Pakistan Link - January 1, 2016 by PL PUBLICATIONS

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Friday, January 1, 2016

VOL. 26/1 - 20 Rabi ‘ul-awwal 1437 H

Benazir and the Making of Movie Jinnah Terrorist Networks Broken, Facilitators yet to Be Eliminated Islamabad: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday said networks of terrorists had been “broken”, however, the elimination of their facilitators would still “take some time”. Addressing the upper house of the parliament, he said that a Joint Intelligence Directorate of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) would be functional very soon and added that it would be a big step forward in the fight against terrorism. He said for the first time 61 proscribed organizations had been put on record and had been banned from the media. The minister said that although the “’situation in Balochistan was not normal”, there was a notable improvement in the law and order situation in the province. Nisar told members of the Senate that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) reforms would be carried out in consultation FACLITATORS, P28

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US & Canada $1.00

Modi Arrives in Lahore on Surprise Visit

Iftikhar Chaudhry Launches His Own Political Party

No Compromise on Karachi Operation

Islamabad: Prime Min-

ister Nawaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah agreed on Wednesday to continue the Karachi operation jointly and to amicably resolve all differences between the Center and the provincial government. During the meeting between the premier and the Sindh chief minister at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad the real cause of contention, an earlier notification by the Federal Interior Ministry to extend special powers of Sindh Rangers in Karachi, was not discussed, sources told The Express Tribune. However, sources said the prime minister categorically rejected two major demands presented by the Sindh government

The Prime Minister categorically rejected two major demands presented by the Sindh Government

regarding the clipping of powers of the paramilitary force to arrest any political figure on corruption

charges and to raid any Sindh government buildings. The prime minister

directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to coordinate and

OPERATION, P28

Rally at the California State Capitol in Support of San Bernardino Victims and against Hate

n Report and pictures by Ras H. Siddiqui Sacramento, CA: The signs they

carried said “Sacramento - United Against Hate - United For Peace” as close to 800 people from many ethnicities and religious backgrounds gathered at the steps of the California State Capitol building in Sacramento, California on December 19, 2015 to both condemn the recent terror attacks in San Bernardino (and Paris) and to unite against all kinds of intolerance, especially targeting the Muslim community. The list of sponsors of this rally included Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento, Area Congregations Together (ACT), MLK365, the NAACP, Coalition of Tolerance, Florin Japanese American Citizens League, Sikh Community, Jewish Voice for Peace, OCA, APAPA, HIP, COSVIO, CAIR-Sacramento Valley, American Muslim Voice, and Pakistani American Association and PASCO. The distinguished speakers included Pastor Les Simmons (who performed the opening prayer) and Fred Goodman

The rally expressed solidarity with the victims of San Bernardino and raised a voice against hate in support of the American Muslim community

from Mount Herman Baptist Church who needs to be commended for his fine rendition of the Star Spangled Ban-

ner.

After this opening, others who spoke (not a full list and not in order)

included Edrine Ddungu (Presbyterian), Pastor RALLY, P17

Periodical postage paid at Newport Beach, CA and additional mailing offices

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www.PakistanLink.com 26 Die in Suicide Attack at NADRA Office in Mardan Mardan: A suspected suicide attack at a government office in north-west Pakistan has killed at least 26 people, police say. The bomb went off outside the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in the town of Mardan. A faction of the Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attack, which left more than 45 wounded. The attack was one of the deadliest since last December’s massacre of 150 students and teachers in Peshawar. The bomber in Mardan reportedly arrived on a motorbike and blew himself up when stopped by a security guard outside the NADRA building. The office is usually crowded with people queuing up to get ID cards. Officials put the death toll at 26. Most of the dead and wounded are civilians, BBC correspondents say. ATTACK, P28

US Exerts Pressure to Choke Terror Groups’ Financing n By Anwar Iqbal Washington: After recent terrorist attacks in the West, the United States has increased pressure on Pakistan to prevent certain outfits from collecting donations inside the country, diplomatic sources told Dawn. The sources also said that three organizations — Falah Insanyet, Ganj Madressah and Lashkar-eTaiba/Jamaatud Dawa — topped the US list. All three have been declared terrorist outfits by the US State Department as well as the United Nations. “The pressure to prevent these three groups from collecting donations has always been there but has increased after the recent attacks,” said a diplomatic source. At a recent congressional hearing, Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard G. Olson told lawmakers that terrorism had always been at the center of dialogue between the

FINANCING, P28

P2 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

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JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P3

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OPINION

P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

Pakistan Link President

Arif Zaffar Mansuri

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One Islam, Three Muslims and a Half n By Professor Nazeer Ahmed

Concord, CA

dversity has a way of sorting out great civilizations from those that are not. When they face a challenge, great civilizations rise to the occasion, renew themselves, and emerge stronger and more resilient. Lesser ones, recoil from within and disappear.

Faith is the differentiator between a great civilization and one that is not. Faith fosters renewal. It sustains a civilization in adversity and propels it to new heights after each challenge. Where there is no faith there is no civilization. The Qur’an declares: “Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who had no faith”. Islam is a great civilization. Over the last 1400 years, it has faced major challenges from within and from without. The Crusades (1096-1272), the Mongol invasions (1219-1302), the Spanish Inquisition (1492-1609) and European colonialism (1700-1947) are recognizable milestones in the onward march of Islamic civilization. The world of Islam withstood the Crusader onslaught, converted the Mongols and emerged bruised but alive from two hundred fifty years of colonial rule. Today, the Islamic world is faced with unprecedented challenges across a broad spectrum of ideological, cultural, political and military issues. The pressures faced by American Muslims are a microcosm of those faced by the global Islamic community. Contemporary social discourse sometimes seeks to identify an Islamic core and its periphery. If there is a physical Islamic core, it is conspicuous by its absence. Instead, the flow of the great Islamic civilization is like that of a mighty river, divided into many branches, flowing through a vast, fertile delta before it merges into the expanse of the blue ocean. The Islamic core is spiritual and existential, not physical. It is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. It becomes manifest in the realm of faith but is submerged by the sheer diversity of cultural, historical and political divides in an all too imperfect world. Another analogy is that it is like a subterranean stream that is unseen but makes its presence felt by the sustenance it provides a fertile land. In the language of the Qur’an, it is like “…..the Gardens under which flow streams (of Divine Grace)”. Not since the period of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (r) (634-644) has the global Islamic community stood as a monolithic whole. Subsequent attempts at consolidation have met only with partial success. Instead, a narrative of Islamic history is necessarily punctuated with descriptions of dynasties and kingdoms, some mighty, others feeble and transient. Thus history becomes not so much an exposition of an Islamic core but a process to find that core. This diversity in the Islamic body politic is at once the source of its strength and its weakness. It imparts resilience to a civilization that faces myriad challenges in a host of social and political surroundings. At the same time,

it impedes the process of centration which is required for economic and political mobilization. Historical analogies are useful but they take us only so far. The experience of the American Muslim community is exceptional within the broader context of American exceptionalism. This small, nascent community which constitutes less than one percent of the American population, is a melting pot of cultures. It is ethnically diverse, about one-third African-American, a third South Asian and a third Arab with strands of Persian, Turkish, European and Malay immigrants. It comes together on a common platform of faith but is otherwise heterogeneous. It faces extremism from within and is hammered by Islamophobia from

In the evolving matrix of Muslim response to the rising tide of Islamophobia, there is emerging a band of believers who look at the situation with mature emotive intelligence and use reason to guide the ship of Islam to safer shores without. The endless raging conflicts in West Asia provide the fuel for both. Notwithstanding its protestations and its unequivocal condemnation of terror, the American Muslim community has witnessed an alarming increase in prejudice, distrust, fear and hate. According to some polls, 55% of Americans have a negative view of Islam and fully a third would support civil restrictions on Muslims. Islamophobic rhetoric has formed the main subject of presidential debates for one of the two major political parties. The response of the American Muslim community to this unprecedented rise in prejudice and fear is characteristically diffuse and fragmented. It reflects the historical evolution of the community as well as its ideological and ethnic divides. At least three major response groups are emerging in the community. The Defiant Orthodox Response “We will not change our ways”, thunders an invited khateeb at a major masjid in New Jersey. The Khateeb, a graduate of al Azhar Uni-

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versity and a scholar, is imposing in his long beard, skull cap and jalaba and is sincere in his declaration. “Do you think”, he asks the attentive audience, “discarding the hijab and shaving off our beards will make a difference to Islamophobia?” Whether it is California or New York, one hears similar views from the orthodox circles from coast to coast. “Islam is against terror”, they argue, quoting extensively from the scriptures. “And we will stand against terror but we will not compromise on our ways”. This group is not swayed by the increasing attacks on hijab-wearing Muslim women or innocent turbaned Sikhs nor is it willing to engage in a rational discourse about the ground realities of hate in main street America. Indeed, one sees in a section of this group a quiet resignation to the prospect of detention camps as the price for their unyielding rigidity. The Revolving Door “There will come a time” says a well-known Hadith, “when a man will be a Muslim in the morning and will renounce it by the end of the day”. There are those who ask if that day has arrived. The relentless pressure on Muslims has increased the traffic through the revolving door. While there is still a trickle of Americans who take the shahada and accept Islam, the egress from the community has picked up momentum. Those walking away from the faith are doing so in significant numbers. This is not surprising considering the historical experience of immigrant groups in America. The magnetic pull of a dazzling, enticing, secular, materialist culture is too intense for many to resist. Nor is this a uniquely Muslim experience. There are similar pressures in the Jewish community in America to assimilate. You hear from learned rabbis that fully a third of Jewish youth are opting out of faith through intermarriage or migration to Eastern spiritual traditions. What is different about the Muslim experience is that it is driven by Islamophobia. In the absence of quantitative data, it is hard to assess how many Muslims are walking away from Islam to escape the political heat of Islamophobia. This is an important issue that needs further research. The Silent Majority By far the largest segment of American Muslims are not involved in the turbulence that engulfs their community. These are the hard working professionals who toil ceaselessly, like most Americans, from dawn till dusk, making a living, pursuing their careers and chasing the American dream. This is the group that constitutes the back-

bone of the community. They enrich America, serving the country as doctors, engineers, architects, accountants, policemen and soldiers. Politics is far from their consciousness. They have grown their roots in America. They buy their homes in middle class neighborhoods so their children can attend good public schools. They are generous with their donations that sustain Islamic centers and neighborhood civic organizations. Busy as they are, this group is not oblivious of their heritage of faith. They wake up during weekends and out of a genuine concern for the religious upbringing of their children, take their children to a Sunday school in the neighborhood mosque. This large professional group is concerned about the increasing tide of Islamophobia but lack the stamina to participate in the political processes and influence them in any significant way. If the Islamophobic rhetoric spills over into the streets, the affluent among this group will migrate as did the Jews in Germany in the early 1930s but the great majority will stay put and endure. The Renewal Generation Islam is a God-centered, living civilization, tough and resilient, with an innate capacity to renew itself in the face of adversity. It is a lamp that cannot be extinguished by the passing winds of ignorance and fear. In the evolving matrix of Muslim response to the rising tide of Islamophobia, there is emerging a band of believers who look at the situation with mature emotive intelligence and use reason to guide the ship of Islam to safer shores. Consisting of younger, second and third generation immigrants, native born American Muslims and a few notable scholars, this band of believers strives to implement the commandment of God, “You are the most noble of ummahs, commanding what is noble, forbidding what is evil and believing in God”. They are seekers of knowledge on the ladders of ascent to Divine presence. They look upon the current challenge as a God-given opportunity to renew their faith from within. They want to know the Islamic perspective on the purpose of creation and they are impelled by a vision to shape the emerging dimensions of the Islamic experience in a fast moving world. It is in the quest of these young men and women that one has to seek the future of Islam in America. (Dr Nazeer Ahmed is Director, American Institute of Islamic History and Culture, California; Director, World Organization for Resource Development and Education, Washington, DC; Member, State Knowledge Commission, Bangalore; and Chairman, Delixus Group)

Views and opinions express e d 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.

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P5

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OPINION

P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016 n By Azher Quader President Community Builders Council Chicago, IL

ahin Minnatkash-e-Taabe-Shaneedan Dastan Meri Khamoshi Guftugu Hai, Be-Zubani Hai Zuban Meri My story is not indebted to the patience of being heard My silence is my talk, my speechlessness is my speech Ye Dastoor-e-Zuban Bandi Hai Kaisa Teri Mehfil Mein Yahan To Baat Karne Ko Tarasti Hai Zuban Meri Why have you imposed this rule of silence in your assembly? My tongue is so anxious and craving to talk in this gathering - Iqbal

These days it looks like everyone has an opinion on how to solve the puzzle of terrorism and defeat ISIS. Muslim voices are often silenced by the louder voices of the media pundits and the noise of the political hopeful class who speak as if they know it all. Unfortunately that is what they told us before launching the Iraq offensive over ten years ago also. We are told now the reason why they hate us is because of our way of life, our freedoms, our love of democracy, our support of some governments around the globe they don’t like. We are comforted by our leaders who tell us we will defeat them one day and destroy them. We will win this war and we will be relentless in our pursuit of victory, are the assurances we are given. The strategies are many. Some want to choke them financially by

Solving the Puzzle of Terrorism

destroying their oil resources. Some would like to carpet bomb them into submission. Some would like to put boots on the ground to get the job done. Some would want to impose a no-fly zone and clear the Russians from the skies over Syria. So it goes, with our arm chair quarter backs, making their deft remarks, wanting to gain some political points in an election season which is just getting heated up. If nothing else works of course, one has declared he will quarantine the Muslims out of the country, so we can have a little more time to Pow Wow and think more ways to deal with those terrible Muslims and win this war! This has been our longest war in our nation’s history, over four thousand valiant lives lost on distant lands, billions being paid to fund it from our public coffers, and we seem to be losing it still. What began as a fight against the perpetrators of 9/11 who operated from the hideouts of mountain caves, has now turned into an open war against a well-equipped army of several thousand who control large territories of Iraq and Syria with rich oil reserves. First it was Afghanistan, then it was Iraq, now it is Syria. Where does this war take us next? Over a quarter million killed in Syria alone. Similar counts in Iraq, victims of collateral damage. Over 11 million displaced and homeless, seeking refuge and safe havens in foreign lands. Our European allies are overwhelmed by the enormity of the crisis. Innocent people caught in the cross fire of sectarian hostilities and proxy wars, are every day risk-

ing their lives on overloaded boats, desperately attempting to escape to some peaceful shores. We hear their stories with little emotion. We watch their plight from the warmth and comfort of our living rooms. Do we have space in our homes and our hearts for these displaced victims of destiny? There are many in our country today who had said no and are refusing to welcome them, citing their religion as reason for concern. But wait, our country was founded on essential freedoms, and we welcomed people of all faiths to come and settle among us. So what went wrong? Is it time to pause and ponder. Is it time to wonder where hide the answers. What made those that were once our trusted friends in the mountains of a far off land, become our deadly enemies. Where did we lose our way. Or did we? If freedom is our founding principle, others too must cherish it

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to have and enjoy. If justice is what we demand for ourselves, in order to live with dignity and grace, that too is what others seek in their corrupt societies with rampant inequities in which they live. If peace and security is what we desire in our neighborhoods and for our families, others too aspire for safety in their towns and villages where they could play and sleep in peace. If we want economic prosperity so we could enjoy the fruits of our labor, others too wish for places to work and jobs to have in their poverty-ridden jobless communities where opportunities are so scarce to have. In a connected world should we never ask the question: what kind of neighbors have we been? Are we our brothers keepers? With so much wealth and so much plenty, do we have a concern for the condition of those who have so little and live in so much want and misery? With such power and such

influence in the world that we exercise, can we look ourselves in the mirror and say yes, we are the honest power brokers we claim to be? With so much talent and capacity we possess, to impact the health and happiness of so many communities around the globe, could we not do more, to make a difference? As the biggest consumer of energy in the world, should we not be better stewards for its usage and caretakers of our environment? With such abundance of energy resources we possess, should we continue to court oil rich sheikhdoms and monarchies for their cheap oil and ignore the message of violence they preach? If the experience of the past has taught us much, we should know that the puzzle of terrorism cannot be solved through bombs and drones. We have tried them long enough and seen the results. A political solution also can only be a band aid to stop the immediate pain. Real healing will require a much deeper understanding, a much greater willingness to change course in order to obtain the desired result. It would mean a bigger commitment, a much greater effort on our part to stand true to the ideals that have made us so special, as a people of conscience and a nation of principles. When we falter from our ideals of justice and freedom we betray our own commitment to those ideals and undermine our own potential for greatness. We no longer remain ‘the shining city on top of a hill’, which is meant to be a beacon of light for the rest of the world. The toxic talk that is being spread by some hate peddlers within our

PUZZLE, P9

OPINION

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7

Muslim Americans Are More Likely to Reject Violence, Intolerance than Many Other Americans n By David Bier & Matthew La Corte

Niskanen Center

onald Trump has proposed profiling Muslim Americans and shutting down mosques. He claims that

Muslim “hatred is beyond comprehension.” But the truth is that Muslim Americans are not only integrating into US society, but are actually more opposed to violence and more tolerant in many ways than many other Americans.

