received in my journalistic career. They have largely emanated from Hindus who believe that I take a pro-Muslim and pro-Pakistan stand,” writes Kuldip Nayar in his memoirs, Beyond the Lines. The Sialkot-born journalist who is in the twilight of his career, has recently written a candid account of his life. That KN had an eventful life is an understatement: he was present when the Pakistan Resolution was passed (1940), at Tashkant (1965) and Simla (1972); he has witnessed momentous events and has interviewed people who have made history. Unarguably, one of the best syndicated columnists in India, he has served as India’s Ambassador in UK and has been a member of Rajya Sabha. So he has seen it all. Here are some excerpts from his autobiography. The comments in brackets are mine.
Modi at Work: The police behaved as if the force had been given instructions ‘not to interfere’. The then President Narayanan wrote a letter to PM Vajpayee and CM Modi to call the army immediately and order it to shoot at sight. He did not even get acknowledgement for his letters. Subsequently, a top police officer said in an affidavit that he was present when Modi had ordered the killing of Muslims. During the riots, the New York Times had got hold of transcripts of conversation between the police control room and officers on the streets. The advice was to allow Muslim houses to burn and to prevent aid from reaching the victims. Elsewhere in Gujrat, it was worse. The police instigated and protected the rioters….It was a case of genocide…. The killings and lootings were pre-planned and Modi and his ministers were behind the atrocities. The Indian Muslims: I recall when I met Rafaqat Ali and his professor wife Mausuma in Delhi, her first remark was: “We can always take shelter at your house when Hindus want to turn us out from our place.” I realized then how insecure Muslims felt after six decades of independence. They still suffer from the same fear. Behind the scene Talks on Kashmir before Kargil: Kuldip, we were almost there; about 80%, Vajpayee said (to KN in Rajya Sabha). Niaz Naik told me (KN) that they were discussing the Chenab line which meant the entire Valley was to be jointly administered by India and Pakistan. (So, it was true after all; Musharraff ’s Kargil adventure may have sealed the fate of Kashmir). BJP: The BJP was out to polarize the country and convert it from a secular to a Hindu State. To them Pakistan is an enemy country. The Indian Army: The army in India is a sacred cow. The public, particularly the media, is so circumspect when it comes to discussing the armed forces that even mild criticism is avoided…This craven attitude has allowed the armed forces to get away even with murder….There was a discussion on IndiaPakistan relations in National Defense College in Delhi. While the entire panel was vehemently critical of Pakistan, I pointed out certain examples of India having rubbed Pakistan the wrong way. That college never invited me again. Corruption in politics: I recalled Pranab Mukerjee’s phone call to The Statesman when I was a resident editor, requesting me to have tea at his house. He held no government office then. We three, including his wife, sat on the floor and sipped tea which she had prepared. They had very little furniture and no servant. This reflected the austere living style of an average Bengali who had moved from a state to the nation’s capital……I met the same Mukerjee some years later during the Emergency. His house exuded opulence and the sitting room was cluttered with stylish furniture, plush carpets, and sparkling silver. He was then the commerce minister, a trusted hand of Sanjay Gandhi. (Mukerjee is President of India presently). Chandra Shekhar’s brief period of 40 days in power was the most corrupt in the history of India. I was sorry to see the sharp decline of an individual who had once been a ‘young Turk’ in the Congress and the president of the Janata Party. PM Rajiv Gandhi imposed his choice (of Bofors guns) based on kickbacks received rather than merit…He had bent all the rules to order Bofors…A close friend of his told me that Rajiv Gandhi had opened a new account abroad and had deposited the kickbacks there. This benefited his Italian in-laws, parents of Sonia Gandhi. An Italian middleman in Delhi, close to Sonia and Rajiv, was responsible for the clandestine payment. The Narasimha Rao government was completely discredited by scandals implicating the PM in acceptance of bribes, and the unprecedented ‘hawala case’. There is sufficient evidence now to prove that Rao personally accepted a suitcase full of currency notes. (So India has Mr 10% too.) Babri Masjid: Narasimha Rao’s govt. will always be held responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid. The curious thing was that he was conscious of such an eventuality but did virtually nothing to avert it. My information was that Rao had connived at the demolition. He sat at Puja when the kar sevaks began pulling down the mosque and rose only when the last stone had been removed. Madhu Limaye told me that during the puja Rao’s aid whispered in his ears that the Masjid had been demolished; within seconds, the puja was over. Nepotism: Najalingappa said he was pretty sure that Nehru had his daughter in mind as his successor. In his diary, he wrote on 15 July 1969 that Nehru ‘was always grooming her for
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23
Tales from across the Border
the prime ministership obviously and patently’. This was more or less the same thing that Shastri had told me six years earlier. The Honest Ones: On the day Shastri was asked to leave the government, I went to his bungalow in the evening. It was dark at Shastri’s house, with only the drawing room lit. I found Shastri sitting in the drawing room all by himself, reading a newspaper. I asked him why there was no light outside. He said that from now onwards, he would have to pay the electricity bill for his house himself, and could not afford extravagant lighting…Kamraj rang me up not to discuss Shastri’s death but to find out whether the family had the resources to sustain itself. I told him that as far as I knew they had nothing to fall back upon. He had a legislation passed to provide free accommodation and an allowance to the wife of the deceased PM. Sachar, then CM of Punjab, approached Nehru with an embarrassing request. Vijay Lakshmi Pandit (Nehru’s sister) had stayed at the Shimla Circuit House, then part of Punjab, and had not paid the bill of Rs 2500. Sachen was told by his governor,