Muslim Americans Hold Mainstream Religious and Political Views Muslims are similar to other religious Americans. Pew’s major survey of Muslims in 2011 found that religion was equally important to Christian and Muslim Americans. Christians and Muslims also attend religious services with about the same frequency. Only 35 percent of Muslims saw their religion as the only true faith, compared to 30 percent of Christians. Like 64 percent of US Christians, a majority of Muslim Americans think different religions can lead to eternal life. Pew even found that Muslims are much less prone to scriptural literalism than Evangelicals. Most American Muslims arrived in the United States after 1990,

yet they are almost as likely as Christians to prioritize their American identity over their religious identity. As matter of fact, Muslims are much more likely than Evangelical Christians to see themselves as Americans first. More than two-thirds of Evangelicals identify as Christians first and Americans second. The fear that Muslim Americans might be more loyal to other Muslims around the world than they are to their own country is unfounded. Gallup’s major survey of American Muslims in 2010 found that Muslim Americans were the least likely of any American religious group to strongly identify with their coreligionists abroad. Far from being clannish, Pew found that 93 percent of Muslim Americans had close non-Muslim friends. A majority reported that most of their friends were non-Muslim. At the same time, 92 percent of US Muslims don’t oppose women working outside the home (98 per-

cent of Americans agree). Pew also found that 62 percent of Muslims said they were “OK” with Muslims marrying non-Muslims, and another 11 percent said it depends. American Christians were not asked this exact question, but in 2014, Pew found that 77 percent of white Evangelicals would be unhappy if an immediate family member married an atheist. Pew finds that US Muslims are politically moderate (38% moderate; 27% liberal; 25% conservative). They were also swing voters in the 2000s, first going strongly for George W. Bush in 2000 before flipping to John Kerry and Democrats since 2004. Muslim Americans Are Less Likely to Support Intolerance, Violence While there are no good polls on the attitude of American Muslims toward Sharia religious law,* US Muslims score higher than most other believers on Gallup’s “religious

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tolerance” index. The index categorizes individuals as either “isolated,” “tolerant,” or “integrated,” based on their level of agreement with five statements about other faiths. Not all Americans share Muslim Americans’ openness to other faiths. In fact, recent Public Policy Polling (PPP) polls found many Republicans in Iowa, North Carolina, and New Hampshire believe Islam should be banned. In 2010, Gallup also asked whether “targeting and killing civilians by the military” can be justified. US Muslims were the only religious group that opposed such targeting. Protestants, Jews, and Catholics believed it could be justified. Muslim Americans were also the most strongly opposed of any religious group to “targeting and killing by individuals or small groups.” Catholics, Protestants, and Jews were all more than twice as likely to support civilian strikes. Internationally, Muslim views

are more varied. Gallup found strong support for Sharia law in several countries, and Pew found support for violence against civilians “in defense of Islam” at high levels in several Middle Eastern countries. This suggests that either the Muslims moving to the US are from the more moderate Muslim communities abroad or that they assimilate quickly. A combination of both is likely. Islamic totalitarians, such as ISIS, consider it a form of apostasy to emigrate from a Muslim society to a secular one. Meanwhile, in America, young Muslims are pioneering more liberal forms of Islamor abandoning the faith. Extremism Is Not Unique to Islam-or a Significant Threat Even if 5 percent of US Muslims view al-Qaeda favorably, does that mean we will face a constant barrage of attacks? Actually no. It’s possible for large numbers of people to hold dangerous views on violence without acting on them, as evidenced above. But here’s more evidence: according to a YouGov poll this month, some 4 percent of Americans support attacks on abortion providers. Another 7 percent of Americans are unsure if those attacks are immoral. There have been two dozen murders or attempted murders, as well as many other attacks by anti-abortion extremists since 1993, but we understand that nearly all pro-life proponents oppose this kind of violence and those that don’t would never act on their views. Why don’t some people

MUSLIMS, P28

OPINION

P8 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016 n By Riaz Haq

ndia’s top Hindu Nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has gone global with shakhas (branches) in 39 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and several Islamic Middle Eastern nations, according to Indian media reports.

In the United States alone, the RSS has 146 active chapters spread over all 50 states, according to Satish Modh who has been associated with RSS work abroad for over 25 years. While shakhas in India take place in open public spaces, most shakhas meet on university campuses on hired parking lots in the US, says Modh. Most overseas shakhas are held once a week. In London, they are held twice a week. The UK has 84 shakhas. A US report entitled “Hindu Nationalism in the United States: A Report on Non-Profit Groups” had the following findings regarding the strength and nature of the Hindu nationalist movement in the United States: a. Over the last three decades, a movement toward Hinduizing India--advancing the status of Hindus toward political and social primacy in India-- has continued to gain ground in South Asia and diasporic communities. The Sangh Parivar (the Sangh “family”), the network of groups at the forefront of this Hindu nationalist movement, has an estimated

Global Expansion of Hindu Nationalism membership numbering in the millions, making the Sangh one of the largest voluntary associations in India. The major organizations in the Sangh include the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). b. Hindu nationalism has intensified and multiplied forms of discrimination, exclusion, and gendered and sexualized violence against Muslims, Christians, other minorities, and those who oppose Sangh violations, as documented by Indian citizens and international tribunals, fact-finding groups, international human rights organizations, and US governmental bodies. c. India-based Sangh affiliates receive social and financial support from its US-based wings, the latter of which exist largely as tax-exempt non-profit organizations in the United States: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), Sewa International USA, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation-USA. The Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party - USA (OFBJP) is active as well, though it is not a tax-exempt group. Influencing Thought and Policies The RSS is actively working to influence thought and policies in the West. Examples include the contents of the manifesto of the Norway mass murderer Breivik and attempts to influence Califor-

nia textbooks. Breivik’s Hindutva Rhetoric The Norwegian white supremacist terror suspect Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto against the “Islamization of Western Europe” was heavily influenced by the kind of anti-Muslim rhetoric which is typical of the Nazi-loving Hindu Nationalists like late Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar (1906-1973), and his present-day Sangh Parivar followers and sympathizers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who currently rule several Indian states. This Hindutva rhetoric which infected Breivik has been spreading like a virus on the Internet, particularly on many of the well-known Islamophobic hate sites that have sprouted up in Europe and America in recent years. In fact, much of the Breivik manifesto is cut-and-paste of antiMuslim blog posts and columns

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that validated his worldview. “It is essential that the European and Indian resistance movements learn from each other and cooperate as much as possible. Our goals are more or less identical,” Breivick wrote in his manifesto. The Christian Science Monitor has reported that “in the case of India, there is significant overlap between Breivik’s rhetoric and strains of Hindu nationalism – or Hindutva – on the question of coexistence with Muslims. Human rights monitors have long decried such rhetoric in India for creating a milieu for communal violence, and the Norway incidents are prompting calls here to confront the issue.” Hindu nationalists in India have a long history of admiration for Adolf Hitler and his “Final Solution”. In his book “We” (1939), Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the

leader of the Hindu Nationalist RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) wrote, “To keep up the purity of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the Semitic races -- the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also shown how well-nigh impossible it is for races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindus than to learn and profit by.” California Textbooks Not only have the BJP led governments in India fundamentally altered India’s history textbooks, the BJP allies around the world are attempting to the same in textbooks as far as California. Here are some excerpt from “History Textbooks in India: Narratives of Religious Nationalism” by K.N.Panikkar: “The introduction of new textbooks by the NCERT (under BJP) was inspired by the political purpose of seeking rationale from history for constructing India as a Hindu nation. The textbooks were, therefore, recast as narratives of Hindu religious nationalism. Claimed as an effort to retrieve the true nationalist history from the motivated distortions of colonial historiography they attribute to Indian nation an exclusively Hindu character.” “During this period the political climate in the country turned in favor of the Hindu fundamentalist forces, which enabled them in 1998 to lead a coalition NATIONALISM, P24

OPINION n By Dr Akbar S. Ahmed Chair of Islamic Studies at American University Washington, DC

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9

Benazir and the Making of Jinnah

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Yes. Of course, you will have my support,” Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, said when I requested it for my Jinnah film project. We were at the Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad where she was delivering a lecture. Accompanying me from England was Guy Slater, my first choice of script writer and director, whom I introduced to Benazir along with my film project.

It was the early 1990s and Benazir Bhutto looked fresh and untouched by the politics of Pakistan. She wore a crisp white muslin shalwar kameez. It contrasted with the dark locks and looks of her ferocious-looking bodyguards: with kohl in their eyes, large turbans on their heads and heavy weapons. She appeared surreal, as if in a photo shoot for a top glamour magazine. Benazir Bhutto became an eloquent spokesperson for religious moderation in the Muslim world Guy Slater was bowled over. “I’m in love” and “She’s a goddess”, he began to mutter as we left. I took him aside and told him that in this culture we don’t use such words. In any case, I urged him to take a good look at her bodyguards before opening his mouth again. Guy was quiet after that. Her government fell not long after. In the mid-1990s I visited Islamabad again to seek support for the Jinnah film project and sought an interview with Benazir Bhutto, this time into her second tenure as prime minister. I had been invited by Shakil-ur-Rehman, one of the owners of the Jang group, to be on the panel in a function at the Marriot Hotel in honor of his late father. I found that Benazir Bhutto was also on the panel, as was the head of the Jamaat-i-Islami. The packed audience was made up mainly of Bhutto supporters, with the rest supporting the Jamat-iIslami. When she spoke, her supporters brought the roof down. I had been invited by Shakil as a neutral scholar, a category that appeared to leave some members of the audience puzzled at my presence. During the discussion, the military secretary to the prime minister came up to me and quietly handed me a note. I was asked to accompany the entourage back to the prime minister’s office. In fact, I was to accompany the prime minister in her car. As we settled in the backseat of the car, she asked me what she could do for me. I said I needed support for the Jinnah film. She said, “Don’t worry about that, you have it. What else can I do for you?” Picking up the telephone to instruct her assistants, she enquired, “Do you have a Sitara-i-Imtiaz?” I said that I did. She asked, “What about joining my staff? You can take any post you like.” I shook my head and said I just wanted support for my Jinnah film and nothing else. We had reached her office, and she seemed slightly irritated at what she thought was my noncooperative attitude. She said that everyone who met her tried to get something out of her.

The short ride with Benazir Bhutto caused consternation in her adoring circle. The brief journey was reported on the front page of The News. I was glad I had always kept my distance from the labyrinthine party politics of Pakistan and its bitter jealousies and in-fighting. A little later I was on another panel with her, this time at Chatham House, London. It was a top-level conference on international affairs, and we were the two Muslims invited to speak on the Muslim world. There were many distinguished participants including Gorbachev, the leader of the former Soviet Union. Benazir Bhutto was a formidable speaker. Articulate and wellread, she embodied charisma. She invariably enchanted the audience. At Chatham House the serious- looking, hard-boiled diplomats and scholars melted when she spoke. I was on immediately after her and I did not fail to notice the contrast as a resigned stupor fell on them. When I finished, I turned to her and whispered, “This is the last time I follow you in a speech.” She smiled. She had a sense of humor. At a small state lunch in London arranged by the British government, she leaned across the table and addressed Sir David Frost, who was sitting next to a senior Pakistani politician, saying sweetly, “David, you must talk to the gentleman seated next to you as you have much in common. He has been married almost as many times as you.” An Oxford scholar sat on her right and she was deep in discussion with him when she leaned across the table towards me twice to say something along the lines of, “Akbar please come to my rescue and explain to the Professor that I am correct in my understanding of Muslim history.” Later she and her mother Begum Bhutto met with members of the Quaid Project Limited, my company which was making the Jinnah film. It included Sir Julian Ridsdale, the former MP and Sir Oliver Forster, the former British High Commissioner to Pakistan. During the meeting, Benazir turned to me and asked, “Who will make the film on Mr Bhutto?” As I was only interested in working on the Jinnah film, I felt it best not

to engage with the question. Not long after, Benazir was dismissed before her help could materialize. We next met again in London in 1997. Benazir was now out of office and in the opposition. She was on her way to the airport but agreed to stop and speak at the launch of my book Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity at the School of Oriental and African Studies. The Brunei Gallery was already packed with an overflow-

An Oxford scholar sat on her right and she was deep in discussion with him when she leaned across the table towards me twice to say something along the lines of, “Akbar please come to my rescue and explain to the Professor that I am correct in my understanding of Muslim history” ing audience of scholars, students, media and celebrities like Christopher Lee and Shashi Kapoor, who were both in the Jinnah feature film. But the Pakistan High Commissioner, who was also present, objected strongly to Benazir’s participation and asked me to cancel the invitation. I suspect he feared the official reports to Islamabad would not look good and his loyalty would be questioned. It was an

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absurd suggestion and I thought an occasion like a book launch was the ideal place to bring different people with different views together. I prepared to welcome Benazir as she arrived with George Galloway, the MP. True to form, as she entered the hall and was mobbed, she looked at Zeenat – my wife, who was with her in school – and loudly and generously applauded my contributions saying, “Your husband is the pride of Pakistan.” She spoke very warmly from the podium about my book and my efforts on behalf of Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. That did not prevent the High Commissioner from stopping my pay the next day, in a fit of spite. It was an illegal and irrational act. The pay was meager, but it was my only source of income. The matter did not end there. Benazir Bhutto found herself on the same table as the High Commissioner at a state dinner when he accompanied a British dignitary to Islamabad. Throughout dinner, she harangued him for actually withholding the pay of someone who had done so much for Pakistan. On his return, the High Commissioner conveyed his conversation at dinner with Benazir to me, and it had done nothing to improve his temper. One evening, late in 2001, we were both at American University, Washington DC. I had just taken over as the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and she was guest speaker on campus. I could not attend her event, as I was a speaker at another function. I rushed to join the reception in her honor after I finished, but she had left by then. Several faculty and students came up to me and said, “You have an amazingly generous former prime minister.” I asked why they said so. They told me that Benazir spoke loudly and warmly to the President of the university, pointing out my books and Jinnah films, and saying, “We have given you our greatest scholar and I hope you are appreciating his presence on your campus.” One of the most difficult interviews of my life has to do with the death of Benazir Bhutto in 2007. I was rung up by BBC television at an early hour in Washington DC and asked to switch on my television and comment on the

breaking news that she had been shot. Barely awake, I spoke on the telephone while watching the news and the scenes of confusion and chaos – and an image of myself with my commentary. I found my emotions overcoming me on air, while I tried to maintain objectivity. Her politics and judgment – remember the stories of corruption and the personality cult built by the sycophants around her – were sometimes fatally flawed, but Benazir’s spirit of generosity, boldness, sense of humor and sophisticated intelligence cannot be denied. She never lost her passion for the idea of democracy and striving towards Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan. In her untimely and tragic death, Pakistan lost a major political figure and the world had lost an internationally recognized champion of women and the Third World. (Professor Akbar Ahmed is Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, Washington DC) PUZZLE FROM P6

nation today, may buy a few votes for cheap, or a few dollars from donors inclined to move an agenda, but sadly will poison the air we breathe and live in for a long time to come. It will divide our people more, pitting neighbor against neighbor, zealot against zealot, patriot against patriot. They are clearly misguided when they say, “Islam is the problem”. When fear overwhelms facts, then the admonition of a great American of yesteryear becomes ever so real, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” (FDR). The rhetoric of bigotry breeds fear and hostility, clouding our conscience and distancing us from the solutions we seek. To say that they hate us because of our way of life is a gross misstatement at best and a lie at worst. To say that their hatred comes from their religion is equally wrong. Yes it is not our lifestyle they hate, it is their life style they hate and they see us as responsible for it. As Rula Jebreal, a journalist in New York who grew up in Jerusalem wrote: “The ISIS ideology can only be negated by an alternative vision that offers dignity, security and participation to all. Tunisia, is a working example of an PUZZLE, P24

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Afghan-Taliban Reconciliation Talks under ‘Quadrilateral Framework’ in January

General Raheel Sharif meets Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul

Islamabad: Pakistan and Afghani-

stan agreed on Sunday to take the first formal steps towards the resumption of reconciliation talks between the Afghan government and Taliban by convening a meeting in the first week of January under the recently formed ‘quadrilateral framework’ that also involves China and the United States. The venue and the level of representation will be decided by the four countries. According to one source, there will be a series of quadrilateral meetings in January leading to resumption of the reconciliation process that was suspended on July 30 after it became public that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had been dead for over two years. The decision about the next steps towards revival of the peace talks was taken during Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif ’s long-awaited visit to Kabul for discussions on the reconciliation process, border management, and other security matters.

During his daylong trip, Gen Sharif met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Campbell. “First round of quadrilateral meeting will be scheduled in January to work out a clear and comprehensive roadmap for a meaningful peace process,” military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, who accompanied the army chief, tweeted after landing back here in the evening. The quadrilateral framework was announced during President Ghani’s visit to Islamabad in December. It was also agreed that a steering committee of the framework would oversee the process. An official here did not discount the possibility of the Afghan reconciliation talks getting underway next month. Both sides realized the urgency of reaching a political settlement that could end violence in the country, he said. “It is clear to everyone that

Nuclear Security Summit: Obama Invites Nawaz, Modi to Washington Moot

there is a narrow window of opportunity and sincerity is required to get the warring factions on the table and take the process forward.” It was agreed during Gen Sharif ’s talks with President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah that ‘reconcilable’ Taliban elements would be engaged, while the others would be dealt with in “a mutually agreed” manner. The official said it was a clear message to all Taliban factions to choose peace or be ready for the consequences. He said the strategy for dealing with irreconcilables was yet to be decided. A spokesman for Mr Abdullah said “options to take action against those armed groups which refuse to come to the negotiating table” were discussed during the meeting with Gen Sharif. An Inter-Services Public Relations statement emphasized that resumption of reconciliation and its success was a “shared responsibility of all stakeholders” and the coming quadrilateral meetings would clearly demarcate responsibilities of the various stakeholders at different stages of the process that would be led by the Afghan government. “We have made it clear that Pakistan is not responsible for everything, rather all stakeholders would need to work together for ending violence,” an official said. The official, who sat in Gen Sharif ’s meetings in Kabul, said the discussions were candid and there was also a lot of positivity. When asked to compare the new engagement with the process that was initiated earlier this year, the official said: “Now there was a lot more clarity and commitment than before.”

Iftikhar Chaudhry Launches His Own Party

Islamabad: The heads of gov-

ernment of India and Pakistan have been invited by US President Barack Obama to attend the Nuclear Security Summit from March 31-April 1, 2016. While an official announcement with regards to the invitations is yet to be made, The Hindu reported on Sunday the two are expected to attend the summit. The fourth Nuclear Security Summit had been announced by Obama at the last moot in 2014. For Nawaz and Modi, the conference would offer the first planned opportunity of 2016 to carry forward bilateral ties which have seen some icy lows and relative highs this year. After a series of surprise meetings between officials of the two countries, Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore on Friday, the first by an Indian premier to Pakistan in over a decade, signaled an improvement in ties. It also afforded both sides to agree on a meeting between their respective foreign secretaries in mid-January to restart talks. “Prime Minister Modi’s unexpected visit to Lahore is a welcome development. Let us hope it leads

to an improvement in trust between Delhi and Islamabad,” said R Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. “I hope this thaw will permit India and Pakistan and Afghanistan to work successfully together on stabilizing the region,” said senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Alyssa Ayres.