I recall when I met Rafaqat Ali and his professor wife Mausuma in Delhi, her first remark was: “We can always take shelter at your house when Hindus want to turn us out from our place.” I realized then how insecure Muslims felt after six decades of independence. They still suffer from the same fear Trivedi, to put the expense under some miscellaneous state govt. account. However, Sachen was a stickler for propriety. Nehru said that he could not clear the bill at one go but would pay the Punjab govt. in five installments, each time drawing a check on his personal account. Maulana Azad: Azad was sounded out for the Bharat Ratna. He declined the award, reportedly telling Nehru that it was altogether improper for those deciding on the awards to pin the medals on themselves. I saw Azad sitting beneath a tree all on his own, lost deep in thought. Unfortunately, he an important voice before Partition, had ceased to count after independence. Nehru continued to consult him and respect his advice but Patel would often relate how Maulana’s influence had been reduced to nothing…When I met Azad many years later, he held Nehru responsible for Jinnah’s reversal (from Cabinet Mission Plan). In chaste Urdu, Azad said: ‘Woh tala jo kabhi khul nahin sakta tha Nehru ne uski chabi Jinnah ke hath mein de di (Nehru gave to Jinnah the key of the lock which could not be opened.)’ Abdul Ghaffar Khan: I took the opportunity to visit the Frontier Gandhi in the one-room tenement in which he lived (in Kabul 1972). He was sitting on a charpai when I bowed to say salaam. The room was bare, a kurta and shalwar hung on a string
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drawn from one wall to the other. A few earthen vessels with a chulah lay in a corner….Here was an individual who could have occupied any position in India…Ghaffar Khan was bitter about Nehru who, he said, had promised to fight for Pakhtunistan. “Are you people banias who calculate all the time about gain and loss in what you do?” he asked rhetorically….He asked me whether it was true that many Muslims had been killed in Gujrat (communal riots of 1970). “But Gujrat is the land of Gandhi,” he added, looking disillusioned and helpless. Indira Gandhi: She had come to embody corruption, not only in terms of money but in the development of power…she had no compunction in employing any method to demolish whatever and whosoever she believed stood in her way…I recall her disparaging remark about ‘middle-class living’ when she visited Shastri’s residence to consider whether she could move there after his death…There was no one either in her party or the cabinet to tell her that she was taking the wrong course. (Sounds familiar; no one in PPP protested or resigned on charges of the 1977 election rigging). Men of Conscience: Justice Sinha debarred Indira Gandhi from occupying any electoral post for six years, holding her guilty of corrupt practices during the (1977) elections…The petition was allowed on two counts: The first was that she had used Yashpal Kapoor, officer on special duty in the PM’s secretariat, to ‘further her election prospects’…The second impropriety was that she had obtained the assistance of govt. officials in UP to build rostrums from which she addressed election rallies. The officials had also arranged for loudspeakers and electricity… When I met Justice Sinha at his residence many months after he had delivered the judgment, he told me how a Congress MP had tried to bribe him and how a colleague on the bench told him that he would be elevated to Supreme Court if he gave the judgment in Indira Gandhi’s favor…Word was sent to Allahabad to ‘fix’ Justice Sinha. All the papers related to his career were screened, his family members harassed, and he was shadowed by the police all the time. (Reminds one of Justice Safdar Shah’s case in 1979.) I wanted to meet Vinod Malhotra, the Deputy Commissioner (as the returning officer, he had announced Indira Gandhi’s unexpected defeat from her home constituency, at great personal risk). My question was simple: What persuaded him to announce the result? He said that he could judge from the first round of counting that Indira Gandhi was losing. Her agent had got the ballots counted thrice. RK Dhawan rang him thrice asking him not to declare the result…when Indira Gandhi’s defeat was confirmed, he went to consult his wife. He told her that if he were to announce the result, they would have to face Indira Gandhi’s wrath…Malhotra’s wife told him: “Hum bartan maanj lange magar baimani nahi karenge. (We shall clean utensils but not indulge in dishonesty.” This gave him the courage to announce the result. (This iconic statement should be displayed in the CSS Academy.) The Press: The truth was that the press (in 1977 emergency) was already too nice, too refined, and only too willing to ‘accommodate’. The ground was therefore fertile for the imposition of censorship…Khushwant Singh (the renowned author and journalist) had become a Gandhi family sycophant, praised them unabashedly, and justified the Emergency….By contrast, the journalists in Pakistan showed courage in the face of imposition of martial law. They did not mince words in criticizing the military regime; some 120 went to jail, and 13 received lashes. (This is before ‘Lifafa Journalism’ arrived in Pakistan, courtesy of Sharif Brothers.) Sheikh Abdullah: I went to Srinagar to request Sheikh Abdullah to criticize the emergency. He told me that Indira Gandhi was in such a foul mood that she would arrest him as well. Shamim, a friend who was a Lok Sabha member, received me at the airport. He told me not to be shocked if I found that Sher-eKashmir had turned into a giddar-e-Kashmir. (Our own Lion of all seasons, Mustafa Khar may have infected poor Sheikh with his disease.) PM Morarji Desai: He proved to be the greatest disappointment. He was rigid and arrogant. The long spell in the wilderness had left him bitter, and had fired him with a desire to settle old scores. Kanti Desai, his son was ruthless and wanting in integrity...I complained to PM that his son was fixing deals or contracts for huge sums of money. I requested him to at least eject him from the PM’s residence which gave Kanti the stamp of authority. Morarji refused to do so. (Mr Desai may have taken a leaf from Ayub Khan’s book who once said that his sons also had a right to live in Pakistan.) Bhutto’s execution: I met Zia when I went to Pakistan… He once hosted a lunch in my honor…Because of my equation with Zia, Yahya Bukhtiyar, my senior in Law College, Lahore, asked me to find out Bhutto’s fate. In fact, this was a suggestion by Bhutto who had read in the press that I was in town to interview Zia. Bhutto had been tried for murder and given death sentence…I inferred (from Zia’s answers during interview) that Zia was determined to hang Bhutto and had already made up his mind…I narrated the entire interview to Bukhtiyar the same day and expressed my fears. Later when I met Bukhtiyar before leaving for India, he told me that Bhutto’s reaction to my interview was entirely different. Bhutto was convinced that he would not be hanged. He believed that his death sentence would be TALES, P26
COMMENTARY
P24 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Iqbal: From Poet, Philosopher to Political Prognosticator n By Dr Zafar M. Iqbal
I
TCCI, Chicago, IL
don’t know if Allama Iqbal, besides the poet and philosopher that he predominantly was, ever tried to be also a prognosticator but, perhaps unwittingly, he did eventually become all three, rolled into one. I am sure one can show how it happened, perhaps more persuasively than I can, but I doubt if Iqbal himself could have known how important aspects of his presidential address to the 25th Session of the All-India Muslim League in Allahabad (29 December, 1930) would turn into reality less than a generation later. He did inspire countless millions, and continues to.