Islamabad: Former chief justice

of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry launched on Friday a political party named ‘Pakistan Justice Democratic Critic Party (PJDCP)’. Speaking at the launching ceremony, he said the PJDCP would welcome only non-corrupt people, adding that the party’s aim would be to solve people’s problems. Mr Chaudhry, 66, said his party would work on a 25-point

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Behind the Scenes, Army Helped Revive Talks with India

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif talks with India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj

Islamabad: The quiet involvement of Pakistan’s powerful military in its foreign policy this year paved the way for reviving a stalled dialogue with India, officials said, a thaw leading to the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in almost 12 years. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise trip to meet Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif on Friday raised hopes that stop-and-start negotiations between the nuclear-armed neighbors might finally mean progress after more than 65 years of hostility. Aides say the meeting was arranged directly between the two prime ministers on just a few hours’ notice when Modi called to wish 66-year-old Sharif a happy birthday. But even before Modi arrived in the eastern city of Lahore, relations between the nuclear-armed rivals had begun to thaw, with a resumption of dialogue already in the offing. On Friday, Modi and Sharif agreed that their foreign secretaries would meet in mid-January to restart talks. Pakistani officials say “ownership” of peace talks by the military and the appointment of a recently retired general as the national security adviser have given Pakistan renewed confidence to restart dialogue with India, including speaking about the thorny issue of terrorism. “This round is different because there is backing from the top where it matters ... the army chief is himself on board,” a top diplomat said before the visit. Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif is said to be close to the new national security adviser, recently retired general Naseer Khan Janjua, who in October replaced civilian Sartaj Aziz, an ally of the prime minister. Many saw the move as strengthening the army’s hand in talks with India, with the military remaining wary of a civilian government giving too much away. “General Janjua has immense experience in these matters. He’s the best man for the job and he has already proven to be an asset to this (peace) process,” one member of Nawaz Sharif ’s cabinet said earlier in December. “It’s only an added benefit that he has a direct line to the (army) chief,” he added. A senior Indian official in New Delhi also said military backing for peace talks marked a major change, with Janjua’s involvement as national security advisor a key sign that Gen. Sharif supports resuming the dialogue. Direct contact between the two

prime ministers is a major factor in thawing relations - they met on the sidelines of the Paris climate change summit last month. However Pakistani officials said that true change only became possible after Janjua’s appointment. Earlier this month, the national security advisers of both countries met in Bangkok, paving the way for Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Pakistan for the Heart of Asia summit where she agreed to reopen dialogue with Pakistan, thereby resuming a process broken off since 2012. Previous attempts to resume talks have been postponed time after time, mostly due to the Indian government’s insistence that the focus of discussion must be, first and foremost, about terrorism. India accuses Pakistan-based militants for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 166 dead. By contrast, Pakistan says the disputed territory of Kashmir is the paramount topic. With a military man having a greater say in the process, there is more confidence about discussing such sensitive topics, several officials said. “I think in the past there was a hesitation from Pakistan, understandably, to talk about terrorism [with India] but that may have changed,” the diplomat told Reuters. “There is better division of labor. The real decision-making is happening behind the scenes. The rest is just optics.” AMERICAN PRESSURE: Pakistani officials and Western diplomats in Islamabad said US officials also worked hard to convince army chief Sharif during his visit to Washington last month to support going back to the negotiating table. “India came up a lot during the army chief ’s visit to Washington, definitely with the Secretary of State [John Kerry] and also others,” a Western diplomat said. A second member of Sharif ’s cabinet said the same of Modi. “Our understanding is that when Modi was in the United States, he was encouraged very strongly by Obama to rethink his approach toward Pakistan,” the minister said. A close aide to Modi in India said US officials always push for reviving India-Pakistan talks and external pressure was not a factor. “Modi-ji’s visit to Pakistan was not dictated by America but it was planned to keep the national and regional interest in mind,” the aide said, using a Hindi term of respect for the premier. ARMY, P20

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Narendra Modi Arrives in Lahore on Surprise Visit

PAC Rolls out 16th Aircraft to Complete Fourth JF-17 Thunder Squadron

Narendra Modi became the first Indian prime minister in more than a decade to visit Pakistan when he made a surprise stop in Lahore on Friday to meet his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on his birthday

The JF-17 Thunder, a single-engine multi-role fighter jet, was jointly developed by China and Pakistan

New Delhi: It started with a private phone call by the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan on Friday morning to wish him a happy birthday. About four hours later, Mr Modi landed in the Pakistani city of Lahore for an impromptu visit with Mr Sharif, giving such little notice that Mr Sharif ’s national security adviser could not make the journey from Islamabad in time. It was the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in almost 12 years. The tense relations between India and Pakistan, both nucleararmed nations, have long worried American policy makers, who fear that proxy wars between the two countries could flare into a real one. Mr Modi is also highlighting India’s role in Afghanistan, including providing military assistance, which risks angering Pakistani leaders. But with his flash of spontaneous personal diplomacy on Friday, Mr Modi appeared to send a strong public message that the ambiguous course he has taken toward Pakistan has shifted to embrace engagement, not confrontation. It is a message that his administration has hinted at in recent weeks, seeking to sketch out a road map for talks with Pakistan on terrorism and trade. The first that outsiders — including his own Indian constituency — heard of his plans to visit Mr Sharif in Pakistan was when Mr Modi made a show of casually mentioning it on his Twitter account: “Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi.” Mr Modi soon arrived at Mr Sharif ’s private residence outside Lahore, meeting the Pakistani leader’s family at an estate decked out with decorations for the wedding of Mr Sharif ’s granddaughter. The two leaders met for almost an hour, aides said, speaking pleasantly and pledging to restart talks between the two nations. Among the factors that may have prompted Mr Modi to reach out is that Pakistan has a new national security adviser, said Ashok Malik, a New Delhi-based political analyst. The Indian leader, Mr Malik said, may also have seen an opportunity for “a positive headline.” “He realizes he needs to be seen as engaging, and he is under pres-

Islamabad: The Pakistan Aeronauti-

sure from the West and the Saudis to engage,” Mr Malik said. “What came across in the past year was this very combative guy, snarling at his opponents. This has allowed him to appear serious and statesmanlike.” In an interview last week, T.C.A. Raghavan, the departing Indian high commissioner in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, said that relations between the two countries were at “a tipping point.” For his part, Mr Sharif has been an advocate of better ties with India, and he has been eager to enhance trade ties with it. But his desires have been viewed with suspicion and disapproval by the powerful Pakistani military establishment, which remains focused on the resolution of the longtime dispute over Kashmir and accuses India of fostering separatists in Pakistan’s Baluchistan Province. Most of the Pakistani political opposition welcomed Mr Modi’s visit, expressing hope that it would bring momentum for better relations. “Today is a good day for Pakistan and India,” said Aitzaz Ahsan, a leader of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, while talking with Geo, a private television news network. Adil Najam, the dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, said in an interview that there was a danger of overanalyzing the visit. “I think it’s actually a good step. But that is what it is: a step, a very small step. There is a danger of reading too much into that,” Mr Najam said, adding that false expectations eventually “become a recipe for future heartbreak.” In India, a leader of the opposition Indian National Congress, criticized the visit as “unannounced, unprecedented,” and unstatesmanlike. “In the last 67-odd years, no prime minister has landed in another country in this manner,” said Anand Sharma, a senior Congress leader. “What are the assurances the prime minister is bringing back?” he added. Although there appeared to be widespread support and enthusiasm in Pakistan for Mr Modi’s visit, some observers also expressed skepticism, saying the Indian leader has a knack for playing to the news media. “Modi was being seen as unrea-

sonable and unnecessarily hard-line by the international community and Indian liberals due to the recent actions of his allies in supporting sectarian tensions within India,” said Moeed Pirzada, a talk show host and political analyst based in Islamabad. “After doing a $7 billion arms deal with Putin and engaging the Afghan leadership, promising support for the Afghan spy agency, this dash to Pakistan provides a softening of his hard image,” Mr Pirzada said, referring to a recent weapons agreement between India and Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, and to remarks Mr Modi made in Afghanistan.

Modi’s Good Gesture Aimed at Winning UNSC Membership

Islamabad: Member of the Europe-

an Parliament Afzal Khan on Sunday said the good gesture shown by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards Pakistan during his visits to different countries was a part of his efforts to get permanent membership to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for his country. Mr Khan, who is also the EU security and defense committee vicechairman, was speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ program at the National Press Club. Jammu and Kashmir Self-Determination Movement (Europe) Chairman Raja Najabat Hussain, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists-Afzal Butt Group President Afzal Butt and Information Adviser to the AJK government Murtaza Durrani were also present. Mr Khan said India cannot get any advantage from such efforts unless it ensured human rights and resolved issues such as Kashmir and Khalistan. “International community is quite concerned about basic human rights. Moreover, how can a country become a permanent member of the UNSC when it has not implemented the UN resolution on the issue of Kashmir? India has to respect the UN resolution if it wants to continue claiming that it is the largest democracy,” he said. The European Union has linked human rights with trade so it will never allow India to continue violating human rights, he said.

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cal Complex (PAC) on Monday rolled out the 16th Block 2 JF-17 aircraft and formally handed it over to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), marking the completion of four squadrons. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman attended the ceremony, with Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain also attending as the chief guest. Hussain reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment towards promoting selfreliance in defense production and thanked the government of China for its unrelenting support. “I appreciate the vital role played by our time-tested Chinese friends for the success of the JF-17 program. Their support of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra and so many other projects is cherished and highly valued by every Pakistani,” Hussain said. The Chief of Air Staff expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the JF-17 program. He praised the professional competence and commitment displayed by PAC personnel in meeting the milestones of the JF-17 program and urged them to continue their best efforts in pursuit of excellence. PAC Kamra is responsible for the maintenance of all PAF operational assets. In 2010, the Chief of the Air Staff at the time, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman had said the aircraft would be the mainstay of PAF’s operations, multiply its operational capacity and enable it to conduct day and night multi-role operations which had become imperative in the prevailing global and regional situation. The JF-17 Thunder, a single-engine multi-role fighter jet, was jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Development on the aircraft started in 1999, and the maiden flight was conducted in 2003. The initial Block 1 JF-17s were received in 2007, with production of the upgraded Block 2 JF-17s starting in 2013. The upgraded models have upgraded avionics, air-to-air refueling capability, data link, enhanced electronic warfare capability and enhanced load carrying ability. The JF-17 can be equipped with air-to-air and air-to-ground ordinance. The aircraft mounts both short-range infra-red air to air missiles along with long ranged radarguided BVR missiles, an essential capability for a frontline interceptor.

The aircraft can carry 8,000lbs of ordinance on seven external hardpoints, which is an adequate amount of ordinance for any mission profile. The JF-17 enhances the much needed capability of the air force in beyond visual range (BVR) engagements. The JF-17 is a capable platform, and is on its way to form the backbone of the PAF. It was reported that between 250 and 300 aircraft will be inducted into the air force in order to phase out the ageing fleet of some other aircraft models that are still in operation. For the Pakistan Air Force, the JF-17 fills the gap that had arisen due to an ageing inventory, which was further impacted by sanctions placed on the country following the nuclear tests in 1998.

Pakistan in Talks with US to Procure Latest F-16 Jets Islamabad: The Pakistan Aeronau-

tical Complex (PAC) on Monday rolled out the 16th Block 2 JF-17 aircraft and formally handed it over to the Pakistan Air force (PAF). Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said on the occasion Pakistan was in negotiations with the United States to procure the latest F-16 fighter jets, but did not specify their exact number, Express News reported. “We are in talks with US defense officials to get some latest F-16s but the deal may take some time,” the Air chief said while talking to reporters after the rolling out ceremony of the 16th JF-17 Thunder aircraft at the PAC Kamra. He said by the year 2020, PAF will say “goodbye to some of its old fighter jets, including the Mirage.” While expressing his satisfaction over the production and quality level of the JF-17 Thunder he said it is at par with the F-16 in terms of performance and operations. ‘JF-17 thunder fighter has capability to compete with any modern fighter jet’: The latest models of the jets, which are locally produced in cooperation with China, are lightweight multi-role aircraft capable of Mach 2.0 (twice the speed of sound) with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet.

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PM Asks Sindh CM to Visit Islamabad to Discuss Rangers’ Powers Feud

Zardari Calls Legal Aide to Dubai to Discuss Next Move

Karachi: Prime Minister Nawaz

Sharif on Monday asked Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to visit the federal capital to discuss the feud over Rangers’ powers. Earlier, it was reported that the premier would defuse the prolonged tussle between the federal and Sindh governments during his daylong visit to Karachi. However, sources in the Sindh CM House said the premier asked Shah to visit Islamabad to discuss the issue in the presence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. “There is no meeting scheduled between PM Nawaz and the Sindh chief minister,” the source added. The Sindh CM did not accompany the premier to Port Qasim where he addressed the business community. “The Sindh CM is not feeling well and received the premier at the airport but could not attend other events,” a CM House spokesperson told The Express Tribune. While the provincial administration seeks conditional policing powers for the Rangers in Karachi — where the paramilitary force has been engaged in a targeted operation since September 2013 to clear the city of criminals — the Center has turned down the request and notified a 60-day extension in the Rangers’ authority as per the previous arrangement. Separately, during his visit the premier reviewed the pace of work on various development projects of

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah after his arrival at Karachi airport on December 28, 2015

the Port Qasim Authority. He inspected the site of the power project and addressed the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries. He announced a Rs3 per unit cut in industrial power tariffs. “We are reducing the industrial electricity tariff by Rs3 per unit from January 1, 2016,” the premier said. The prime minister claimed that around 10,000 MW of electricity will be added to the national grid by the end of 2017. “We are working on several power projects in the country, including coal power plants in Thar, which will create ample electricity,” he said. The prime minister said the current government is meeting the

challenges it inherited after coming to power in 2013 and vowed to completely eliminate the menace of terrorism and power crisis from the country. “I have directed that Bin Qasim Power Project be made operational by the end of 2017 in order to reduce power outages,” PM Nawaz informed the participants of the gathering. The Port Qasim Authority chief informed the prime minister that “eight terminals are operational at the port and the construction of LNG terminal has been completed in a record time of 11 months. The LNG imported at Port Qasim is regasified and transmitted to the required destination by pipelines.”

PPP Appears Divided on Benazir’s Eigth Death Anniversary

Participants pray at the site of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination at Liaquat Bagh on Sunday

Rawalpindi: PPP activists and sup-

porters observed the eighth death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto in three separate events held at Liaquat Bagh. The events which started on Saturday evening and ended the next night on Sunday, were attended by hundreds of party workers and activists. Party workers and loyalists started gathering at Liaquat Bagh early in the morning to offer prayers for their slain leader. They placed wreaths and lit candles in her memory. The memorial events started with a candlelight vigil on Saturday night, hosted by the People’s Youth Organization. On Sunday morning, old PPP workers, led by Ibne Rizvi, held a Qur’an Khwani and Fateha for

Ms Bhutto and others who died with her. A Qur’an Khwani was also arranged by the PPP local chapter late on Sunday which was attended by more than 600 activists, including the party’s city chapter president Amir Fida Paracha, divisional coordinator Raja Imran Ashraf, former MNA Zamurud Khan, Nasir Mir and Shujaat Haider among others. The local leaders vowed to continue working under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and to achieve the goals set by Benazir and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Amir Fida Paracha said: “The party has always protected democracy and parliament and promoted the federation.” Speaking on the occasion, Raja

Imran Ashraf, who is also the brother of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, claimed that “during PPP’s tenure the party delivered and protected its workers” which was loudly rejected by participants of the event. Soon after, workers started shouting, “BB hum sharminda hain, terey qatil zinda hain” (BB we are ashamed, your killers are still alive) and other slogans such as Qadam bharao Bilawal, hum tohmarey saath hain and Jiye Bhutto. But the party’s four newly-elected union council chairmen and 36 councilors-elect did not attend any of the events, claiming they were not invited. Talking to Dawn, chairmanelect from Hazara Colony, Babar Jadoon, said the PPP chapter did not invite the chairmen and councilors because they (members) had invited Sindh Assembly deputy speaker Shehla Raza when they were announcing their decision to join the PPP after winning the elections as independent candidates. “The local chapter wants to divide the party even on Ms Bhutto’s death anniversary. All party workers were invited via text messages except for the elected members of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, who did not receive any message or phone calls” he said. Mr Jadoon said the elected members had visited Liaquat Bagh in the morning to offer fateha for Ms Bhutto and gone back before the events started.

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PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari addresses a party meeting - File photo

Islamabad: As the interior ministry

yet again rejected the Sindh government’s request for conditional policing powers for the paramilitary Rangers in Karachi and issued a notification extending their authority under a previous arrangement, the co-chairman of the PPP, which rules the province, has summoned his legal adviser to Dubai for consultation. The provincial administration has been wrangling with the federal government over the Rangers’ sphere of action in the commercial hub of the country since last month, when the special powers granted to the paramilitary force to purge the city of criminals expired. The Ministry of Interior has issued a notification for extending the special policing powers of the Sindh Rangers for 60 days under a previous arrangement, following which Pakistan Peoples Party co-chief Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday summoned Senator Farooq H Naek to discuss the matter and devise the next course of action. “On this day we condemn the dictatorial mindset that recently invaded Sindh in the name of law and order, in violation of all constitutional norms and principles,” Zardari was quoted as saying in a message issued on the eve of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto’s eighth death anniversary. According to a source within the PPP, if the party decides to move the top court, then it can file a pe-

tition under Article 184(1), which states: “The Supreme Court shall, to the exclusion of every other court, have original jurisdiction in any dispute between any two or more governments.” He said that under articles 142 (subject matter of federal and provincial laws) and 143 (inconsistency between federal and provincial laws), the PPP can move the apex court under Article 184(1). However, a federal government official claimed that PPP’s case is weak, and if the party were to move the SC, then the Sindh Rangers just might get permanent legal cover to restore law and order in the city. He said the top court’s 2011 ruling in a suo motu case on Karachi law and order clearly states that Articles 148 (obligation of provinces and federation) and 149 (directions to provinces in certain cases) bound the federal government to address the city’s poor law and order situation, especially when human lives and the economy are threatened. He said that in the light of Karachi’s unsatisfactory law and order situation and the overwhelming demand of the city’s traders to allow the Rangers to continue their operation with special policing powers, if the PPP moves the apex court, the party would lose. The only feasible option for the PPP-led Sindh government is to continue its working relationship with the empowered Sindh Rangers, he added.