Regardless of how others may have taken that address at the time or over the decades since, he does let you into his mind at that historical stage. I don’t know if what did ensue in 1947, how and at what cost then or over the decades since, would receive his acceptance or blessing. From that address (linked here: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/ pritchett/00islamlinks/txt_iqbal_1930. html), I cite part of his concluding remarks: [“…In conclusion I cannot but impress upon you that the present crisis in the history of India demands complete organization and unity of will and purpose in the Muslim community, both in your own interest as a community, and in the interest of India as a whole. The political bondage of India has been and is a source of infinite misery to the whole of Asia. It has suppressed the spirit of the East and wholly deprived her of that joy of self-expression which once made her the creator of a great and glorious culture. We have a duty towards India where we are destined to live and die. We have a duty towards Asia, especially Muslim Asia. And since 70 millions of Muslims in a single country constitute a far more valuable asset to Islam than all the countries of Muslim Asia put together, we must look at the Indian problem not only
from the Muslim point of view, but also from the standpoint of the Indian Muslim as such. Our duty towards Asia and India cannot be loyally performed without an organized will fixed on a definite purpose. In your own interest, as a political entity among other political entities of India, such an equipment is an absolute necessity. “Our disorganized condition has already confused political issues vital to the life of the community. I am not hopeless of an inter-communal understanding, but
people, possessing a will focalized by a single purpose. Is it possible for you to achieve the organic wholeness of a unified will? Yes, it is. Rise above sectional interests and private ambitions, and learn to determine the value of your individual and collective action, however directed on material ends, in the light of the ideal which you are supposed to represent. Pass from matter to spirit. Matter is diversity; spirit is light, life and unity. “One lesson I have learnt from the history of Muslims. At critical moments in their
I doubt if Iqbal himself could have known how important aspects of his presidential address to the 25th Session of the All-India Muslim League in Allahabad (29 December, 1930) would turn into reality less than a generation later. He did inspire countless millions, and continues to I cannot conceal from you the feeling that in the near future our community may be called upon to adopt an independent line of action to cope with the present crisis. And an independent line of political action, in such a crisis, is possible only to a determined
history it is Islam that has saved Muslims and not vice versa. If today you focus your vision on Islam and seek inspiration from the ever-vitalizing idea embodied in it, you will be only reassembling your scattered forces, regaining your lost integrity, and thereby
saving yourself from total destruction. One of the profoundest verses in the Holy Qur’an teaches us that the birth and rebirth of the whole of humanity is like the birth and rebirth of a single individual. Why cannot you who, as a people, can well claim to be the first practical exponents of this superb conception of humanity, live and move and have your being as a single individual? I do not wish to mystify anybody when I say that things in India are not what they appear to be. The meaning of this, however, will dawn upon you only when you have achieved a real collective ego to look at them. In the words of the Qur’an, “Hold fast to yourself; no one who erreth can hurt you, provided you are well guided” (5:104).”] [Emphasis added] Since that address 74 years ago (almost to the day), the Indian subcontinent has been through many dramatic changes but in the historical denouement, parts of what Iqbal had envisioned may have gotten blurred for some, but his words still resonate. One of his poems that many of us, originally from India, still fondly recall is “Saaray jehan say uch-cha Hindustan hamara.” Written before 1905, he included it in ‘Baang-eDara’(1924). Here is my translation: Song for India (Therana-e-Hindi) Better than any place in the world is our India. Its nightingales we are, it is our garden. When away, it is always in our heart; we are where our heart is. The highest mountain, close to the sky, that’s our guard, our protector. Thousands of streams in its valleys -O, Ganges, do you remember the day when our caravan stopped by your shores? Religion doesn’t teach us hatred, We’re all Indians, India is our country! Greece, Egypt and Rome– all gone, but our name and fame still alive. We must live on for a reason; the world has long been our enemy.
Book Review “A thought provoking book with unconventional solutions supported by excellent research and insight” The Beltway Beast raises an extremely important question: “Is it possible to get out of the current political mess created by the Republican and Democratic parties?” The short answer is yes. Munir Moon is a Pakistani American who came to the US 40 years ago as a student at UCLA. He lived through some of the toughest personal and economic challenges to pursue the American dream. He brings 40 years of experience as a financial industry executive, a patient’s perspective on healthcare by having a son born with cancer who is paralyzed, and as a small businessman. In the book he outlines his experiences and provides a vision so that others can achieve the promise the United States has to offer and live the American dream. Every American and the people around the world are affected by The Beltway Beast, Moon argues. The Beltway consists of Washington, DC, and surrounding counties; and the Beast includes the industrial complex, lobbyists, the Wall Street, think tanks, advocacy groups, media, foreign agents, and everybody else who wants something from our government. All of these congregate in the Beltway and are actively engaged in soliciting legislative favors and taxpayer money. Then there are Congress and the White House who need the lobbyists and Wall Street for campaign funds, living in a bubble called the Beltway, disengaged from main street America.
The book offers extensive data to substantiate the need for a balanced power game with an addition of a new party that will break the current deadlock and provide a chance to realize the American dream that many people seek The Beltway Beast challenges the common perception about women in Islam by stating the fact that almost 50% of the Muslim countries had a democratically elected female head of the government going as far back as 25 years ago, that includes Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey. Yet, the US still does not have a female president. Moreover, 26 states never even had a female governor, including California and New York. Moon argues for a paradigm shift in how we view our defense, foreign or
tax policy and other issues important to us all. For example, why are our leaders considered “patriotic” when they send our soldiers to get killed in a war based on flawed policies, while those who oppose the war are considered “unpatriotic”? How can we expect to win the hearts and minds of people when we bomb and occupy their countries? Or why is the working income taxed at a higher rate than the non-working income? The book covers a wide range of issues and offers a path forward that is controversial but supported by facts and
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compelling arguments. It challenges the status quo of our current broken political system with Democrats offering “Big Government” versus Republican’s alternative of “Big Corporation.” Moon examines a wealth of published data to show that a change in the system is needed rather than the Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum game played at each election. Moon offers a way forward by introducing competition in electing our leaders through a mainstream third party that speaks for all Americans by documenting that both major parties are the same, just two sides of the same coin. The book offers extensive data to substantiate the need for a balanced power game with an addition of a new party that will break the current deadlock and provide a chance to realize the American dream that many people seek. Moreover, it offers unconventional solutions such as Smart Patient Credits, a Value Based Tax system and a foreign policy based on empathy and humanity where every human life has an equal value. This is a great read for those who want to leave a better world for their children. The Beltway Beast: How Two Tribes in D.C. are Stealing from Our Children, Violating Our Privacy and Destroying the Middle Class is a thought provoking book by Munir Moon. Published by Rare Birds Books, 2014 (ISBN-13:9781-940207-48-3) - Dr Khalid Rafique Adj. Professor UC Irvine drkhalidrafique@gmail.com
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JANUARY 16, 16, 2015 2015 –-PAKISTAN LINKLINK – P25 JANUARY PAKISTAN
Misbahul Haq Determined to Lead Pakistan to Victory Before Retirement
KARACHI: Pakistan cricket team captain Misbahul Haq recently said he is determined to lead his team to victory at the forthcoming World Cup that will take place next month in Australia.
"We are going to give our best performance this year," Haq said. "It is our dream," the captain added. Regarding his retirement, Haq said that he had been planning it for the longest time.
"I felt this was the right time. I would like to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and especially my family who supported me these past four years," he said. "Cricket is everything for me," Haq said. "Cricket has been my top priority since the past 20 years, but sadly all good things must come to an end," he added. We will not force Misbah to stay, it's his own decision: PCB chairman Later, PCB chairman Shahryar Khan said that the board will not force anyone to stay and they respect Haq's decision. "Misbah's retirement is sad for us, but we respect his decision," Khan said. "Misbah has been such a great captain," he added. "He will not play T20s and ODIs with the team, but will continue to play Tests," he said. Regarding who will be the next captain of the team, Khan said that it will be decided within the confines of the present squad. "We are not disclosing anything as yet," Khan said. J
Cristiano Ronaldo Beats Messi to Ballon d'Or Triumph ZURICH: Portugal and Real Madrid great Cristiano Ronaldo lifted his third FIFA world footballer of the year award recently in an overwhelming win over eternal rival Lionel Messi, Barcelona's Argentine magician. The 29-year-old forward - who played a key role in Real Madrid's charge to a 10th Champions League trophy - beat four-time winner Messi to the Ballon d'Or for the second year in a row. Germany's World Cup winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came third in the vote. Ronaldo was the star of a glittering FIFA awards ceremony in Zurich at which Real Madrid teammate James Rodriguez won the goal of the year award and Germany's Joachim Loew was declared coach of the year. "I never thought I would win this trophy on three occasions," Ronaldo
said in his victory speech, signalling there would be no let-up in his quest for football glory. "I want to be one of the greatest players of all time and of course this requires a lot of effort," added the striker, who won the award for the first time while at Manchester United in 2008. Ronaldo, whose son and mother were present, burst into tears when he went up to collect the award before praising his team-mates and paying homage to his family. "I would like to thank my mother, to my father, who is in heaven and who is looking down on me, to my family," said Ronaldo. "It has been an unforgettable year and to win a trophy of this importance is unimaginable." The Portuguese then took to Twitter to express his joy. J
Pakistan Squash Star Maria Loses WSA Event Final KARACHI: Pakistan's Maria Toorpakai Wazir lost to England's Millie Tomlinson 3-1 in the final of the Liberty Bell Open, the World Squash Association (WSA) Tour event played at the Berwyn Squash and Fitness Club in Pennsylvania, US. After completing an unexpected run to the final, Maria dominated the first game of the match. However, her joy was short-lived as Tomlinson levelled the scores in the next game.
The third game turned out to be a tough fight between the two with Tomlinson finally triumphing, after which she claimed the last game as well. She won her maiden title of 2015 with a scoreline of 4-11, 11-6, 13-11 and 11-8. In her first-round match, Maria had beaten French Enora Villard in straight games and continued the momentum with a shocking 3-1 win against third seed Sabrina Sobhy with a scoreline of 8-11, 11-3, 11-1
and 11-4. She had an easier semi-final win against wildcard Georgina Stoker with scores of 11-5, 11-5 and 13-11. "Tomlinson beat Maria Toorpakai in four great games," reported tournament promoter Dominic Hughes on Tomlinson's victory, according to a WSA press release. "She clearly tried to run Maria and despite some tough situations, Tomlinson made very few errors. Maria lost energy after a hard third game."J
Suspended Saeed Ajmal to Have Action Reassessed in Chennai
LAHORE: Suspended Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal will have his bowling action reassessed in India this month as he tries to make a comeback to international cricket, an official said. The 37-year-old was ranked world number one in one-day internationals when his action was reported during the Galle Test in Sri Lanka in August last year. He was suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) a month later after a bio-mechanical analysis. Ajmal last month withdrew from next month's World Cup after
failing to completely alter his action, leaving Pakistan's bowling attack badly weakened. Mohammad Akram, head coach of the Pakistan Cricket Board's national academy, said Ajmal would travel to the Indian city of Chennai for a reassessment. "Ajmal will have his bowling action reassessed in Chennai on January 24 and he as well as we are confident that he will clear the test," Akram told AFP. Under ICC rules bowlers are allowed to bend their elbow by up to 15 degrees, beyond which the
action is deemed illegal. Suspended bowlers must remodel their action and then undergo a reassessment to get clearance to play again. Ajmal, whose elbow flex reached 43 degrees, did remedial work under former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and had unofficial tests in England. Under ICC rules if a bowler fails a reassessment test he does not face any ban but will have to appear for another assessment, the time period for which will be determined by the ICC Bowling Review Group. If Ajmal passes the January 24 test he will be available for international cricket. However he will be banned for 12 months should his action be reported again at international level within two years of the first report. Akram said Ajmal was withdrawn from the World Cup after serious consultations. "We feel Ajmal needs to play domestic cricket before being inducted at the higher level," he said. Pakistan also face a race against time in the case of allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, whose action was reported last November before he was suspended. Hafeez is included purely as a batsman in Pakistan's 15-man squad for the February-March World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. He is likely to take a reassessment test in the last week of January to try to resume bowling. J
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ZURICH: Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) poses with his son Cristiano Jr after receiving the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus.