Zardari to Become President of PPP Parliamentarians Naudero: The central executive committee of PPP decided on Sunday to install Asif Ali Zardari as president of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). Mr Zardari already enjoys the status of co-chairman of PPP. The decision was taken at a meeting of the CEC presided over by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Naudero House. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, PPP General Secretary Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira said the decision was unanimous. They said the matter was not on the agenda, but raised by provincial presidents of the party. It was welcomed and unanimously adopted. The CEC meeting was exclusively held to pay tribute to Benazir

Bhutto. The meeting paid tribute to the leadership of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who was the PPPP president, and said he remained committed to the party till his last breath. The meeting observed one-minute silence for the departed soul. Answering a question, Raja Ashraf stressed the need for a dialogue between the center and the Sindh government to settle the Rangers’ issue. It was hoped that during his visit to Karachi on Dec 28 the prime minister would revive the reconciliation spirit agreed upon by him and Benazir Bhutto under the Charter of Democracy. The PPP leaders said their party strongly supported the National Action Plan and referred to Asif Ali Zardari’s stand over it.

P16 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

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Community Link Friday, January 1, 2016

VOL. 26/1 PAGE 18

Dukhtar Serves a Special Treat to S. California

20 Rabi ‘ul-awwal 1437 H

PAGE PAGE20 17

PAGE 19 egum PAGE

An Interfaith House of Worship in Berlin

How Perilous Is the Threat to Muslims?

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Rally at the California State Capitol in Support of San Bernardino Victims

RALLY FROM P1

Joy/Pastor Simmons (ACT), US Attorney Benjamin Wagner, Assemblymen Ken Cooley and Jim Cooper, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, Candidate for Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, from the area Muslim community Dr Irfan Haq (COSVIO), Imam Azeez (Tarbiya Institute) and Waseem Bawa (Army Veteran and SALAM Board Member), Faith Whitmore, Mariko Yamada (Candidate for California Senate), Sam Stefanki, Fabrizio Sasso (AFL-CIO), Bobbie Singh-Allen (Punjabi community), Stephen T. Webb (NAACP), and Dr Tom Bhe (APAPA). The event emcee was CAIR-Sacramento’s Basim Elkarra. And since it was not possible to cover all the speakers and their speeches in this one report, a difficult choice had to be made to focus on just five speakers through random selection. US Attorney Benjamin Wagner said that we can defeat terrorism because terrorism is not just about killing people; it’s about scaring everybody else. And if we stand united, if we do not give in to fear and divisions, and if

we don’t turn neighbor on neighbor, we can defeat terrorists. He added that the ISIS narrative is that America is at war with Islam and they want an America divided, turning on each other, turning on our values. He added that anti-Muslim sentiment in this country is stoked by the same forces. They are both wrong because that is not the American way. The whole idea of America has been about religious liberty. We are not going to give in and surrender our values, he said. Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez of the Tarbiya Institute said that no amount of (the predicted) rain could stop Sacramentans from coming to this rally and that God had better plans and blessed us with this beautiful weather. If we come together with good intentions, good things usually happen. As Muslims, whenever an atrocity (like these terrorist attacks) happens, just like everyone else we feel horrified, worried and anxious and we pray for the victims. And the other part of our brain prays that the perpetrator is someone else (not a Muslim). Most of the time it turns out

to be a crazy guy but this time it turned out to be a Muslim couple who heinously and cowardly killed 14 people. And the community wept. This is not us, and these actions don’t represent us. But then we were overwhelmed this time. He said that he was touched by the overwhelming supportive response that Muslims received from the community. He added that with this kind of unity in this country, the terrorists will not win. You (terrorists) will fail no matter how hard you try, he said. Reverend Kevin Ross started his short speech with Asalamalaikum. He said that hate rhetoric is not only antiAmerican but it is anti-Christian too. It contradicts the inclusive Jesus and the pluralistic United States. He added that true Muslims are neither anti-American nor are they anti-Jesus. They love America as much as any other American and they love Jesus as any other Christian does. He also invoked the community vison of Dr Martin Luther King Jr during his powerful delivery and proceeded to recite the Surah Ikhlas from the Qur’an, and concluded with a renewed

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call for unity. Mariko Yamada represented herself in a way the greater Japanese American community here because her family was amongst those that suffered in the internment camps during World War II. She said that she has witnessed with pride over the last 21 years how this (Sacramento region) community comes together every single time it is rocked by incidents of hate, discrimination and tragedy. She shared some thoughts on being the daughter of parents who had been interned at Manzanar Camp, and commended Congresswoman Doris Matsui for standing up for civil rights and social justice since she too had come out of the same experience. She likened our current situation to lifting weights during which we add more to see how far we can go. She opined that it seems that we don’t even have time to recover from one horrific incident before overtaken by another as if we are suffering from post-traumatic stress from a distance. She added that we have come too far to turn back on civil rights in this country.

Bobbie Singh-Allen from the Elk Grove Unified School District and the local Punjabi community in her speech quoted from Sikh scriptures “God is one. His name is Truth”. She said that good will always prevail over hate and darkness. We are the change that we wish to see in this world, she added. It is all of us standing up as one community. She said that we take The Pledge of Allegiance for granted sometimes. There is something very powerful in there. It says that we are one nation under God, indivisible with Liberty and Justice for all of us. The rally closed with a prayer by Imam Azeez and the Black National Anthem performed by Joshua James. This event served a dual purpose. It showed solidarity with the victims of San Bernardino, condemning terror in all forms, and it also raised a voice against hate in reaction to such incidents, in support of the American Muslim community and people that may look like them (Sikhs). It also reflected on what is good in America and needs to be preserved. We are one people.

COMMUNITY

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

Dukhtar’s Screening Serves as a Special Treat to Southern California n By Saboohi Kareem

he week of October 16th through October 22nd, 2015 brought to Southern California a special treat. The Pakistan Arts Council of the USC Pacific Asia Museum hosted the screening of the movie “Dukhtar” (Daughter) at the Laemmle-Music Hall theaters in Beverly Hills.

The President of the Arts Council, Ayesha Kamran and her Board, have been bringing outstanding authors and artists from Pakistan to the Southern California area for many years. According to Ms Kamran, this film was especially important to the Board as it represented the work of a pioneering Pakistani film maker, Afia Nathaniel, about a subject that is very relevant to mothers of young daughters all over the world, that of child marriage. This film was Pakistan’s official submission for Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards (2014) and has been shown in several film festivals across the world with numerous awards to its credit. It was also shown commercially in Pakistan to critical acclaim. The story begins in the northern areas of Pakistan and the dramatic scenery and landscapes of the Himalayan region play as important a role in the movie as any of the leading characters. The plot centered around the daring escape of Pakhtun mother Allah Rakhi and her tenyear-old daughter Zainab from their home to avoid a child marriage. The escape is portrayed expertly by the director Afia Nathaniel. In Nathaniel’s narration, Zainab’s father has had to promise his daughter to the elderly leader of an opposing clan to bring peace amongst rival factions in the area. However his wife Allah Rakhi wants a different life for her daughter. Their escape from the village is both thrilling and awe-

AMWEC Expresses Sympathy for Victims of San Bernardino Tragedy Anila Ali, President of the American Muslim Women’s Empowerment Council in Irvine, on Saturday issued this statement: It is with grieving hearts that the American Muslim Women’s Empowerment Council (AMWEC) expresses deepest sympathies for the innocent victims of the tragic and senseless massacre in San Bernardino. The AMWEC board, which includes Pakistani American women, is also troubled to learn that a female of Pakistani decent has been identified as one of the killers in this incident. We, like other Americans cannot comprehend the level of evil behind this plan – the incident has left us paralyzed in grief for the victims and incensed at the heartless nature of this crime. On April 12th, 2015, we stood with law enforcement and passed a resolution to create a community of Muslim women that will stand against violent extremism and become the first line of defense against radicalization. We acknowledge we have work to do and with growing backlash, our work will be difficult. But we are Americans; we are resilient and we are strong. We urge all Pakistani women to speak up and unite as Americans, against the claws of radicalization, hatred, and bigotry that have infiltrated our homeland. No excuse or AMWEC, P28

inspiring. The chase scenes are very well done and qualify “Dukhtar” to be Pakistan’s first movie in the road trip-thriller genre. At least two reviews of the movie compare it to the Hollywood film Mad Max-Fury Road and there are marked similarities between the two. The movies share amazing wild landscapes and thrilling escapes from dangerous warlords. Ironically, Mad Max is set in a post-apocalyptic world, while “Dukhtar” is set in today’s Pakistan. The film is the work of Pakistani writer/director/producer Afia Serena Nathaniel who has an MFA degree in Film Directing from Columbia University. She currently serves as Adjunct Faculty in Screen Writing at the Columbia University and New York University film programs. Ms Nathaniel addressed the audience at the Pakistan Arts Council screening of the film at the Laemmle on Saturday. I had the opportunity to interview her before the screenings and got to learn more

Sameen Farooqi Grieved Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. In a moving message, prominent community member Samin Faruqi (President UFPID and Karachi Club) wrote: “My beloved older brother, Amin Ahmed Faruqi, has become one with the angels tonight. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. It is a difficult and emotional loss to the Faruqi family and we pray that he reaches the Gates of Jannah and InshaAllah joins my beloved parents and son.” Funeral of the late Amin Ahmed Faruqi took place on Tuesday, December 29, at Westminster Memorial Park after prayers were offered at the Islamic Society of Orange County, Garden Grove. Amin Sahib was well known in the community. Affable and good natured, he turned up unfailingly at local literary meetings and community get-togethers. His death will be widely mourned. Pakistan Link shares the family’s grief and joins the Faruqis in praying for the departed soul. May God grant the family fortitude and courage to bear the loss. (Ameen)

about this remarkable film and its equally remarkable producer. SA: Can you tell us something about what gave you the idea of this film and the format that you used to present your story? ASN: Growing up in Lahore, Pakistan I have always been aware of the difficulties facing Pakistani women in the rural areas and among lower socio-economic groups, including child marriage and lack of education. Given this context, I was moved when I heard about a woman in the tribal belt escaping with her two daughters from their home. The story resonated with me and the fact that escape from that environment was extremely dangerous was also a very interesting aspect for me as a film maker. I have always been a scifi film buff and enjoyed watching the thriller genre of movies. My favorite shows growing up were Star Trek as well as programs on Door Darshan. In this story I felt that I could combine my two great interests: The

empowerment of women shown through an adventure filled lens. It was a rare opportunity to bring the two together. SA: Tell us a little bit about what training you had to help you make a movie like this? ASN: I did this mainly by obtaining my MFA in Film Directing from Columbia University. The script for this movie was written while I was a graduate student. SA: What were the challenges you faced in making this film in Pakistan? ASN: There were several problems that I faced, not the least being the issue of funding. The film had a female protagonist and was made by a female filmmaker, neither of which were particularly salable in the Pakistani domestic market. The risks of filming in Pakistan also discouraged outside funding sources. I was able to obtain funding finally in 2012 from a Norwegian organization (SORFUND) and started on the

job of putting together the technical and artistic portions of the film. The logistical problems that we faced in filming in sub-zero temperatures with a cast and crew of 50 people were quite significant. The weather was working against us and we had to complete our filming in four weeks so that we were not blocked by snowfall from returning on the Karakorum Highway. The roads were treacherous and the areas where we were filming were remote. The crew had not filmed a local feature film in this region before and despite assurances from the security forces I was always concerned about the security of my team. SA: Please tell us a little about your cast and team? ASN: I had always envisioned the role of Allah Rakhi to be played by Samiya Mumtaz. I had seen her on stage in Lahore and felt that she had tremendous dramatic skill. We were very fortunate in getting Saleha Aref to play the role of Zainab. She had appeared in the Urdu production of Sesame Street and was well suited to play the role of the daughter. Mohib Mirza played the truck driver who helped the pair escape and is the love interest of Allah Rakhi. As you may know, Mohib is very well known to film and television viewers in Pakistan. I was also fortunate to have a very able and experienced ground crew. I am especially grateful to Mr Khalid Ali, the line producer on this film. He and his company Crew Films made the movie possible on the ground. He also believed in this film long before others and never wavered in his support. SA: Congratulations on the production of a really unusual film set in Pakistan and good luck to you in marketing this film. Hopefully we will see many more movies of this nature coming out of Pakistan.

Pakistani on ‘Dream Vacation’ to NYC Arrested after Describing Suitcase as ‘Bomb’ New York: A Pakistani man from South Africa on his “dream vacation” to New York City was arrested for describing his suitcase as a “bomb” while checking in at a Sheraton hotel in Brooklyn on Tuesday. According to New York Daily News, Jhanzaib Malik is facing criminal charges after he pointed to his suitcase and said, “There’s a bomb in there” when he got frustrated with the check-in process. However, his lawyer, Roger Asmar, claims that Malik only referred to his luggage as “bomb”, slang for cool, to impress the female concierge. “The FBI checked the whole thing, and cleared him and leaves, and yet he still gets arrested. Now, this poor kid is sitting in jail. It’s ridiculous. It’s discrimination against Pakistanis,” Asmar said. Malik, who works for his uncle as a fraud manager in the technology department of Skywise Airlines, a domestic carrier in South Africa, is currently spending his vacation on Rikers Island on $100,000 bail, according to Correction Department records. The 24-year-old’s uncle, Javed Malik, told the Daily News from Johannesburg that his nephew had been saving money for a year to be able to afford the trip. “When he got the visa he was

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really happy to go to America. He wanted to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Times Square. He believes America has a lot of positivity. He phoned today and he was crying. He doesn’t know what is happening to him,” Javed Malik said. According to his lawyer, Malik, who is also training to be a pilot, had arrived in New York for the first time on Monday, and had planned to spend 10 days sightseeing with a woman friend in Boston. When he arrived at the hotel, there was a slight problem with his credit card and the check-in process was delayed. “He’s having a friendly conversation with the concierge, kind of flirting with her, charming her. He’s doing what any 24-year-old would do. He was showing off that he had money. He wanted to go out with her,” Asmar explained. During the delay, Malik decided

to get breakfast, asking the concierge to hold $2,700 in cash he was carrying and his luggage. “He said, ‘Also, hold on to my 5,000 bomb luggage,’” Asmar said. When the 24-year-old returned, he was arrested and taken to a police building where his luggage was searched. The FBI was called in and the police looked at his phone, Facebook page and his background. Once the FBI left, Malik was transferred to central booking and arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court, where he was charged with two counts of falsely reporting an incident. He then ended up on then Rikers Island, where Asmar said he has been harassed by other inmates. Further, the senior Malik said that the family did not have the money to bail the young man out immediately, and appealed for help from President Obama in getting him released. “We don’t have any problem with them (law enforcement) checking him out, but putting him in jail, that was harsh.” “They could have just given him a warning, and told him the rules. We believe America is a very fair country, and we want to continue believing in that. He was just trying to impress the girl,” the uncle added. (This article originally appeared in New York Daily News)

COMMUNITY

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19

Worcester Pays Befitting Tribute to Victims of Mass Shooting

n By Tahir Ali Photos by Rashid Ali

Worcester: The Islamic Society of Greater Worcester along with the area Muslim community organized and successfully executed an interfaith prayer/vigil to condemn the attacks in San Bernardino and to pray for the victims and their loved ones. Dr Khalid Khan Sadozai, ISGW president who spearheaded the effort had earlier on Friday, along with ISGW trustee Dr Ahab, been interviewed by TV Channel 3. The 6 and 10 PM evening news carried the interviews, consequently drawing over 100 Worcester residents and almost an equal number of area Muslims in front of Worcester City Hall. The event was also covered by reporters from Telegram & Gazette, Masslive, WBZ1030 AM radio and others. The links are included below. Spokesperson for both Islamic centers - Tahir Ali - called for a moment of silence and pointed out the significance of reading passages from the Qur’an in times like these. Los Angeles: As 2015 draws to an end, Pakistan Consulate Los Angeles is still reeling from the effects of what went on at the Consulate this year. After serving less than a year as the Consul General at the Pakistan Consulate Los Angeles, Mr Hamid Asghar Khan was recalled from his post by the Government of Pakistan. Government’s dissatisfaction with Mr Khan, largely stemming from the community complaints against him, forced his premature replacement, according to insiders. His last day as the Consul General at Pakistan Consulate Los Angeles was December 20, 2015. During this year various complaints were also lodged against Mr Qamar Abbas Khokhar, the Head of Chancery at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles. It has been alleged that the work environment created by Mr Khan and Mr Khokhar at the Pakistan Consulate Los Angeles was very hostile towards female employees. During this year only three female interns were hired by the Consulate – none of these interns are now working at the Consulate. It has been al-

Consequently, Surahs Al-Nisa Ayat 1 and AlHujraat verse 13 were recited in Arabic by Dr Amjad Bahnassi, ISGW Trustee and translated in English by Maleeha Sadozai. Dr Khalid Sadozai in his welcome speech thanked everyone present including Congressman Jim McGovern. Entrepreneur and former past ISGW president Dr Mansoor Khan gave the main speech which was very thoughtfully written and effectively delivered. “Terrorism has no religion, face or value,” Khan asserted. “It has a dark agenda and is made up of thugs and killers.” Dr Yaser Najjar, president Worcester Islamic Center, also welcomed the community and in relation to ‘the American dream’ he recalled how he came to America with only $1000.00 and a suitcase, and now he is a Dean of Graduate Studies at Framingham State College. Representative Jim McGovern praised the organizers and stressed the need of such forums. “It is important that we gather in forums like this because it demonstrates that we all are brothers and sisters and we all speak

with one voice when we say we condemn the terrible violence of not only San Bernardino and of Paris and of so many other places across this world,” Congressman McGovern said. Dr Amjad Bahnassi, a psychiatrist and originally from Syria, talked about the Syrian refugee dilemma created by politicians running for office. Dr Saleem Khanani, Chairman Interfaith Committee of ISGW, thanked the interfaith community and attributed much of his success as an oncologist to his Christian and Jewish friends. He prayed for the victims. He introduced and welcomed John Savard of Holy Cross, Rabbi(s) Aviva Felman and Valerie Cohen of Beth Israel Temple. Khanani invited them to speak on behalf of their religious affiliations. The Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, president of the College of the Holy Cross, applauded those who participated in Worcester’s interfaith service Sunday for the victims of the California shooting.

Allegations of Sexual Harassment against Head of Chancery at Pakistan Consulate, Los Angeles leged that these three female interns and another female staff of the Consulate who had been working at the Consulate for several years, left their jobs due to the poor working environment towards the female employees at the Pakistan Consulate, Los Angeles. In September 2015, one of the three interns, whose name is being withheld to protect her identity, lodged an official sexual harassment complaint against Mr Khokhar with Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace. In her complaint she wrote; “I am writing to complain about the behavior of Mr Qamar Abbas Khokhar, Head of Chancery at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles. Throughout the past seven months of my employment, Mr Khokhar has sexually harassed, manipulated, bullied, and retaliated against me in an effort to exert his position

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Dr Khalid Khan again thanked everyone for attending the memorable event that served as a befitting tribute to the victims and their families. I addressed the audience once again and added that although I wanted to sing the US national anthem in the beginning but now that we are on the same page it will make more sense to sing it now, so those who know the words please sing along with me, those who don’t hum along. Thus the event concluded rather gracefully by all singing “The StarSpangled Banner.” and power. Inappropriate comments, sexual innuendos, work manipulations related to my personal behavior, and un- s o l i c i t e d close proximity have all been a part of this. His actions have violated (and continue to violate) fundamental tenets of dignity and respect that all of us, as human beings, have an undisputed right to. As a proud PakistaniAmerican-Muslim woman, it is both my right and my duty to bring his appalling behavior to your attention.” In her letter to the Ombudsman, she provided a brief background about herself and her very reputed family, followed by an overall detailed description of the harassment that she alleged to have been subjected to. The document chronicles many specific incidents and alleged unprofessional and demeaning behavior of Mr Khokhar. The hearing on this case was held by Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsman in November 2015 and the decision on this matter is expected to be handed down on January 2, 2016. Mr Qamar Abbas Khokhar could not be reached for his comments.

COMMENTARY

P20 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

How Perilous Is the Threat to Muslims in the US? n By Raza Rumi

ince the deadly Paris attacks and San Bernardino shootings, a widespread backlash against Muslims in the US has been reported. This has happened despite the condemnations of every major Islamic group in the country.

CAIR, a Muslim civil rights group, has issued several alerts. An independent news outlet, ThinkProgress, states that 41 incidents of “violent attacks, threats, assaults, protests, and instances of vandalism” have occurred in the past few weeks. This backlash also comes in the wake of controversial positions taken by Republican Party’s Presidential candidates such as Donald Trump, and aided by dozens of governors who announced that they would not accept Syrian refugees as they could be potential sympathizers of the Islamic State of Iraq and Shaam (ISIS). This media frenzy and political posturing has whipped up passions against an imagined enemy. For instance, 30 per cent of Republicans in a December survey held by Public Policy Polling said that they would support an attack on Agrabah — a fictional place in the Aladdin cartoon. It was a relief that nearly 60pc admitted that they were not sure. The desire to ban all Muslims entering the US — over 50pc show support for the idea — needs to be understood within this background. There is a blurring of reality and fantasy in which the fear of Muslims becomes merely a minor detail. What is alarming is that disinformation and politicking is stirring unprecedented levels of hatred. Many observers say that this is worse than the post 9/11 climate in the United States. The Democrats, liberal sections of US media and civil society, are confronting this toxic mixture of ignorance and xenophobia. While the threat of Islamic extremism cannot be dismissed, the 24/7 coverage of “terrorism” and “security analysis”, and its constant purveying of fear creates an unreal situation. Americans have been warned to be fearful of neighbors, of fellow passengers at the airport, train stations, and bus terminals. Once the threat has been established and assumed to be universal, it could come from any direction. To understand the narratives around Islam and Muslims in the US, I spoke to Dr Akbar S. Ahmed, who is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and author of “Journey into America” based on extensive field research on Islam in America. 1. What was your reaction to Donald Trump’s idea that Muslims should be banned from entering the US? Like all Muslims, I was shocked but not surprised at Donald Trump’s statement that all Muslims should be banned from entering the US because he has been making increasingly outrageous statements about America’s Muslim community for the last few months. Trump’s positions on banning Muslims from entering America and increased surveillance and profiling shocked many non-Muslim Americans as

well as people across the world. 2. Does Islamophobia exist in America? Islamophobia in the United States has increased and is turning into a dangerous, growing reality. Recent rhetoric and attacks have resulted in widespread fear and uncertainty in the Muslim community. These attacks have included outrageous incidents where a taxi passenger in Pittsburgh shot the Moroccan driver after checking if he was a “Pakistani guy”. Some extremists have opened fire on mosques and Muslim homes. This kind of hatred against Muslims needs to be challenged and checked but unfortunately the statements of people like Trump are making the environment

and pluralism. The third identity is a ‘predator’ identity, which entails the compulsion to reinforce primordial identity using force against any perceived threat to America. So while people like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy represent pluralist America, the policies of enslavement of African Americans, an inferior status for them after slavery was abolished, the oppression of Native Americans, and the mass internment of Japanese Americans during World War II are examples of predator identity. After 9/11, the danger was that predator identity may be asserting itself once again, with Muslims as the target. 4. Is the US going backward

religion that must be challenged. Influential media television channels like Fox News feature nonstop coverage of Islam in which the religion is associated with terrorism. This is a real problem for the American media in general. Invariably on these shows, you will have three or four people discussing and defining Islam or Muslim societies and not one will be a Muslim. 6. The anti-Islam debates by some groups are contributing to the political narrative? In 2011, the Center for American Progress, a Washington, DC think tank, published an extensive report called Fear, Inc. on what it called the “Islamophobia network,” which was updated in 2015. The

that lacks access to power, wealth, and privilege that other religious minorities like Catholics and Jews have been able to achieve. 8. What needs to be done to reverse this tide, if at all? What should the American Muslims be doing other than the usual media rhetoric on condemning violent extremism? First, there should be a much closer relationship between the government and the Muslim community. There is too much mistrust on both sides right now at a time when they need to be working together. Muslims must contribute to public opinion debates and participate in civil society movements. They must counsel the young against violence and radical ideologies. A great deal of work has been done to build bridges between religious communities in America, but in this toxic environment, we need to be doing much more. I have participated in major interfaith initiatives in Washington DC and I have had the privilege to partner with great religious leaders with the common goal of promoting interreligious communication and compassion towards one another. Such interfaith cooperation and dialogue, where people of different faiths can collaborate and coexist, goes back to the start of American history. It is my belief and hope that this pluralist America, the America that has inspired so many across the world, will be able to withstand the current challenges of hatred and bigotry to move into the future without compromising itself. - Dawn

ANWAR FROM P 23

was brimming with The question now is whether America will go forward with predator pride,Anwar mentioning his son’s successes. “Officials from Google recently came identity. While Trump and advocates of predator identity are to meet the Coke Studio team. They prominent in American society, at the moment we must not forget were surprised how a show originatfrom a country where YouTube is about the efforts of pluralist Americans to support and defend the idea ing blocked went so viral that it has 72 of an inclusive America. As history shows, fear when combined with million downloads and is watched in ” the economic insecurity so many Americans are feeling right now, can 120 countries. Like his sister, cooking expert Zubaida Aapa, Anwar is also fond lead to hatred of the “other” of working in the kitchen. “His food worse. 3. Your work on Muslims in America highlighted some of the dangers after 9/11? What were the key concerns and have they become irreversible? In my book, Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam, I explored the place of Islam in American society and history. I discovered that there is not a single American identity but three broad identities that can be located in American history. The first is primordial identity, which is rooted in the English settlers. For these settlers and their descendants America was a white, Protestant nation. The second identity is American pluralist identity promoted by the Founding Fathers who established the US as a nation of religious freedom, civil liberties, and democracy. The Founding Fathers welcomed Muslims and people of all religions from around the world to America. Franklin even expressed his desire that the Mufti of Istanbul come to Philadelphia and preach Islam to Americans because he believed so much in religious freedom

since 9/11, when President Bush went to mosques and said that Islam was not the enemy. People don’t give President Bush credit but he did visit the main mosque in Washington DC after 9/11 and declared that America was at war against terrorists, not Islam. The question now is whether America will go forward with predator identity. While Trump and advocates of predator identity are prominent in American society, at the moment we must not forget about the efforts of pluralist Americans to support and defend the idea of an inclusive America. As history shows, fear when combined with the economic insecurity so many Americans are feeling right now, can lead to hatred of the “other.” 5. What’s driving this recent shift in public sentiment? The questions Americans asked about Muslims after 9/11 have unfortunately not been answered a decade and a half later. Lately, the rise of ISIS, terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, videos of beheadings, and the chaos in the Muslim world have led many Americans to argue that Islam is a violent

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report describes how a $57 million network of wealthy donors, politicians, think tanks, media outlets, bloggers, and terrorism “experts” promote hatred of Muslims and the idea that Islam itself is a direct threat to the United States. This indicates that Islamophobia is more than a simple American ignorance and fear of Islam and terrorism. Independent scholarship based on extensive fieldwork and research can help challenge the kind of misinformation about Islam and Muslim societies and help improve relations between Muslims and nonMuslims. 7. What are the long-term consequences of anti-Muslim rhetoric, beyond the presidential campaigns? It will take a long time for Muslims to recover from their current situation. Muslims in America are in a double bind. While they are constantly being questioned and told they are un-American and a threat to the nation, they are at the same time non-existent in mainstream media. The community is also divided ethnically and in terms of sectarian loyalties. They will end up becoming a minority community

is even better than his script,” interrupts Dawar. Anwar says he learnt the basics from his mother and the rest through experimentation. “If 50 people are coming over for dinner, give me an hour and I will cook for all of them,” he says, mentioning that he enjoys cooking seafood the most. However, he himself is a diehard fan of daal chawal.”It is probably that one meal that I can never have enough of.” Looking back, he says, “At times I feel like I should have chosen one field. I think I would have done great as a schoolteacher.” ARMY FROM P11

While Pakistan’s army may have changed its thinking on talks, even the landmark Modi visit or support from influential facilitators does not guarantee success in a fraught peace process where all sides remain deeply suspicious. A senior security official close to the talks process was wary when responding to the Modi visit. “It is a positive step that he came ... definitely ... but we still have to move with caution,” he said. “It’s a new Modi in an old bottle; Nawaz Sharif should take it one sip at a time.”

COMMENTARY

n By Nayyer Ali MD

il prices collapsed in 2014, and have fallen further in 2015 to levels not seen in over 10 years. This has represented a huge transfer of wealth to oil consumers away from oil producers, and has impacted politics around the world. But will prices surge back up again in the near future, or has there been a longterm change in the oil markets?

Crude oil was the fuel that made industrialization possible in the 20th century. Oil powered all forms of transportation, from cars and trucks, to ships and planes. It was the most precious and valuable natural resource, and access to it was among the most important shapers of geopolitics. But if we look at oil prices over the last 70 years, since the end of World War II, we can see several distinct eras of low and high oil prices that lasted for significant periods of time. Because inflation makes the listed price of crude oil in the past seem lower than it really was, I will refer to all prices in inflation adjusted terms using 2015 prices. Crude oil was discovered first in the US, and the early oil industry was centered in Pennsylvania in the late 19th century, mainly producing kerosene for lamps. But that changed with the invention of the automobile, as America began to embrace a car culture in the early 20th century, long before Europe, which was just not as wealthy. By the 1930’s the US was the world’s largest producer and consumer of crude oil. In addition to cars and trucks, ships converted from burning coal to oil, and the early aircraft industry also used oil as a fuel. In 1940, the US was producing 4 million barrels of crude oil per day, amounting to 60% of world production. American oil resources played a big role in winning World War II. Plentiful American oil provided the fuel the Allies needed for their trucks, tanks, ships, and planes. In contrast, Germany lacked oil resources, and was constantly facing oil shortages that hampered its military. An American oil embargo was among the triggers that convinced the Japanese to go to war in order to seize the oil fields of what is now Indonesia. When the war ended, the international oil markets were dominated by seven massive oil firms known as the “Seven Sisters”, five of whom were American, the other two being British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell. Because oil production was in the hands of private firms mostly working in the US, prices were very low during this time as com-

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21

The Fall of Oil

petition kept supplies well ahead of demand. Oil prices were about 20 dollars a barrel or less from 1920 onward. This era of very cheap oil helped create a massive economic boom in the industrial countries after World War II. A mass car culture took shape in Europe and Japan, and cheap oil fueled a massive rise in living standards.

and an assertive OPEC finally collided in the oil price shocks of 1973 and 1979, during which oil prices jumped to 100 dollars a barrel briefly, and mostly stayed above 60 dollars. A new era of high oil prices transformed the economics of oil. But to the disappointment of OPEC, the era of high prices did not last forever. The

If oil is no longer of much use in 2050, what will sustain the living standards of the Gulf Arab states or Russia or the other Third World oil producers? They all need to diversify and modernize their economies now, while they still have time Oil production soared to keep pace in the decades after World War II. While US production rose to 10 million barrels per day, most of the demand was actually satisfied by massive new oil fields found in newly independent Third World countries, many of them in the Persian Gulf region and North Africa. World oil production doubled from 10 million barrels per day in 1950 to 20 million by 1960, and then surged to 60 million barrels by 1970. Suddenly, the US no longer dominated the oil markets, and new players emerged to dominate global production. A group of Third World producers of oil banded together to form OPEC, a cartel that was meant to help them maximize oil revenues. During this time, many of these countries took control of their oil resources back from the Seven Sisters. Surging demand

world adapted to high oil prices by slashing consumption. Countries switched electric power plants from oil to coal-burning, gas mileage of cars was raised sharply, and new oil fields added to global supply such as the North Sea and Alaska fields. OPEC could only sustain high prices by cutting its productions, and the Saudis did most of the cutting. By 1986, Saudi Arabia had slashed its production from 10 million barrels per day to 2 million, in order to prop up the price, and then suddenly they gave up and opened the spigots. Oil prices collapsed to under 30 dollars a barrel, and a second era of low oil prices had begun. This lasted for 15 years, but around 2002 oil prices began climbing again. This time it was not surging demand in the developed world, but rather new demand from the devel-

oping countries, particularly China, that drove consumption higher. Oil prices began a long climb, peaking at 140 dollars per barrel in the summer of 2008. The financial crisis caused prices to plummet briefly to 40 dollars, but they rapidly recovered, and have stayed around 80-100 dollars until 2014. This long period of rising oil prices from 2002 onward contributed to the revival of Russia, and the popularity and success of Putin, and also made Hugo Chavez a popular leader in Venezuela, as he used oil dollars to provide social benefits. This second era of high oil prices is now at an end. Oil prices have fallen from 100 dollars per barrel to 35 dollars presently, and may trend even lower. What caused the price collapse? The same factors as last time. Consumers of oil reacted to high prices by reducing demand. Higher mileage cars, and even electric cars took to the road. Other vehicles began to run on natural gas. One of the biggest factors, the rapid growth of China, also eased up in the last few years, as Çhina’s economic growth rate finally began to slow down. A prolonged period of slow growth after the Great Recession in both Europe and the US also dampened demand. In addition to less demand, new supplies came on line. The shale oil revolution, using a technique called “fracking” resulted in a surge in US oil production by 5 million barrels per day. The oil markets were well supplied, and the Saudis again decided that they would not give up market share to American oil producers, so they let oil prices slide but maintained production. With the nuclear deal with Iran set to lift sanctions in a few months, Iran will start pumping much more crude onto the market. Meanwhile, Iraq is determined to raise its production. Will we see another era of high oil prices? Almost certainly not. To keep American fracking off the market, the Saudis need to keep oil under 50 dollars a barrel. But beyond that, the main consumer of oil, the auto, is beginning a period of rapid change. Vehicle gas mileage is rising quickly, and in the US is mandated to reach 54 mpg by 2025. Electric vehicles are almost certainly where the future of the auto is heading. The concerns about global warming will also create incentives to get the global economy off oil. Oil demand in the rich countries peaked in 2005 and has headed down since then. It will likely peak for the whole world in the next 10-15 years, and then begin a long slide. This future should cause the governments of all the oil producers to think carefully how to manage this transition. If oil is no longer of much use in 2050, what will sustain the living standards of the Gulf Arab states or Russia or the other Third World oil producers? They all need to diversify and modernize their economies now, while they still have time.

Muslims Love Jesus, too: Six Things You Didn’t Know about Jesus in Islam

n By Jennifer Williams

hristmas, as everyone knows, commemorates the birth of Jesus and is a major religious celebration for Christians around the world.