WC 2015: Pakistan-India Clash to be 'Most Watched Game in History of Cricket' KARACHI: The World Cup match between rivals India and Pakistan will be the most watched game in the history of cricket, according to a report. The game that will likely bring the Asian subcontinent to a standstill is set to take place in Adelaide, Australia on February 15, has been sold out for six months. "It will be unlike any cricket match ever seen in Australia," said an anonymous World Cup official, as quoted by The Australian. Interestingly, Pakistan has not ever won a match against India during the prestigious tournament - the
latter, since 1992 of their first meeting, incidentally when Australia and New Zealand hosted the World Cup have won all five games. The clash between the rival countries is "expected to attract more than a billion viewers," the report added. The game will "eclipse the 988 million who watched the two neighbouring nations clash in their 2011 World Cup semifinal," according to The Australian. India beat Pakistan by a mere 29 runs in that groundbreaking clash, with Indian star player Sachin Tendulkar achieving player of the match. J
COMMENTARY
P26 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
Get on the Winning Bandwagon n By Saghir Aslam Rawalpindi, Pakistan
(The following information is provided solely to educate the Muslim community about investing and financial planning. It is hoped that the Ummah will benefit from this effort through greater financial empowerment, enabling the community to live in security and dignity and fulfill their religious and moral obligations towards charitable activities) At a monster truck rally, there are the monster trucks and the little cars they crush. It’s better to ride in the truck. In much the same way, big institutions dominate the stock market. When mutual funds, banks, insurers and pensions pile into a stock, they drive it higher. They have power. Follow their lead and you’re likely to prosper. Get in their way and you’ll be totaled. Time it properly and Insha Allah, you will win. You need these heavy hitters’ buying power. That’s why it’s crucial to know if they’re building positions in a stock you won or are thinking about buying. Find out where they are putting their money. A rating of A or B indicates net buying by institutions. Check investors and business daily. Institutions have brains as well as brawn. They have teams of researchers to uncover the best stocks. If mutual funds – especially the best ones – are buying a stock, it’ll likely
do well. It will appreciate because of their buying power. Almost all great stocks have at least one mutual fund rated A - or better just before they break out. That’s why investors business daily ( IBD) also gauges the quality of sponsorship. The Institutional Sponsorship Rating is in the stock tables every Tuesday and in the weekly charts of “NYSE Stocks In The News” and “Nasdaq Stocks IN The News.” Read IBD. Institutional backing props up great stocks when they’re correcting and then propels them to new height. When a stock breaks out, volume should be at least 40% to 50% above its 50-day average. That indicates big institutions are driving up the price. Mutual funds will continue buying up shares throughout a stock’s advance. But when the heavy hitters bow out, so should you. Individual investors don’t stand a chance when mutual funds start dumping huge blocks of stock. Keep in mind that analysts’ recommendations are not the same as institutional buying. You want deeds, not words. And most analysts’ reports aren’t geared toward big, pro-
COURTS FROM P7
MYTHS FROM P10
dispensation in the years to come. The way the narrative was built through the media after the APS attack smacked of the security establishment’s intent to deflect blame to outside powers, the judiciary and politicians at home. Unfortunately, the political leadership failed to stymie the effort that was clearly deployed to undermine civilian institutions. The judiciary had previously annulled the military courts in 1999 but an act of parliament makes it nearly impossible for the courts to undo the damage this time round. It is certainly parliament’s prerogative to amend the Constitution but truncating fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial and judicial due process by introducing anomalies in the Constitution is not the way to go about exercising that privilege. The political leadership is not just marching backwards but has also opened democracy’s flank to further tutelary and even direct military interventions. (The writer can be reached at mazdaki@me.com and he tweets @ mazdaki) KASHMIR FROM P8
resources to solving its internal problems of poverty, disease and corruption. Allowing a peaceful resolution to this long festering problem with Kashmir would be a bold step toward that goal, toward true democracy, and would be a shining light unto the world of one country’s willingness to do the right thing. (Concluded) (Dr Fai is the Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness. He can be reached at 202-607-6435, gnfai2003@yahoo.com http://www.kashmirawareness. org)
hate them, you might be hating someone in whom God has placed so much good,” is progressive to say the least, and revolutionary in all fairness. Far from a man’s status being higher than that of a woman, Islam goes as far as entitling women to natural protection, should they require it. Islam recognizes the differing physiology of both sexes and puts a duty on men to spend their wealth in favor of the women (from the Quran’s reference to “a degree above them“). Women are also given breaks from prayer, fasting, and other religious obligations depending on their necessity. Islam not only perpetuates an unequivocal equality, but also acknowledges those inherent scientific differences and addresses them with justice, kindness, and responsibility. Yes, a religion which actually takes science into account when dealing with people. Conclusion: This is a religion which taught tolerance and equality at a time where girls were being buried alive simply for their gender. Islam questioned this “… When the infant girl, buried alive, is asked for what crime she was slain?” A time when slavery was an accepted reality, Islam encouraged the freeing of a slave among the best actions a human could take. Critics label Islam a religion “of the Middle Ages” — yet the aforementioned simple extracts from this “medieval” faith show an ideology timeless in its righteousness, be it the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. For instance, progress towards women’s rights in Britain had to
fessional investors. Analysts’ are simply predicting from their research what the stocks will do. On the other hand, institutional involvement buying is practical. To put it in simpler words – analysts’ theory and institutional are practical. Who would you follow? Follow institutional, Insha Allah you will be rewarded. Once you follow closely diligently and wisely, the big boys and the major mutual funds you will get an idea yourself what is the fast moving recently. You want to watch and monitor closely. Compare your plans of investing what are your ultimate goals. What am trying to share with you is do not follow the leaders blindly, you need to follow? Yes but according to your needs, according to your plans. Once you do all of this Insha Allah you will succeed and be among the winners. But the homework you must do. (Saghir A. Aslam only explains strategies and formulas that he has been using. He is merely providing information, and NO ADVICE is given. Mr Aslam does not endorse or recommend any broker, brokerage firm, or any investment at all, nor does he suggest that anyone will earn a profit when or if they purchase stocks, bonds or any other investments. All stocks or investment vehicles mentioned are for illustrative purposes only. Mr Aslam is not an attorney, accountant, real estate broker, stockbroker, investment advisor, or certified financial planner. Mr Aslam does not have anything for sale.) wait until the Suffragettes; even to this day there is a disparity in those rights. Wage inequality for example, is still an issue in Europe and the US. Islam on the other hand institutionalized gender equality upon its inception — in far worse circumstances. “Whatever men earn, they have a share of that and whatever women earn, they have a share in that.” Whether that has been correctly implemented by self-proclaimed “Shari’a states” is a different debate entirely, however, reference to primary sources ascertains the real value regarded to women in Islam. Islam eradicated any “acceptable” inequality more than a thousand years ago. While world religions squabbled over vilifying women for “the Original Sin,” Islam stepped in and said both man and woman were responsible, they were both forgiven, and they are both equal. (Rabah JTL is a law student in London. He is also a commentator and political analyst on current affairs, offering humanitarian insight from a positivist legal perspective) TALES FROM P23
commuted as a result of pressure from outside. “Kuldip got it wrong,” Bhutto said. (Yet another confirmation that Bhutto deceived himself.) Zia’s plane crash: I was surprised when Zia was killed…I have done my utmost to find out who was responsible…I suspect it was US, and in support of this surmise I can only say that after Zia’s plane was blown up, a Pakistani military officer entered India and flew on to US. Our govt was aware of this. (Ijaz ul Huq has TALES, P29
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Marriage Support Hidaya Foundation supports impoverished families who are trying to get their daughters married by providing basic items necessary for newlywed girls, including dresses, shoes, utensils, bedding, fans, sewing machines, and more, along with some financial assistance to offset marriage expenses. Depending on the region, it costs approximately $200 to $300 to support the marriage of one young woman.