But what many people don’t know is that Jesus is an important figure in Islam, too, even though most Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas (though some of us, especially American Muslims, do). In honor of the holiday, here are six things you may not know about the role of Jesus — and his mother, Mary — in Islam: 1. Jesus, Mary, and the angel Gabriel are all in the Qur’an (as are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and a bunch of other Bible characters). 2. Muslims believe that Jesus (called “Isa” in Arabic) was a prophet of God, was born to a virgin (Mary), and will return to Earth before the Day of Judgment to restore justice and to defeat al-Masih ad-Dajjal (“the false messiah”), also known as the Antichrist. All of which may sound pretty familiar to many Christians. 3. Mary (called “Maryam” in Arabic) has an entire chapter in the Qur’an named for her — the only chapter in the Qur’an named for a female figure. In fact, Mary is the only

woman to be mentioned by name in the entire Qur’an: As noted in the new Study Qur’an, “Other female figures are identified only by their relation to others, such as the wife of Adam and the mother of Moses, or by their title, such as the Queen of Sheba.” Mary is mentioned more times in the Qur’an than in the entire New Testament. 4. Just as with all the other prophets, including Mohammed, Muslims recite, “Peace be upon him” every time we refer to Jesus. 5. Muslims believe that Jesus performed miracles: The Qur’an discusses several of Jesus’s miracles, including giving sight to the blind, healing lepers, raising the dead, and breathing life into clay birds. 6. The story of Jesus’s birth as told in the Qur’an is also the story of his first miracle, when he spoke as an infant in the cradle and declared himself to be a prophet of God. Here’s the story: And remember Mary in the Book, when she withdrew from her family to an eastern place. And she veiled herself from them. Then We [God] sent unto her Our Spirit [the angel Gabriel], and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said, “I seek refuge from thee in the Compassionate [i.e., God], if you are reverent!” He said, “I am but a messenger

The name “Jesus, son of Mary” written in Arabic calligraphy, followed by “peace be upon him”

of thy Lord, to bestow upon thee a pure boy.” She said, “How shall I have a boy when no man has touched me, nor have I been unchaste?” He said, “Thus shall it be. Thy Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me.’” And [it is thus] that We might make him a sign unto mankind, and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter decreed. So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a place far off. And the pangs of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm.

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She said, “Would that I had died before this and was a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!” So he called out to her from below her, “Grieve not! Thy Lord has placed a rivulet beneath thee. And shake toward thyself the trunk of the date palm; fresh, ripe dates shall fall upon thee. So eat and drink and cool thine eye. And if thou seest any human being, say, ‘Verily I have vowed a fast unto the Compassionate, so I shall not speak this day to any man.’” Then she came with him [the infant Jesus] unto her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary! Thou hast brought an amazing thing! O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not an evil man, nor was thy mother unchaste.” Then she pointed to him [Jesus]. They said, “How shall we speak to one who is yet a child in the cradle?” He [Jesus] said, “Truly I am a servant of God. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet. He has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I live, and [has made me] dutiful toward my mother. And He has not made me domineering, wretched. Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised alive!” That is Jesus son of Mary— a statement of the truth, which they doubt. Merry Christmas! - Vox

P22 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016 n By Lois Smith Brady

Photos by Max Whittaker

ana Naeem never dreamed about falling in love while growing up in Roseville, California. Naeem, 26, immigrated from Pakistan with her Muslim family when she was 6, and everyone understood that her mother and father would find a husband for her when the time came.

Love would not be about “falling” or anything accidental. “My parents had an arranged marriage,” she said. “All of my aunts had arranged marriages.” She added, “I never actually believed in love.” When she was a young girl, assimilation was not easy. “I was this super-chubby butterball with glasses,” she said. “I didn’t understand English colloquialisms. I never felt truly accepted.” Following Muslim customs, she didn’t wear shorts, go to parties or spend time with boys. Mostly, she stayed home and read books, a lot of books. She grew up to be a tall green-eyed beauty with a huge vocabulary and a determination to be successful and the opposite of a homebody. “She’s really passionate about whatever she pursues, whether it’s education or a hobby or a different mind-set she wants to explore,” said Saba Naeem, her younger sister. “One time she told me she wanted to be a more worldly person. She wanted to be different. So she jumped out of an airplane. She went sky diving.” After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Naeem worked as a high school teacher in Baltimore through the Teach for America program while simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Studies at Johns Hopkins University. At that point, her mother began the process of arranging a marriage for her. “My mom was like, ‘You are not going to be young forever,’” she said. “I said, ‘Mom, I’m 21!’” Far more respectful than rebellious, she eventually complied. Whenever she flew home during breaks, her mother would arrange for her to meet prospects, along with their entire extended families. “It would be the son, his parents, his siblings and sometimes aunts,” Naeem said. She received five marriage proposals, most of them after a single meeting. She turned them all down. “My mother would say, ‘What are you looking for?’” she said. “I was trying to articulate chemistry. You need to have chemistry, but that’s not in the equation for a Pakistani marriage.” In 2014, soon after entering the PhD program in social policy at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., she decided it was time to break out of her scholarly shell. Without telling her parents, she signed up for Coffee Meets Bagel, a matchmaking phone app that connects Facebook friendsof-friends. By now, she had a better idea of what she was seeking: a Pakistani-American millennial like herself. “I was a hybrid looking for another hybrid,” she said. One Bagel (match) she received, last January, was Rayhan Shaikh. “I remember looking at the picture and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s gorgeous,’” she said. Shaikh, 28, has a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut and is now a pharmacist at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn. Coolheaded and gregarious, he often works in the emergency room, overseeing medicines given to patients. When he was 4, he emigrated with his parents from Pakistan to Farmington, where he grew up admiring the good deeds of Superman. He is as idealistic and aspirational as Naeem, but much more excitable. “He has an off-the-charts, vivacious personality,” said Yousuf Shaikh, a cousin. “He’s energetic, he’s intelligent, he’s a fan of hip-hop music. He’s going at a faster pace than almost everyone I know.” Shaikh’s parents had also begun trying to arrange a marriage for him. “My mom

A Pakistani-American Couple Opts for a Self-Arranged Marriage

hired a matchmaker, a lady to help me find potential people I could have a future with,” he said. “I was pretty upfront with my mom. I told her, ‘I’ll do this avenue, but I’m also going to try my own way.’” He was introduced to two women by the matchmaker and went alone to meet them, rather than taking his family. He recalled telling his parents: “This is going to be awkward if you are shadowing me. Please don’t embarrass me.” He also signed up for Coffee Meets Bagel. After he and Naeem were matched, they began conversing in the Bagel chat room and eventually transitioned to texting, then phone calls. They had great conversations, although they have very different speaking styles. She talks in long, beautifully con-

structed sentences while he uses slang, colloquialisms, sarcasm and exaggeration. “He’s funnier than I am,” she said. “He’s a bro and I have formal debate skills. It’s like worlds clash.” He asked what kind of music she listened to (hip-hop) and whether she liked to travel (yes). “Oftentimes, men just talk about themselves and I just quietly listen, but Rayhan kept asking questions,” she said. “That was such a great quality.” On February 1, he drove to Boston to meet her. Both were extremely nervous. “Here’s this tall, beautiful girl that I’ve been talking to for weeks and 5 percent of her vocabulary I have to Google, so I’m kind of intimidated,” he said. She said: “I had a crush on him and I hadn’t even met him. It made no sense.” The two talked for nearly five hours.

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COMMENTARY Remembering that date, she still sounds giddy, amazed to have actually experienced not just chemistry but love at first sight. “I was really attracted to him,” she said. “He looks like an actor. He’s 6-1 and very into physical fitness. He walks with confidence. He has these gorgeous dark eyes.” In a way, their experience was not so different from that of an arranged marriage: After only a few meetings, both knew (but did not say) that they had found their spouses. Even so, they continued to be formal and chaste in each other’s company. “Whenever we were ending our dates, she would almost put out her hand to shake mine,” he said. “One time, I just ignored it and opened up my arms and she hugged me.” Shaikh introduced mischief and pranks into her very serious, organized life. Whenever they took walks around Boston, he would purposely lead her astray, for fun. “She has no sense of direction,” he said, laughing. “She’s oblivious to street signs. Even when she turns on the GPS on her phone, it causes more confusion.” Naeem’s sister said, “Everything in her life has been very structured, and Rayhan is the one who disturbs that structure, in a good way.” By March, they were still in a platonic relationship and Naeem found herself wondering: “Does he like me? Are we friends? Are we more?” One evening, she got up the courage to ask him, “What are we?” He ventured, “We are human?” Once he understood what she meant, he told her he absolutely intended marriage but wanted to spend a year getting to know her better. “This is the American in him coming out,” she said. “I remember in my head, red lights were flashing. I was like, ‘A year! A year is so long.’” As it turned out, he proposed much earlier, in July. Like almost every other important event in the couple’s lives, the proposal was a communal, crowded, family experience. He and his family flew out to California to meet her family, and everyone watched as he asked her to marry him. Weeks later, he proposed again, when it was just the two of them walking together on the Brandeis campus. He announced he had written a poem for her. (They have a tradition of writing poems to each other. His rarely rhyme; hers always do.) This particular poem contained the line: “Will you be my Superwoman for the rest of my life?” Then he knelt down and held out a toy Superman ring, which she proudly wore until he gave her one with a diamond to replace it in October. Their brief, businesslike wedding ceremony took place in the afternoon on November 20 at the Salam center, a religious, educational and social services facility in Sacramento, Calif. The officiant, Imam Kashif Ahmed, sat cross-legged on the floor with the couple, their fathers — Ruknuddin Shaikh and Mohammed Naeem Asghar — and a few other male relatives. They talked quietly as they reviewed the wedding contract. It looked more like a study group than anything else. “The imam speaks and we essentially acknowledge if we want to be with our partner,” Naeem said. “We just say ‘yes’ and we are married.” The real celebration happened the next day at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West, in a ballroom filled with 210 guests. The groom stood on a stage in a white sherwani — a long coat and pants — as the bride walked toward him in a red, heavily brocaded and embroidered wedding lehenga that was closer to a piece of jewelry than a piece of clothing. The bride said that although the room was full of people, she just stared straight ahead at the groom’s eyes. “My entire focus and energy was on him,” she said. “It was like, ‘You will always be my destination.’” (This article originally appeared on The New York Times, a partner of The Express Tribune.)

COMMENTARY

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

n By Amber Liaqat

Lahore, Pakistan

ousaf Salahuddin, more commonly known as Mian Salli, shares a special connect with Pakistan’s heritage, which manifests in the projects he undertakes every now and then to preserve and revive our culture.

Music and video production has occupied most of Yousaf ’s time over the last six years. This year, he has put together four different music videos and arguably the finest of the works is his retrieval of an iconic Muhammad Ali Jinnah speech. Initiating the cause on his own, he recently retrieved Jinnah’s address for BBC radio from December 13, 1946. “I recovered Quaid’s speech from the British government’s library,” he told The Express Tribune. Yousaf is set to release the speech that narrates Jinnah’s rationale for the creation of Pakistan in the form of a video on the founder’s birth anniversary on December 25. Yousaf was dismayed that no Pakistani government in the past made an effort to obtain the tape from the UK and the incumbent government too was not involved in the project. This extraordinarily rare speech is accompanied by another video of the very popular patriotic song Millat Ka Pasban. The poetry was narrated by its author Mian Bashir Ahmed at the historic March 23, 1940 jalsa in Lahore. The song that became an anthem over the years has been recomposed and sung by Rahat Fateh Ali

Quaid’s 1946 Speech Recovered from BBC Vault “I recovered Quaid’s speech from the British government’s library,” he told The Express Tribune. Yousaf is set to release the speech that narrates Jinnah’s rationale for the creation of Pakistan in the form of a video on the founder’s birth anniversary on December 25 Khan, with Jovi helming the project as the director. The video comprises a montage

Kaleemullah Signs Contract with Tulsa Roughnecks FC

of almost 300 of Jinnah’s rare pictures, which are among Yousaf ’s most prized

possessions. They have been colored and developed for a more modern representation. Yousaf shared the genesis of the aforementioned, “All the work I do is for my country. It is like a duty to me to revive Iqbal and Jinnah’s ideologies and use the media to pass on the mantle to the younger generation. Our school syllabi have nothing for them to make sense of our history and culture, and the vision of our founding fathers.” The socialite has also extended the scope of his work to Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi’s naatia kalaam, sung and composed by Hadiqa Kiani and directed by Omer Gulzari. “I chose to produce this video because Persian has been an integral part of our history and literature. Iqbal was greatly influenced by Rumi’s Masnavi. Rumi gave him answers to questions that prominent scholars failed to answer,” he said. The fourth video that was out on the first anniversary of the harrowing Army Public School, Peshawar attack is called Muhafiz Aman Ke Hain Hum. The song has been sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali and composed by Sahir Ali Bagga, and the video has been directed by Sohail Javed. “We must pay a tribute to the children and teachers who were martyred last year in the attack. This was my contribution in the accolades that were given to our martyrs.” Commenting on the effect of such projects, Yousaf said these videos make us feel good about our country and rekindle hope for the future. The Express Tribune

I’m 75 Now, I Want to Retire: Anwar Maqsood

n By Hafsah Sarfraz

After four months with Sacramento Republic FC, during which he appeared in seven matches, Kaleemullah is looking to score some goals and make an impact in the US League, which will begin in March. Photo Courtesy: Tulsa Roughnecks

haman-based striker Kaleemullah has signed a contract with Oklahomabased Tulsa Roughnecks FC as the 23-year-old looks to continue his stint overseas in the United Soccer League (USL) for a second season.

Kaleemullah became the first Pakistan footballer to play in the US professional league this year when he signed a four-month contract with Sacramento Republic FC, appearing in seven matches for them. Earlier, he also became the most expensive Pakistani export to the football circuit when he signed a two-year contract with Kyrgystan’s FC Dordoi for Rs2 million in 2014, where he scored 23 goals in a yearlong stint in Bishkek to claim the best player award. According to the national team captain, who was also the highest scorer for KRL in the 2013 Pakistan Premier Football League with 31 goals, he made the decision to stay in the US after contemplating offers from European clubs this fall. “I’m staying in the US because I’m not done yet,” Kaleemullah told

The Express Tribune. “It is about scoring goals and making my mark. Sacramento Republic was a great start, but I still feel I need to score in the US; I need to be among the best players in the USL too. It’s the excellence that I’m chasing.” The striker is hoping to inspire Tulsa Roughnecks when their season kicks off in March. Before that though he will be going to train in Mexico. Tulsa Roughneck coach David Irving has expressed his enthusiasm over signing Kaleemullah. “It is exciting to add Kaleemullah to our club,” said Irving in the official statement on the club’s website. “He is a young player with great pace and skills. He didn’t get much playing time last season, but his goal-scoring record in the past years has been phenomenal.” Kaleemullah is also hoping to make the cut for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the future. “I’m committed to this dream,” he said. “I have faith that if I work hard and score enough goals, the other clubs will also see my potential and someday I will play in the MLS.”

Islamabad

nwar Maqsood is a man who needs no introduction; his name is almost synonymous with the success of satire and humor on Pakistani television. His artistic abilities, however, span multiple facets that are generally not known to the public. He has been associated with the trade for around 50 years; however, it wasn’t until recently that Anwar began taking theatre seriously. Talking to The Express Tribune, he says, “My close friends such as Zia Mohyeddin and Talat Hussain have long been asking me to write for theatre. I did write a play a long time back, called Script-tease.

Zia was in power back then. Unfortunately, it never got the green light from censor boards and henceforth I never wrote for theatre.” Things remained the same until Dawar Mehmood and Co rang his doorbell. “They knew Aagan Terha and several episodes of Loose Talk by heart. They wanted me to write a script for them,” he says. A few minutes of convincing and Anwar agreed to write Pawnay 14 August. “It took me three days.” The overwhelming response to the play brought tears to his eyes. Nonetheless, taking it as a oneoff thing, Anwar returned to his everyday life at home. But the copycats had no plans of letting go this soon. “Jaisay Imran Khan dharna day kay phass gaye thay, main Copycats ka play likh ke phass gaya hoon,” he laughingly adds. The 75-year-old has no plans of continuing to write. “Being 75 in a country like Pakistan is a matter of shame, I believe. This is creative

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work. One cannot exert oneself to do it.” However, Anwar recently wrote another play for the team, Siachen. Having already had a successful run in Islamabad, the troupe is now heading for Anwar’s hometown, Karachi. “I had told them it’s a very grave and serious topic and children will not be able to understand it but they still insisted,” he says. Anwar took Siachen up as a challenge. “The play focuses on the harsh realities of life as a soldier at Siachen.” One cannot discuss Anwar Sahib’s writing career and not bring up Loose Talk. At the show’s mention, he says, “The reason it went on for so long was that it wasn’t on PTV, otherwise the censor board would have censored it.” Anwar credits the show’s phenomenal success to the chemistry between him and late actor Moin Akhtar. “It’s my best work to date… 394 episodes, all different and unique.” No matter how hard he tries, it seems his long-time admirers will not let him settle for retirement. Anwar is currently writing a film

for Shehzad Roy. “Ali Zafar and Fawad Khan have also requested me to write for them but beta I am tired now. I want to retire. I paint only because that is my source of income.” Then there is the music connoisseur in him, whose collection of memories and physical records is awe-inspiring. “I listen to The Beatles and Elvis every day! My collection is so diverse that it includes both Beach Boys and Roshan Ara Begum. I have 650 hours worth of recordings of Vilayat Khan Sahib,” he says, admitting it was this very taste of his that inspired son Bilal Maqsood to make music. Whenever Anwar’s associates like Farida Khanum, Iqbal Bano and Ghulam Farid would come over, the young Bilal would sit in their company and listen with enthusiasm. “All his songs are written by me so you know how much I support him. He had decided to pursue music at a very early age. I told him it is my responsibility to educate him so he should first get a proper degree and then do what he likes.” ANWAR, P20

COMMENTARY

P24 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

Factories Show Increased Bullish Hiring 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) The acceleration in US hiring was surprisingly sharp and broad-based, a sector that has had a particularly rough 21st centurymanufacturing-offered one of the biggest signals. US factories added 28,000 jobs in November, the most in a year. Manufacturers also raised the average work week for their production workers to 42.2 hours, returning to levels reached earlier in 2014 that were the highest since the end of World War Two. We are definitely in growth mode. After hemorrhaging hundreds of thousands of jobs during the first decade of this century, the US factory sector is now an example of America’s economic upswing even as a slowing global economy and a stronger dollar clouds the outlook for exporters. Employers added 321,000 workers to their payrolls last month, with strong gains in most sectors, from construction and retail to finance. In manufacturing, the rise in hours worked was particularly illustrative because it could signal further hiring. PUZZLE FROM P9

alternative political Islam to that of ISIS, and an alternative approach to power to that of Egypt’s generals. America’s intellectuals bear an urgent responsibility to question failed policies and move beyond a self-satisfied monologue about the problems of Islam — and to open a productive dialogue that includes Muslim voices speaking uncomfortable truths. Our common security depends on it.” www.rulajebreal.com For American Muslims there could be no greater issue of relevance today than greater civic engagement. This is not a matter of them and us. For we are all in this together. Our stake at preserving the peace and security of our neighborhoods is no less than that of any other law abiding patriot in the land. Speaking truth to power is never easy. But remaining silent is not an option either. There are many in the nation who are speaking out against our misadventures in the world. We need to amplify the voices of those progressives who daily toil to make the case for justice abroad and justice at home. That is the only path to assure a world free of terror and fear. NATIONALISM FROM P8

government in which the Ministry of Human Resource Development which dealt with education was headed by a long-standing cadre of the Hindu fundamentalist organization, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh( RSS). Under his stewardship the government spared no effort to change the content and character of education, of which the introduction of new textbooks, was perhaps the most