Donate Zakat & Sadaqah for Marriage Support.
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Exchange Rates for Currency Notes* Countries
USA UK S.Arabia Japan Euro UAE
Buying Rs.
Selling Rs.
100.30 152.22 26.72 0.8505 118.82 27.31
100.50 152.52 26.78 0.8522 119.06 27.36
(*January 13, 2015)
US VISA AVAILABILITY JANUARY 2015 For Pakistan, Bangladesh & India Compiled by Hasan Chishti FAMILY SPONSORED PREFERENCES
Pakistan/Bangladesh
1st Unmarried sons & daughters of U.S. Citizens
July 8, 2007
July 8, 2007
2-A Spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents
April 15, 2013
April 15, 2013
2-B Unmarried sons & daughters (21 years of age or older) of permanent residents
April 1, 2008
April 1, 2008
3rd Married sons & daughters of US citizens Dec., 22, 2003 4
th
Brothers & sisters of adult U.S. citizens
March 22, 2002
India
Dec., 22, 2003 March 22, 2002
EMPLOYMENT BASED CATEGORY 1st Priority workers
Current
Current
Current
Feb., 15, 2005
3rd Skilled workers Other workers
June 1, 2013 June 1, 2013
Dec., 15, 2003 Dec., 15, 2003
4th Certain special immigrants Certain religious workers
Current Current
Current Current
Current
Current
2
nd
Members of the professions holding advanced degree or persons of exceptional ability
5th Employment creation Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs UNLIMITED FAMILY-BASED
Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens (IR): The spouse, widow(er) and unmarried children under 21 of a U.S citizen, and the parent of a U.S. citizen who is 21 or older. Returning Residents (SB): Immigrants who lived in the United States previously as lawful permanent residents and are returning to live in the U.S. after a temporary visit of more than one year abroad.
RELIGION
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P27
Issues and Questions
Questions of Life and Death
Gems from the Holy Qur’an
n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi
N
or take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the law). (Al-Isra’ 17:33)
Say: “Come, I will rehearse what Allah has (really) prohibited you from”: join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want - We provide sustenance for you and for them - come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus does He command you, that you may learn wisdom. (Al-An’am 6:151) Islam considers human life sacred. Life is to be protected and promoted as much as possible. Since the Florida woman Terri Shiavo’s case came in the news, there is a lot of discussion on the issue of life and death. It is important for us as Muslims to understand our position and also to prepare ourselves in case we or our dear ones confront such a situation. There are a number of important questions: 1. What is the Islamic position on euthanasia? 2. Is it permissible to prolong life artificially and at what point it is allowed for doctors to “pull the plug”? 3. In case of dispute who makes the final decision: doctors, parents, spouse, children or government? 4. When does the death occur? 5. How important it is for us Muslims to prepare a will explaining our position in this matter? 1. Euthanasia or “Mercy Killing”: There is no provision in Islam for killing oneself or another person to reduce his/her physical or emotional pain or suffering from sickness or injury. It is the duty of the doctors, patients’ relatives, and the state to take care of the sick and to do their best to reduce the pain and suffering of the sick, but they
From the translation by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) (Recently, a media talk show host, well known for his anti-Muslim bias, saw it fit to make scornful remarks against the Qur’an on TV. In these columns, selections from this Holy Book will be published, so that unacquainted readers of the Pakistan Link may be able to judge for themselves.)
are not allowed under any circumstances to kill the sick person. The sick person also should patiently endure the pain and should pray to Allah. Faith and patience bring both comfort and blessings in this life and in the eternal life. If, however, a number of medical experts determine that a patient is in a terminal condition, there is no hope for his/her recovery and all medications have become useless, then it is permissible for them, through a collective decision, to stop the medication. Under no condition it is permissible to induce death. As long as a person is alive, it is his/her right to be fed. Medical experts and relatives should not withhold nutrition from a living person. They should do their best to provide him/her with necessary nutrition by whatever method it is possible. 2. Prolonging life artificially: The Shari’ah favors life and emphasizes that life should be protected as much as it is possible. According to the Qur’an “saving one life is like saving the whole humanity” (AlMa’idah 5:32). Thus the Shari’ah scholars are in favor of using all methods, including artificial resuscitation to protect life.
If a patient is placed on life sup-
If a number of medical experts determine that a patient is in a terminal condition, there is no hope for his/her recovery and all medications have become useless, then it is permissible for them, through a collective decision, to stop the medication. Under no condition it is permissible to induce death port and the doctors see no improvement in the patient’s conditions, and the doctors indicate that artificial resuscitation has become useless, then with due consideration and care and by collective decision of medical experts, family members and religious scholars, it would be permissible to decide to switch off the life support
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machine and to allow nature to take its course. 3. In case of dispute who makes the final decision, Shari’ah would prefer a consensus and collective decision in this matter. The decision should be made with compassion and by bringing all the family members together by explaining the whole situation and consequences. It is better that courts should not interfere in this matter unless there is a suspicion that, for example, the doctor belongs to an organ transplant group or the family member is interested in the inheritance or bequeath or anyone in the team is accused of professional misconduct. It is better to make error and save life rather than err and lose life. 4. When is a person dead? Muslim medical experts have defined death in the following way: An individual is considered dead in one of the following two situations: A) Complete irreversible cessation of respiratory and cardiovascular systems. B) Complete irreversible cessation of the functions of the brain including the brain stem. This should be confirmed by the accepted medical standards. In case of brain death it is required to have the presence of a reliable medical specialist well experienced in the clinical diagnosis of brain and brain stem death and the various implications of such diagnosis. 5. Preparing the will: The Prophet - peace be upon him urged all Muslims to prepare their will. It is always good to have an Islamic will. The way the situation is changing and the increasing involvement of the governments and courts in this matter, makes it even more urgent and necessary that we carefully think how to prepare our Islamic will, not only for the distribution of inheritance, but also for our medical treatment in case of coma or other complications and also our proper Islamic burial. May Allah keep us on the right path and save us from difficulties in this life and in the life to come. Ameen. (Khutbah at ISOC - Safar 15, 1426/ March 25, 2005)
About the translator: Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam travelled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far East as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. After years of devoted study he became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age. His translation of the Holy Qur’an is one of the most lucid and well-referenced works in this category. Chapter 21, Verse 35 Every human being is bound to taste death; and We test you [all] through the bad and he good [things of life] by way of trial: and unto Us you all must return. Chapter 21, Verses 47 –50 But We shall set up just balancescales on Resurrection Day, and no human being shall be wronged in the least: for though there be [in him but] the weight of a mustard-seed [of good or evil], We shall bring it forth; and none can take count as We do! And, indeed, We vouchsafed unto Moses and Aaron [Our revelation as] the standard by which to discern the true from the false, and as a [guiding] light and a reminder for the God-conscious who stand in awe of their Sustainer although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and who tremble at the thought of the Last Hour. And [like those earlier revelations], this one, too, is a blessed reminder which We have bestowed from on high: will you, then, disavow it? Chapter 21, Verses 74-75 And unto Lot, too, We vouchsafed sound judgment and knowledge [of right and wrong], and saved him from that community which was given to deeds of abomination. [We destroyed these people – for,] verily, they were people lost in evil, depraved – whereas him we admitted unto Our grace: for behold, he was among the righteous. Chapter 21, Verse 85 And [remember] Ishmael and Idris, and every one who [like them] has pledged himself [unto God]: they all were among those who are patient in adversity, and so We admitted them unto Our grace: behold, they were among the righteous! Chapter 21, Verses 105-108 And, indeed, after having exhorted [man], We laid it down in all the books of divine wisdom that My righteous servants shall inherit the GEMS, P29
CLASSIFIED & MATRIMONIAL
P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 16, 2015
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PAKISTAN TALES FROM P26
been claiming for years that he knows the responsible person.) Militancy in Punjab: What greatly helped Punjab to eliminate militancy was Islamabad’s gesture… the civilian govt in Pakistan…provided India with names of militants who had once taken shelter in Pakistan, and this helped in uprooting militancy from Punjab. (Aitzaz Ahsan may still deny it.) Interview with A.Q. Khan: I thought I would provoke him. Egoist as he was, he might fall for the bait. And he did. I concocted a story and told him that when I was coming to Pakistan, I ran in to Dr. Sethna, father of India’s nuclear bomb, who asked me why I was wasting my time because Pakistan had neither the men nor the material to make such a weapon. Khan was furious and began pounding his hand on the table: “Tell them we have it; we have it.” Mushahid (then editor of daily Muslim, who had arranged the interview) was taken aback and looked distraught… Almost a decade after the story, I met Mushahid at a conference in Dhaka. I asked him if my meeting with Khan was cleared with Zia; he replied in the affirmative...Where things went wrong, he said, was that Khan spoke too much and disclosed more than he was supposed to do. (He is still doing it.) Election Rigging: Abdul Ghani Lone told me that the state elections (in Kashmir) in 1987 had been rigged. I told him that that the National Conference had no need to rig the elections because CM Farooq Abdullah would in any case have won by a small margin. Lone said that Farooq was afraid of losing elections and rigged them in order to leave nothing to chance. (He should have learnt from ZAB’s folly in 1977.) The Turncoats: George Fernandes defended the Morarji govt on one day and vehemently criticized it the next. I felt sorry for him because his role as a trade union leader and as a valiant fighter during the Emergency had been exemplary. I did not however know then that a person like him could change colors in 24 hours. (His inspiration may have come from across the border.) (The writer is a physician in Williamsport, PA and may be reached at asifjaved@comcast.net) GEMS FROM P27
earth: herein, behold there is a message for people who [truly] worship God. And [thus, O Prophet], We have sent thee as [an evidence of Our] grace towards all the worlds. Say: “It has been but revealed unto me that your God is the One and Only God: will you, then, surrender yourselves unto Him?” __________ SPIRIT FROM P15
Both Salman and Shehzad said Chand Sitara will be released very soon. “The song will be released as soon as Shoaib Mansoor finishes the video for it. No set date as yet but in the near future,” confirms Shehzad. - Dawn ASMA FROM P12
new legislation could be challenged before the Supreme Court, she said assailing the law would be tantamount to undermining the parliament. Professional group’s head Hamid Khan said the military courts would not be a right solution to terrorism. He said the nation had already faced failure of these courts
JANUARY 16, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P29 during the dictatorial regimes of Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan and Ziaul Haq. He said the executive also failed to improve law and order and it endorsed establishment of military courts to prosecute suspects without evidence. He went on to say that he could not dispel the apprehension that the military courts would be used for political victimization. PINDI FROM P13
Qasar-e-Shabbir and an Imambargah in the Gracy Lines area, which was targeted on Dec 18, 2013. Syed Sajjad Hussain, a resident of Chittian Hattian, said that the attack on the imambargah was proof that terrorists were freely striking the city and targeting only one sect. “If the conspirators behind the Imambargah Qasar-e-Shabir and Gracy Lines attacks are arrested, such incidents cannot happen in the future,” he said. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of the MWM flayed the government following the attack. Speaking to the press, he said the state had failed to protect courts, educational institutions and even places of worship. The terrorists, their apologists and abettors are all around us, he said, and the state should do more to protect minorities from such inhuman attacks. REMITTANCES FROM P13