Manufacturers are getting just about all they can out of their current workforce. An economist at Ameriprise Financial in Troy, Michigan. “As long as they see new orders come in the door, they are going to hire more employees to satisfy those orders.” While part-time employment has climbed significantly since the 2007-09 recession, a brisker pace of businesses across the economy to give their workers more hours as well. While a top Federal Reserve official said this week that faster wage growth could be around the corner, Friday’s data suggested that manufacturers and other firms still had leverage in setting wages even as they expanded their payrolls. Across the private sector as a whole, average hourly earnings were up just 2.1 percent over the past year. It is the season of abundance, but sometimes abundance is the last thing financial markets need. Shares fell on Monday as two stories troubled investors; the low and falling price of oil and the disappointing retail taking-over the Black Friday shopping weekend. Both in their own way were stories about the risks of abundance. Brent crude fell to its lowest prominent and indeed controversial.” “The idea of India being a Hindu civilizational state runs through all the texts, either directly expressed or indirectly suggested. The question of the indigenous origin of Aryans and the identity of Harappan civilization with the Vedic society has some bearing on this issue. The former is quite central to the fundamentalist agenda of claiming the nation as Hindu, as the migration theory would deprive the Hindus of indigenous lineage. Therefore, against the widely held scholarly opinion Aryans are credited with indigenous origins, subscribing in the bargain to the colonial view of Aryan race. In the former case the textbooks put forward the view that the Aryans were indigenous to India and that the opinion widely held by scholars about their migration dismissed as inconsequential. In defense of indigenous origin no substantial evidence is adduced, except negative reasoning. It is asserted that the ‘the oldest surviving records of the Aryans, the Rig Veda, does not give even an inkling of any migration. It does not have any knowledge even of the geography beyond the known boundaries of Ancient India.’ It further says: ‘Many scholars think that the Aryans were originally inhabitants of India and did not come from outside. It has been argued by such scholars that there is no archeological or biological evidence, which could establish the arrival of any new people from outside between 5000 BC and 800 BC. This means that if at all there was

in five years, down as astounding 34 percent since June. While the immediate cause of a spectacular fall last week was the failure of oil-producing nations to agree on production cuts, the fundamental story is one of the new supplies coming online. Similarly, news that shoppers spent 11.3percent less this year over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend sent a chill through investors, perhaps contributing to a rapid fall in the value of Apple shares. Cyber Monday, a day in which many retailers try to spark online shopping with sales, also looked slightly disappointing, according to industry projections. There is an old adage of investing: Never bet against human ingenuity. Don’t take risks based on the idea that a given commodity will remain just as scarce, or a given business model just as defensible against competition. Now to be clear, all of these surfeits are very good things if you want to heat your house or order olive oil over the Internet. But they are just not very helpful to those who already have made investments in the way crude and extra virgin have traditionally been obtained or distributed. Retail has seen its own revolution, one which is far from finished, as bricks and mortar give way to the bits and bytes of the Internet. While this has spawned all sorts of strategies among retailers, the common denominator is that it has made times continually tough, with tight margins and omnipresent competitors and fair-improved price transparency. Investors have reacted to this new landscape

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FACTORIES, P28

any migration of Aryans or for that matter of any other people in India, it may have taken place at least eight or nine thousand years ago or after 800 BC to both of which there is no evidence. Further, the skeletal remains found from various Harappan sites resemble the skeletons of the modern population of the same geographical area.’” The fanatic Hindu nationalists tried to do in California what their Indian counterparts have already done in India. They attempted to pollute California history textbooks in 2006, when they argued unsuccessfully to include lies like the indigenous origins of Aryans and tried to deny the terrible impact on hundreds of millions of Indians of the caste system and misogyny prevalent in Hindu texts and Aryan culture. Hundreds of history scholars from the US and South Asia helped defeat this reprehensible attempt by Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and its allies in the United States. While the biggest victims of Hindu fundamentalists are the women and the Dalits of India, non-Hindu minorities and the neighboring states have not been spared either. They prey upon unarmed Muslim, Christian and Sikh minorities in organized pogroms in what American scholar Paul Brass calls “production of violence” in India with many Indian intellectuals and some in the Indian press justifying the actions of the murderers. NATIONALISM, P28

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Countries

Buying Rs.

Selling Rs.

USA UK S.Arabia Japan Euro UAE

105.95 156.25 28.00 0.85 115.00 28.85

106.20 156.95 28.15 0.88 115.50 29.00

(*31 December, 2015) US VISA BULLETIN ON JANUARY 2016 For Pakistan, Bangladesh & India Compiled by Hasan Chishti FAMILY SPONSORED PREFERENCES

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1st Unmarried sons & daughters of U.S. Citizens

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2nd Members of the professions holding advanced degree or persons of exceptional ability

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RELIGION

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P25

Ten Special Features of Ramadan n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Gems from the Holy Qur’an

t was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong. So any one of you who is present that month should fast, and anyone who is ill or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days later. Allah wants ease for you, not hardship. He wants you to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him for having guided you, so that you may be thankful. (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

Ramadan for us Muslims is not just the month of fasting; it is the month of virtues, values, happiness and blessings. It is the only month that is mentioned by name in the Qur’an. The Prophet –peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- called this ‘a blessed and a great month.’ Ramadan has many features: spiritual, moral as well as historical and cultural. Books have been written on various aspects of Ramadan and for centuries Muslim poets have sung the songs in its joys and blessings. I want to mention here 10 special features of Ramadan: 1. Month of the Qur’an: The most important feature of Ramadan is that it is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed. Its revelation came in the Night of Qadr, a night that is better than one thousand months (Surah al-Qadr 97). The Night of Qadr did not occur only fifteen hundred years ago; every year this Night also comes in Ramadan and brings the honor and blessings from Allah. The Qur’an is the Kalam Allah, the speech of Allah, the most beautiful and most powerful speech. It is the most authentic and most comprehensive manual to reform and improve the life of human beings, whether individuals, families or nations. It addresses all human beings and can help every person in any land, any time and in any situation. We should increase our link with the Qur’an read it every day. In this month specially we should read it from cover to cover at least once. We should also reflect on its meaning and message. 2. Month of Patience: Fasting is patience and it teaches patience. The purpose of fasting is to learn Taqwa, self-discipline and self-restraint. This

From the translation by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)

is the highest virtue in Islam and it is the key for moral and spiritual growth and development. Fasting is to learn how to control one’s appetites as well as one’s desires. The fasting person does not learn only how to control his stomach; it is also to control one’s tongue, ears, eyes, hands and feet. Fasting person has to focus his/her heart and mind towards Allah. We call the sick people patients, but patience is not only for the sick and weak; the healthy and strong people also should be patient. 3. Month of Prayers and Remembrance of Allah: Salat and Dhikr are the special features of this month. Fasting makes the heart humble and it is the humble people who pray. We should pray our five daily prayers on time. We are also supposed to spend some time in Qiyam al-layl, the night prayer. Every person should spend time doing extra prayers and the Dhikr of Allah. 4. Month of Repentance and seeking Allah’s Forgiveness: The gates of Allah’s heaven are open in this month; the gates of Hell are closed and rebellious devils are put in chain. Allah stretches His blessed hands to receive every repentant person. Every day and every night the angels of Allah call those who seek goodness to come forward and leave anything that is bad and evil. Ramadan is the

best time to turn to Allah and seek His forgiveness. The Prophet –peace be upon him- said, ‘He is a loser who finds Ramadan and does not receive forgiveness.’ 5. Month of Charity and Generosity: This is the month of giving and helping those who are in need. This is the month of doing more charitable works. The Prophet was the most generous person all the time, but in Ramadan his generosity had no limits. He was as charitable as the morning breeze. Muslims give their Zakat, Sadaqatul-Fitr and other charities (sadaqat) during this month. Every good deed done in this month brings hundreds and thousands times more blessings. 6. Month of Kindness and Good Relations: Ramadan is a great time for building good relations within the family, among relatives, neighbors and co-workers. We should apologize and ask for forgiveness if we have done wrong to anyone. We should forgive those who have done wrong to us. We should not get involved in fights and disputes at this time. We should go out of our ways to reconcile any differences. 7. Month of Brotherhood and Sisterhood: In Ramadan we fast together. Fasting builds a special bond among us. Our happiness is in the happiness of other Muslims and our pain is in the pain of others. This is the time we should be more concerned about the situation and condition of our Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world. We should pay more attention to their situations, their difficulties and pains. We should help the needy and stand for justice for those who are deprived of justice. 8. Month of Great Victories: Ramadan reminds us of the victories of Mus-

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lims over their enemies. The events of Badr, the Victory of Makkah and many other glorious events took place during this month. Ramadan is the month of peace but it is also the month when Muslims defended themselves and stood firm against the forces of evil and oppression. Allah gave victories to the believers at the most difficult times because they followed the path of justice and righteousness. Their victories were not for material gains and personal or national glory, but they were for the truth, justice and righteousness. 9. Month of Du’a: After mentioning fasting and the significance of the month of Ramadan, Allah says in the Qur’an: When My servants ask you (Prophet) about Me, I am near. I respond to those who call Me, so let them respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may be guided. (Al-Baqarah 2:186) Fasting brings a person very close to Allah and it is the best time to pray and ask Allah for His blessings and mercy. All our prayers, especially in the state of fasting, are very effective. The prayer indicates one’s sincerity, devotion and humbleness to Allah. It brings its results here in this world or its reward will be given in the Hereafter. 10. Month of joy and happiness: The month of Ramadan brings special joy to believers. The Prophet –peace be upon him- said, The person who fasts has two joys: when he makes iftar he feels happy and when he shall meet his Lord he shall be happy with his fast. (Ahmad, Muslim and Nasa’i) Those who fast they feel happy when they complete their day’s fast at sunset. They appreciate the food and drink that Allah has provided for them. They thank him and recognize His blessings and bounties. Those who fast will also have a special happiness when they shall meet their Lord. He shall greet them with greetings of peace and grant them special honor and grace them with His mercy and kindness. May Allah help us to take full advantage of this month and make this a month of joy and happiness for us and for others through us. Ameen. (Khutbah at ISOC – Ramadan 4, 1434/ July 12, 2013)

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 years of devoted study 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, dedicated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (people who think). Chapter 110, An- Nasr (Succour), Verses 1-3(Complete Surah) When God’s succour comes, and victory, and thou seest people enter God’s religion [ 1 ] in hosts, extol thy Sustainer’s limitless glory, and praise Him, and seek His forgiveness: for, behold, He is ever an acceptor of repentence. [2] Chapter 111, Al-Masad (The Twisted Strands), Verses 1-5 (Complete Surah) Doomed are the hands of him of the glowing countenance, [ 3 ] and doomed is he! What will his wealth avail him, and all that he has gained? [In the life to come] he shall have to endure a fire fiercely glowing, together with his wife, that carrier of evil tales, [who bears] around her neck a rope of twisted strands. Chapter 112, Al-Ikhlas (The Declaration of [God’s] Perfection), Verses 1-4 (Complete Surah) Say: “He is the One God: “God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of all that Exists” [ 4 ] “He begets not, and neither is He begotten; “And there is nothing that could be compared with Him.” ______________________ Translator’s Notes [ 1 ] I.e., the religion of selfsurrender to God: ref. Ch. 3, Verse 19 – “the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man’s] self-surrender unto Him”. [ 2 ] Implying that that even if people should embrace the true religion in great numbers, a believer ought not to grow self-complacent but should, rather, become more humble and more conscious of his own failings. [ 3 ] The real name of the uncle of the Prophet was ‘Abd al-‘Uzza. He was popularly known as Abu Lahab (lit., “he of the flame”). [ 4 ] This rendering gives no more than an approximate meaning of the term as-samad , which occurs in the Qur’an only once, and is applied to God alone. It comprises the concepts of Primary Cause and eternal, independent Being, GEMS, P28

P26 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

Meelad-e-Mohammad Mustafa (PBUH) California Presents

Speaker

Shaikh Faisal Abdur Razak (Canada - English)

Naat Khwan

Syed Fasih Uddin Soharwardi (Pakistan)

Local Ulema e Kiraam & Renowned Naat Khwan Speaker

Allama Liaquat Hussain (Pakistan - Urdu)

Sunday January, 3rd, 2016 4:00PM - 8:00PM

Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel 7675 Crescent Ave., Buena Park, CA 90620, (714)-995-1111

Youth Session Qiraat, Speech, Naat, & Quiz

Salat ul Asr Jamat at 3:45PM InshaAllah Program will begin right after Salat ul Asr

For Further Information, Please Contact: Phone: 800-611-5429, www.meeladusa.com, E-Mail: info@meeladusa.com Facebook: Meelad e Mohammad Mustafa (saw) ► Separate Section for sisters ► Free Admission

► Free Parking

► Complementary Dinner by Bismillah Restaurant

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JANUARY 1, 2016 - PAKISTAN LINK

SPORTS SPORTS

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P27

PCB Rejects Azhar Ali’s Resignation Over Differences With Amir

LAHORE: Pakistan s cricket chief on Tuesday said he had refused to accept one-day captain Azhar Ali s resignation over the widely-tipped selection of convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir, saying the team could not afford a crisis at this time. Ali had tendered his resignation to protest Amir s prospective return to the national team for next month s tour of New Zealand, almost six years after he was banned and jailed for deliberately bowling no-balls as part of a betting scam in a Test match. Speaking to AFP, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said he had changed 30-yearold Ali s mind. "I met Ali and since he resigned

as captain I convinced him not to do so as Pakistan cricket cannot afford a crisis at this time," he said. Ali and former Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez refused to train with Amir in the national team s fitness camp last week but returned after being threatened with disciplinary action. Beyond the controversy surrounding the returning paceman, Pakistan was hit Sunday with the provisional suspension of its premier spinner Yasir Shah after he tested positive for a banned substance. Pakistan is likely to announce the squad for the New Zealand tour in the next couple of days. They play three one-day and as many Twenty20 inter-

nationals on the tour starting January 15. Amir, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, was banned after a spot-fixing scandal on the 2010 tour of England. The trio were charged for accepting illegal money in return for deliberate no-balls during the Lord s Test against England. The three players were also jailed by a UK court in 2011. But the International Cricket Council in September this year allowed them to return to international cricket. Ali took over as one-day captain in April this year after Misbah-ul-Haq retired from limited over cricket following the 2015 World Cup. J

Players Asked to Sign Documents Stating They Have No Problem With Amir KARACHI: The Mohammad Amir saga continues as the players are reportedly unhappy with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being asked to sign legal documents stating they do not object to Amir's return to the national side. ODI skipper Azhar Ali and senior player Mohammad Hafeez expressed their reservations against Amir's comeback but were 'bullied' by PCB officials because they wanted Amir to return to the side at all costs. Azhar and Hafeez were told in a meeting that they had to accept the board's policy or would have to face repercussions in the future. Resultantly, Hafeez and Azhar gave in to PCB's demands and agreed to train alongside Amir. However, the PCB knew that there would be further reactions and question marks on Amir's selection for the tour of New Zealand and upcoming assignments. The board has therefore asked all players in the national camp to sign documents stating that they have no problem in playing with Amir if he is selected.

"The PCB is making a mess of the issue by forcing players to sign documents that they will have no problem in playing with Amir," a player of the national team told The Express Tribune. "This is disrespectful to the players who have played their cricket with dignity and with honour. If there is a question mark then it's on Amir's part, not ours. Then why is the PCB is trying to bully us?" The player added that Amir is being given special treatment. "This whole episode is turning into a shameful debacle as the board is doing its best to prevent the players from saying anything against Amir," he added. "Why so much love for one player? The board should provide a similar opportunity to Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif too, while they should fight Danish Kaneria's case as well if this is their policy across the board." The player added that this may lead to further problems while may also result in demotivating and alienating the current players. J

Mohammad Yousuf Criticises PSL Over Ignoring Great Players KARACHI: Pakistan's former Test Cricketer Mohammad Yousuf has criticised the highly anticipated Pakistan Super League (PSL), its organizers and franchises over ignoring legendary batsman Younus Khan for the tournament. The legendary batsman claimed that PSL only focuses to gain financial benefits and it has nothing to do

he expressed: "By ignoring Younus a strong message has been sent to upcoming players that their performance in the longer formats doesn't matter much." "Players with solid records have been left out; Asad Shafiq with eight Test centuries already had to settle for a measly $25,000 contract. Azhar Ali, one of our best Test

with the welfare of the players. He was talking to media, where

and ODI talents barely made the cut for Lahore too."

Referring to the Indian Premier League (IPL) the record holder former national batsman said that he had observed that players like Rahul Dravid, Sourave Gangulay, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar who were all not included in Indian T20 squad, had major leadership and iconic roles for their respective franchises in the starting years of the league; however, the PCB and PSL team have not given any such respect to the stars. Expressing what he feels, the former middle-order part and parcel of the national side has said that only a couple of players in the Emerging category will be earning some sum while majority of the first-class cricketers in the country prolong their suffer owning to insufficient financial security in the domestic sphere. "Each team has picked one or two young players, they might make some money but most of the players continue to suffer. I strongly feel that there are limited gains from the PSL and that too for a selected group only," added the right-hand batsman who had achieved the title of highest run scorer in a calendar year. J

Aisamul Haq To Participate in Australian Open LAHORE: Pakistan's tennis star Aisam ul Haq leaves for Australia recently to participate in Australian Open. Tennis star, while talking to the media persons, said that his partner in the doubles tournament was British

legendary player Jonathan Murray. He also said that he encountered an injury in 2015 however,it was recovered and now he was fit for the tournament. In the last week, Haq and Murray had a weeklong training session in Singapore.