Remittances from the United States and the United Kingdom remained $1.3 billion and $1.16 billion, respectively, in July-December. The year-on-year increase in remittances from the US and the UK had been 4.6% and 2.6%, respectively. Remittances from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, excluding Saudi Arabia and the UAE, aggregated $1.03 billion in July-December, which is 15.61% higher than the remittances received from these countries in the same period of the preceding fiscal year. ASIF FROM P1
the war on its western borders and the terrorism within. Military sources had also claimed on Monday that one part of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit would focus on the sharing of intelligence reports and evidence of Indian involvement in subversive activities across Pakistan. The evidence is alleged to credibly identify financial support, training and provision of weapons to militants. KERRY FROM P1
“But make no mistake: The task is a difficult one and it is not done. We all have a responsibility to ensure that these extremists are no longer able to secure a foothold in this country or elsewhere,” he said. Kerry also announced that $250 million in previously appropriated money will be given to emergency relief efforts in the tribal areas, mainly North Waziristan. Hundreds of thousands of people fled the area due to the fighting. Kerry also praised the reopening Monday of the school in Peshawar where Taliban gunmen on Dec. 16 slaughtered students and teachers in one of the country’s worst terrorist attacks. Kerry called it a testament to the resolve of the Pakistani people. The secretary arrived in Pakistan on Monday and met with Aziz as well as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He met later Tuesday with Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, at military headquarters in Rawalpindi, and was due to fly to Geneva for a meeting Wednesday with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mo-
hammed Javad Zarif to discuss nuclear negotiations that are to resume on Thursday in the Swiss city. Kerry had hoped to travel to Peshawar to visit survivors of the school attack at a hospital but weather forced the trip’s cancellation, said a State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak to the media on the subject. US asked to prevail upon India to work with Pakistan:The Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday asked the United States to prevail upon India to work with Pakistan for regional peace and economic prosperity. “The cancellation of foreign secretary level talks by India, followed by the recent incidents of unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary are a source of serious concern to Pakistan,” Aziz said. “We hope that the US as an influential member of the international community can prevail upon India to work with Pakistan towards regional peace and economic prosperity.” Secretary Kerry said that Prime Minister Nawaz deserved a lot of credit for his leadership in reaching out to his neighbors to develop peace and understanding. “I can’t emphasize enough that it is profoundly in the interest of Pakistan and India to move their relationship forward,” he added. Aziz and Kerry agreed that peace and stability in Afghanistan was an essential pre-requisite for stability in Pakistan and in the region. “Secretary Kerry welcomed in his remarks the resolute steps initiated by Pakistan to counter the menace of terrorism through the National Action Plan and related measures,” Aziz said. Aziz said the US and Pakistan have a “common interest in a united, stable and prosperous Afghanistan” and said Pakistan supports reconciliation but stressed that it was also critical to “make sure Afghan soil cannot be used to undercut” the fight against terrorism. Kerry also maintained that it was important not to view the US-Pakistan relationship only through the prism of counterterrorism and security. He noted that the United States has provided significant assistance to Pakistan to improve its infrastructure, including roads and power generation. Between 2009 and 2014, the US provided Pakistan with more than $4.38 billion in civilian assistance, including more than a billion in humanitarian aid. Kerry said that the reality has never been clearer than on Dec 16. “The brutal murder of your children was felt by every parent and citizen in the United States. No one needed a reminder of Taliban’s disregard for human life and for freedom,” he said. “Just as we stand with the people of France in its difficult hour, America will continue to stand with the people of Pakistan as they build a future that is free from the threat of violent extremism.
CURRICULUM FROM P1
Women’s Institute has convened a committee comprising
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Imran Faces Wrath of Protesting Parents as He Arrives at APS Peshawar: Parents of children martyred in the Peshawar attack protested against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday as he arrived at the Army Public School, Express News reported. The PTI chief, who was accompanied by his wife Reham Khan, was forced to turnaround as mournful parents, overcome by grief and anger, refused to let him inside the premises of the school. However, according to Express News, Imran managed to enter the school through a separate GW faculty with expertise in a wide range of disciplines — including international affairs, media studies, language and literature, religion, history, women’s studies, leadership studies and education. Malala was 15 when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head as she travelled on a school bus in response to her campaign for girls’ education. Although her injuries almost killed her, she recovered after being flown for extensive surgery in Birmingham, central England. She has been based in England with her family ever since, continuing both her education and activism. Last year, the 17-year-old became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. She won the prize along with Indian campaigner Kailash Satyarthi, 60, who has fought for 35 years to free thousands of children from virtual slave labor.
entrance. Imran was earlier advised to postpone his visit to the army-run school as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif had to visit the school the same day. “You were busy getting married without doing anything about my child who died less than a month ago,” said a weeping mother, outside the school, while another parent said the PTI chief had deserted them when they needed him the most. Urging the PTI chief not to politicize the Peshawar attack, a protester said, “We do not need anyone, whether it’s Imran Khan or Nawaz Sharif.” “Imran came after one month to visit the school because he was busy with his wedding,” he added angrily, claiming Imran should be ashamed of himself. Further, Imran was criticized for not doing anything despite being elected as a member of national assembly from the province. Meanwhile, the PTI has announced that their provincial information minister will shortly hold a press conference to “expose those behind today’s incident.” LEADERS FROM P21
the most important Muslims of the late 20th and early 21st century.” “He would be one of the strongest voices against what happened in France this week,” Bacon said. “He strongly objected to the hijacking of Islam by violent terrorists.” Hathout, he added, was “a voice of reform and moderation.” - Courtesy Los Angeles Times
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JANUARY 16, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK
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M
eera sure knows how to stay in news - the saucy actor known for her stunts in her public as well as private life will now be seen playing the lead role in a film titled Hotal. The movie which is set for a nationwide release in March is a psycho-thriller and is being dubbed as the "first Hindi feature film outside Bollywood" and has different actors from Pakistan. Written and directed by Pakistani director Khalid Hasan Khan who is a graduate of the New York Film Academy, the film is centered on Kashika, a woman who ends up in a hotel where as the film's teaser says
"she meets her sister who was never born". The film which bagged the award for Best Film at the 3rd Delhi International Film Festival also honoured Meera, who couldn't outshine previously in India, with Best Actress Award. Speaking to The Hindu about Hotal, Meera commented: "The film gives out a social message. It depicts what a woman faces and touches sensitive issues like abortion, gender discrimination and superstitions. It is a new project for our film industry in Pakistan but I am sure that audiences all the world over will love it." Meera further remarked that
she was "open to all kinds of opportunities and roles, whether it is a commercial movie or one with a strong social message. The role I have played in Hotal is different. It is not glamorous at all." With different Pakistani actors entering the Indian entertainment industry, Meera is hopeful of future collaborations between the two countries: "It is a very positive step. Bollywood films are extremely popular in Pakistan and now that our artists and television series are being appreciated here [in India], that makes it easier for viewers to understand what life is like in India or Pakistan."
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