The national star hoped to perform exceptional in the forthcoming tournament. Haq paid a visit to Pakistan Sweet Homes (PSH) and inaugurated tennis court at the site to promote sports among the youth. J

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Ten Shooters in Asian Olympic Qualifying Competition KARACHI: Ten Pakistani shooters will take part in the Asian Olympic qualifying competition in New Delhi from January 25 to February 3 next year. According to the entry list for the competition, Ghufran Adil will feature in the 10m Air Rifle event; Shehzad Akhtar will participate in the 50m Pistol event; and Ghulam Mustafa Bashir will play the 10m Air Pistol event. The other players are Usman Chand and Khurram Inam (Skeet); Mehwish Farhan (25m Pistol and 10m Air Pistol); Mehak Fatima (10m Air Rifle); Bilal Khan (50m Pistol and 10m Air Pistol); Kalim Khan (50m Pistol and 10m Air Pistol); and Shahid Mushtaq (50m Rifle Prone and 10m Air Rifle). This event is being staged as compensation after the disqualification of Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait last month by the International Olympic Committee. Usman Chand from Punjab and G M Bashir of Pakistan Navy are strong contenders to win quota places for Rio Olympics. A total of 575 athletes from 32 nations are taking part in the event. J

PAKISTAN

P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016 NATIONALISM FROM P24

The big brothers of these fanatic Hindutva terrorists occupy high positions in the Indian security establishment, according to former Maharashtra police chief SM Mushrif. These Hindutva allies in Indian government conduct covert warfare via terrorist actions in neighboring states including Pakistan through RAW. Summary The Indian Hindu Nationalists are rapidly increasing their global reach. The hate-filled ideology they preach is a growing potential threat to peace and stability of many nations where they operate. Breivik’s actions represent only the tip of a much larger and growing iceberg of death and destruction that lies just beneath the surface. MUSLIMS FROM P7

understand that the same is true for Muslims? The problem is that 83 percent of Americans dismiss violence by Christians as not being committed by “real” Christians, while only 48 percent do the same for Muslims. But the unpleasant reality is that other ideologies are also subject to distortion by violent extremists. The New America Foundation, for instance, finds that various ideologies that it identifies as “right-wing” have been responsible for 18 instances of deadly attacks and 48 deaths since 9/11, compared to 9 attacks and 45 deaths caused by jihadists. Americans simply should not let their lives be dictated by a fear of terrorism of any kind. As security expert John Mueller has documented, Americans are more likely to be killed by almost anything else over the last fifty years. Americans murdered more people on any two days last year than were killed by terrorists in the last 10 years. Shutting down mosques and banning Muslims will not make America any safer. Rather than treating them as enemies, America should see Muslim Americans as allies in our fight for freedom and peace. *Frank Gaffney, the conspiracy theorist at his Center for Security Policy, has online “polls” from “Muslims” that are bogus, as has been explained by others. - Huffpost Politics This post originally appeared on NiskanenCenter.org.

Poor Black Friday sales are a reminder that this may be a mistake. Any kid with a new idea has a much better chance of putting it in place. Some might compete directly with Facebook or Amazon, but some indirectly, by attracting attention. We as investors have a historic psychological bias towards expecting advantages to be persistent. We look at Facebook now just a bit like we foolishly looked at Barnes and Noble or Sears 30 years ago. We look at a business and we get excited by its growth and revenues without truly comprehending how different the world has become. Abundance is justly celebrated, but can be dangerous to your wealth. (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.)

ic source said. Pakistani officials, however, point out that they have already taken a number of steps, which include making new laws to stop terrorist financing. “But they also remind Americans that most of the groups on their list are based in Afghanistan, not Pakistan,” another source said. “There are less than 50 money changing companies in Pakistan while Afghanistan has more than 500. Unless they too are targeted, this problem will not disappear.” - Dawn

PTV Founder Aslam Azhar Passes away

FACILITATORS FROM P1

with all stakeholders, adding that a committee for the reforms, headed by Senator Sartaj Aziz, would present its report to the government in the next few days. The interior minister further said that International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) were being brought under the ambit of law and their working was being made transparent. He said in the first two months, the process of registration of INGOs would be completed afresh, adding that so far 127 INGOs had applied for online registration. Only registered INGOs would be allowed to work in Pakistan, he added. OPERATION FROM P1

address the concerns of the Sindh government and informed the chief minister that the Rangers will conGEMS FROM P25 combined with the idea that every- tinue their operation under the notithing existing or conceivable goes fication of interior ministry, sources back to Him as its source and is, revealed. On Tuesday, after his arrival in therefore, dependent on Him for its beginning as well as its continued ex- Islamabad, CM Shah held meetings with the Pakistan Peoples Party’s istence. (PPP) senior leaders to devise the ___________________ strategy for his meeting with PM Nawaz. FINANCING FROM P1 The prime minister is said to United States and Pakistan. “There was no conversation that have carefully listened to the concerns I had with the security establishment and reservations raised by Qaim Ali in Pakistan that did not include a very Shah and his delegation and promdirect, very frank discussion about, ised to address all the concerns with specifically the Haqqani network, but sincerity. Both agreed that if any issue also the Taliban in general,” he said. When Chief of Army Staff Gen between the Center and the Sindh Raheel Sharif visited Washington last government emerges in the future, month, US officials raised this issue they would sit together, discuss it and would resolve it through dialogue. with him. After the COAS’s meeting with the acting US national security advis- ATTACK FROM P1 er and his senior staff, army spokesThe Bacha Khan Medical comman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa told plex received at least 16 dead bodies reporters that the two sides had also and dozens of injured people, ReCHAUDHRY FROM P11 agenda, in the sectors of health and discussed “measures to choke terror- uters news agency reported. Taliban-linked militants in Pakeducation and land reforms. Provi- ists financing”. But the Americans raised this is- istan are desperate for good targets sion of justice to the common man would be the basic manifesto of his sue more forcefully when Prime Min- - this is clear from Tuesday’s attack ister Nawaz Sharif came to Washing- and the one that occurred at a marparty, he added. The ceremony was attended by ton for a meeting with US President ketplace in the Kurram tribal region last month, killing 24 people. lawyers, civil society activists and Barack Obama in October this year. Four days before the PM’s visit, If the attacker had not been others. Earlier, the ex-CJ had said that US Under Secretary for Terrorism stopped by a security guard at the ofhe would announce his political party and Financial Intelligence Adam J. fice’s gate, the death toll would have Szubin invited the Pakistani ambas- been significantly higher, Mardan and manifesto on Dec 25. Iftikhar Chaudhry was appoint- sador, Jalil Abbas Jilani, to his office police Deputy Inspector General Saeed Wazir told BBC Urdu’s Adil ed 18th chief justice of Pakistan by to discuss the issue. Mr Szubin informed the ambas- Shahzeb. then president retired Gen Pervez sador that US Treasury Secretary JaHe said up to 12kg (26.5lb) of Musharraf on June 30, 2005. In 2007 Mr Musharraf asked cob J. Lew would raise this issue with explosive material may have been used in the blast. Iftikhar Chaudhry to resign, but he the prime minister as well. In another meeting with PakiJamaat-e-Ahrar, which split refused and the conflict between the two led to the latter’s suspension on stani officials, US Deputy Assistant from the Pakistani Taliban in 2014, Nov 3, 2007. He was reinstated on Secretary for Terrorist Financing Jen- said it carried out the attack on what March 22, 2009 and retired on Dec nifer Fowler even talked about ani- it called the “heathen Pakistan state”. mal hides that some of these groups The group, along with others, 11, 2013. also claimed responsibility for an Iftikhar Chaudhry was one of collected during Eidul Azha. The Americans also complain explosion that killed more than 50 those whom Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan had accused that whenever they raise this issue at people at the Wagah border crossing of having played a key role in alleged the UN, China uses its influence as with India in 2014. Mohammad Khurasani, spokesrigging in the 2003 general elections. a permanent member of the UN Security Council to prevent the world man for Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan body from taking any action. “The (TTP), the main faction in the counFACTORIES FROM P24 by assuming it is just a replacement Americans believe that the Chinese try, said the group did not support for the old, run on the same lines. do so to please Pakistan,” a diplomat- attacks on public places.

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n By Farman Ali Islamabad: Legendary broadcaster, intellectual and progressive ideologue Aslam Azhar died on Tuesday at the age of 83, family sources told The Express Tribune. He was laid to rest at the capital’s H-11 graveyard on Wednesday. He had undergone prostate surgery last month and was stable. On Tuesday he got choked and died at home. Azhar leaves behind his wife, Nasreen Azhar, a human rights activist, two sons – Osama and Arieb Azhar – a daughter and a large number of friends, colleagues and admirers to mourn his death. Born in September of 1932 in Lahore, Azhar did his bachelor’s from Government College Lahore. After completion of his Master’s in Law from the Cambridge University in 1954, Azhar, a man of many talents, joined the Department of Films and Publications as a freelancer. Having experience of theatre and broadcasting, Azhar was asked on November 26, 1964, to run a three-month pilot project at the lawns of Radio Pakistan, Lahore. The project was a success due to the untiring efforts of Azhar and his team. He very quickly brought together a first class team of designers, cameramen, writers and artists and established stations at Karachi, Lahore and Quetta, bringing quality programming and latest equipment. Azhar has to his credit among other initiatives, like the first PTV award ceremony of 1982-83, Music 89, marathon transmissions on 1970 elections and the Islamic Summit held in Lahore. He produced “Roobroo”, hosted by Mohsin Sherazi, which became quite popular. ‘Khuda ki Basti’ and many other plays got new lease of life under his able leadership. Before the 1977 elections, Zulikar Ali Bhutto made him head of

the PTV Training Academy. He remained associated with radio and television in various capacities until the end of Benazir Bhutto’s first government in 1990 except for the tenyear rule of General Ziaul Haq. With General Ziaul Haq in the saddle, Azhar had to move to Karachi where he started the Dastak Theatre group to highlight issues of working classes. Short plays on social themes relating to workers, students and women were adapted, translated and performed. After his retirement, he remained associated with the Beaconhouse School System for some time. In recognition of his services, the government conferred upon him Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 1968.

Non-Bailable Arrest Warrants Issued for MQM, PPP and Pasban Leaders Karachi: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for five absconders in a terror case registered against former federal minister and PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain. The court ordered Investigating Officer (IO) Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Altaf Hussain to arrest and produce the absconders - Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Waseem Akhtar, Anis Qaimkhani, Saleem Shahzad, PPP’s Qadir Patel and Pasban leader Usman Moazzam - before the court on the date of the next hearing on January 8. MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui who was also named an absconder in the investigation report is on pre-arrest bail. A First Information Report (FIR) booked Dr Asim for allegedly treating and harbouring terrorists, gangsters and activists of banned militant outifits at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital at the behest of political leaders. Police in the remand paper earlier had stated that IO Rana Zulfiqar had questioned Dr Asim, who confessed to having provided treatment to alleged terrorists of the MQM and gangsters of Lyari at his hospital and harboured them after MQM leaders Waseem Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui, Anis Qaimkhani and Saleem Shahzad, Qadir Patel of the PPP had allegedly asked him to do so.

AMWEC FROM P18

justification is acceptable any longer and we resent statements that put blame on American foreign policy as they marginalize Muslims and will fuel backlash. There can be no excuse or justification for this heinous act of terror. At this particular time, our Pakistani American hearts bleed with the victims of terrorism in San Bernardino.

CLASSIFIED & MATRIMONIAL

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P29

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JANUARY 1, 2016 - PAKISTAN LINK

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

P30 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016

eing Noor Jehan's granddaughter, Sonya Jehan has had some pretty big shoes to fill from the get go. Perhaps that's why she'd avoided stepping into the limelight on home soil altogether, some assumed. Until now. "I don't think there was any conscious decision not to work in Pakistan, it just so happened that I was offered a very interesting role to play in India (she made her cinematic debut with Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story) and so I went there, ended up marrying an Indian. Now, I have a family there so I've done more work there since I live across the border now." How does the so-called revived Pakistani cinema industry compare to the mammoth that is Bollywood? "It doesn't compare. Obviously, Bollywood is much bigger but it's not as intimate. A lot of people that you work with there are working simultaneously on multiple projects so you don't really get the time to know people, other than your co-stars and director. On top of that, I usually have to fly from Delhi to Bombay, stay in a hotel. It's impersonal." She adds, "Here, I work with a team that works and gels together like family and I go back home to my mother and my brother and have ghar ka khana. You don't do room service here." However, even after all this time, Ho Mann Jahaan felt like an easy fit, explains the actress. "I'd been away from Pakistan for so long that I didn't know much about the media and the cinema. When Asim approached me, it made sense for me to use this as the project to catapult me into unfamiliar territory because I've known him for a long time, we have that comfort level. Of course it helps that the script is so good and the character I was offered was that of an interesting woman." Where does this interesting woman fit into the plot of a movie which has been hailed a coming-of-age story revolving around 3 university students? While being careful not to give

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anything too major away, Jehan gives us some insight into the mysterious Sabina: "She's a very strong, mature, independent woman. She's extremely outspoken but at the same time, she's cool-headed. I'm not like that at all! I have quite a temper so as an actor, it was interesting for me, to play someone so serene." I know Ho Mann Jahaan is going to do well and for now, that's what I'm excited about. In fact, I'd love to do another movie with Asim only!" laughs Jehan. After having worked with bigwigs like SRK, Kajol and Soha Ali Khan, what was going through Jehan's head when being thrown into the mix with a crop of emerging actors? "It was wonderful. It's a great team; so young and fresh, there's never a dull moment on set. Mahira is someone who's a total star, who's amazing

at her craft. Adeel is just in his own world and he has these quirky, impactful one liners and quotes come out of the blue, he's a total riot. Sherry is the little boy next-door; bubbly and cheerful. it was a no-brainer for me, doing this movie." She adds, "There was great energy all around, you know? I remember we sort of got stranded at the beach while we were shooting one day. Our tyres got jammed in the sand, we couldn't get out! That element of adventure and fun never wavered." What's next for the doting wife and mother of two? "I'm not someone who's a planner. I know the movie is going to do well and for now, that's what I'm excited about. If I get any offers after then I'd love to consider them. In fact, I'd love to do another movie with Asim only!" laughs Jehan.

JANUARY 1, 2016 - PAKISTAN LINK

WOMENS WORLD

WOMEN

JANUARY 1, 2016 – PAKISTAN LINK – P31

training courses from the likes of Pivot Point Singapore, Toni & Guy USA, L'Oreal and Schwarzkopf Germany. Humaa has done six courses of hair care and make-up from Lebanon in the past in which she learnt latest techniques of cuts, colours and styles. For three years, she worked as a technical advisor of Schwarzkopf and also was a

hh... the New Year is just round the corner and surely many of us are planning to party - calling a group of close friends to come over or going out to celebrate the night. The truth is that we always want to glamorise our looks and of course we have to get all the info that we can regarding the beauty trends that will rule the New Year. Confused how to do your makeup and hair on New Year's Eve? Fret not girls, as You! talks to ace hair stylist and beautician Humaa Tahir of Humaa n Zara Salon who predicts what is going to be in vogue in terms of hair and makeup. All set to stand out and look beautiful? Read on to find out more about Humaa and the latest trends that you can rock in 2016... Humaa Tahir is a seasoned beautician who has been in the beauty industry for the past 20 years. She has worked with the best designers and the top most models in town. But her career didn't just start off from the top; it took her continuous years of hard work to make a name in the industry. After working with ace stylist Saima and few other beauticians she opened her own salon - 'Humaa n Zara' (in partnership) around six years back. Her experience as a make-up artist and hair stylist includes a rotary of professional

trained trainer for Sexy Hair for two years. Currently she is associated with CHI professional and provides her clients and trainees with professional consultancy that includes sessions of cut, colour, hair management and make-up. You! Tell us about the importance of refresher courses? Recently, where did you go for a refresher? Humaa Tahir: I believe that as a beautician one has to be updated with the latest trends and techniques in hair and make-up, so, it is extremely important to attend refresher courses every year. I go abroad at least twice a year. And recently, I was in Turkey for a cut and colour refresher course. You! What makeup trends will rule in 2016? H.T: The makeup in the year 2016 will be the 'no makeup look' very natural and subdued foundation/base with simple eyes using soft eye shadows like beiges, golds and silvers with lots of voluminous mascara. Eyeliners are absolutely out. Lip colours will also be subtle and soft - nudes and soft pinks will be

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very in. The overall makeup is subtle so of course the blush should also be in hues of pink. In short the '70s makeup look is back with a modern twist. You! Nail colours of 2016... H.T: Bright and bold nail colours like blackish maroons and dark green will be quite popular in 2016. You! What kind of cuts and colours will be in vogue in 2016? H.T: In Pakistan, medium and shoulder length hair with natural waves will be 'it' thing in 2016. Hair colours that will be in vogue in the year 2016 are medium chocolate brown with lots of hazel and caramel lowlights. You! Hair styles/ hairdos that will be in fashion in 2016? H.T: Up-dos will be completely out in 2016. All types of braids will be in like loose braids, fish tails, French tails, funky braids, messy braids etc. One hairstyle that is really popular internationally is the Samurai hair knot with straight ironed hair. Basically you take a small portion of hair and make it

into a half pony. And then keep all the hair straight. You! What is your favourite product that was launched in 2015? H.T: Tea Tree, Argan oil and Black Seed oil hair treatments by CHI brand are my personal favourites that have been launched in 2015. Let me make it clear that these are not oil treatments where we give you oil massage and shampoo it off. These are proper hair care range that includes shampoos and conditioners that will leave your hair shiny and smooth. You! According to you what makeup trend will be a big NO NO in 2016 that was popular in 2015? H.T: Dark eyes, dark lips, fake lashes were in vogue in 2015 but in 2016 this fusion look will be a big NO. You! What are your future endeavours or plans? H.T: Well, I am looking forward to working as a stylist for Miss Universe beauty pageant 2016 with CHI hair care products and tools. This is one project I am very excited about.

P32 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 1, 2016