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Friday, October 30, 2015
VOL. 25/44 - 16 Muharram 1437 H
Islamabad: The Supreme Court has
called on the country’s politicians to ensure that hundreds of people facing imprisonment and even execution under controversial blasphemy laws have not been falsely charged, often by enemies wanting to settle personal scores. On Tuesday, the Court issued a detailed judgment warning that in Islam a false accusation can be as serious as the blasphemy itself. The judgment came weeks after it upheld the death sentence for Mumtaz Qadri, a former bodyguard who gunned down a politician who had been calling for blasphemy law reform. Moderates hailed the Qadri ruling as a blow against religious extremism, and on Tuesday the Supreme Court appeared to take another step in that direction. Blasphemy is “abhorrent and immoral”, the judgment said, “but at the same time a false allegation regarding commission of such an offence is equally detestable besides being culpable.” “It is, therefore, for the State
BLASPHEMY, P28
SALAM Banquet Focuses on Building Bridges
Hashmi’s Meetings with Governor Stoke Speculations
Why Is Texas Teen Ahmed Moving to Qatar? Supreme Court Warns against False Blasphemy Accusations
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Victims at Risk of Death from Exposure
A young injured Pakistani earthquake survivor weeps at a hospital in quake-hit Shangla. Picture courtesy AFP
Shangla: Aid workers say that those
affected by the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that shook much of South Asia on Monday are at risk of death from exposure as temperatures fall to near-freezing levels and rain and snow cover remote parts of Afghani-
stan and Pakistan, cutting off access and communications. “We are extremely concerned for the safety and well-being of children, who are already the most at risk in any disaster and are now in danger of succumbing to the el-
ements as temperatures plummet,” Karin Hulshof, the regional director for UNICEF South Asia, said in a statement. Tents and blankets are desperately needed to ensure that many
EXPOSURE, P28
Consul General of Pakistan Recalled on Community Complaints
Los Angeles, CA: The Consul General of Pakistan in Los Angeles Hamid Asghar Khan has been recalled by the Government of Pakistan on the complaints of the community. Jabbar Memon, who is currently serving as the Director General Afghanistan in Islamabad, has been designated to replace Hamid Ashghar Khan at the Pakistan Consulate in Los Angeles. Government’s dissatisfaction with the Consul General in Los Angeles Hamid Asghar Khan, largely stemming from the community complaints against him, forced his premature replacement, according to insiders. He has served less than a year at this posting. The normal tenure for such postings is three years. A report published in Pakistan’s leading newspaper Dawn on October 14, 2015 noted that this is not the first time that Khan has been recalled from a foreign posting. This action by the Government of Pakistan comes after months of complaints by the Pakistani community in Los Angeles to Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jillani and senior political figures in Pakistan, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, and the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Pakistan Army’s top brass. Reports were filed by numerous individuals
Consul General Hamid Asghar Khan
against Khan that included allegations of sexual harassment, behavior unbecoming of a diplomat, misconduct, intoxication during work hours and at official events/parties, fund embezzlement, solicitation of bribes, inappropriate/illegal involvement in local politics and mismanagement of
Consulate affairs. According to a Pakistani newspaper Daily Times report published in its July 8, 2015 issue the women at the Consulate office in Los Angeles and the Pakistani American community alleged that Khan repeatedly propositioned them and made untoward sexual suggestions. It has also been reported that Khan’s male chauvinistic remarks and behavior towards women created a hostile work environment for them at the Consulate. Three young women were hired by Khan as interns none of whom is now working at the Consulate due to the poor work environment. It has been alleged that Khan demanded that the interns and the staff bring him alcohol and then consume it, while in the Pakistan Consulate office. He would then proceed to become violent and abusive towards his colleagues. It has been reported that he would scream and yell at the staff and belittle his subordinates in front of the whole Consulate staff regularly. Several reports have been filed about his rude behavior while intoxicated at various private and official parties, some of which were held at his residence in the posh and affluent Beverly Hills area, where alcohol was regularly served. One such report of Khan’s rude behavior CG, P18
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www.PakistanLink.com US to Sell New F-16 Jets to Bolster Partnership Washington, DC: The US admin-
istration is preparing to sell eight new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan to bolster a tenuous partnership, The New York Times newspaper quoted senior American officials as saying. The decision came ahead of President Barack Obama’s meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which was dominated by the president’s decision to extend the American troop presence in Afghanistan, the paper reported. Congress was notified just days ago about the proposed sale of the additional fighters. The new aircraft would add to Pakistan’s force of fighter jets — it has more than 70 F-16s and dozens of French and Chinese attack aircraft. But perhaps of equal importance to supporters and critics alike is the symbolic value of the sale to an ally. Earlier in April, the US State Department approved Pakistan’s request for a billion dollars worth of military hardware and equipment, identifying Pakistan as a country of vital importance for US foreign policy and national interests.
Kashmiris Demand UN-Pledged Right of Self-Determination New York: A huge peace march took
place in New York on October 26 in which thousands of friends of Kashmir participated. The march was jointly sponsored by all groups who believe in the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir. The most inspiring March began at the Indian Mission to the UN on 43rd Street and led up 3rd Avenue to 47th, terminating in front of the United Nations. The cooperation of NY state and city police was exemplary and there were no incidents kto mar the event. Hundreds also participated in London, Brussels, Islamabad and Muzaffarabad with their own marches. In Srinagar, Kashmir, however, the leadership was put under house arrest and prevented from going to the office of the UN to present a memorandum. Although there were several organizations involved in organizing the ‘Million-March’ in New York, none wished to take credit. Obviously the KASHMIRIS, P18
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P2 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
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OPINION
P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
American Campus & Mideast Turmoil
Pakistan Link President
Arif Zaffar Mansuri
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n By Mowahid Hussain Shah
T
he global impact of the spiraling Middle East turmoil is once again subject of an intense spotlight. To address this and scare-mongering about Muslims dominating the 2016 US Presidential race, I was asked to address a forum at the American University in the capital city of Washington, DC. It turned out to be a robust 90-minute interaction touching a broad range of issues.
American University campus was the site of a game-changing event in US politics, when on January 28, 2008, Senator Edward Kennedy, at the behest of his niece, Caroline Kennedy (daughter of the slain President John Kennedy), endorsed Barack Obama for the Democrat Presidential nomination. It is easier to deal with foreign devils, but what about the devil inside? Since 2001, in the US, over 150,000 people have been killed by gun violence compared to 3046 killed by terrorist attack. The lopsided focus on atrocities in the Middle East sometimes serves to camouflage the carnage at home. Washington is cluttered with think-tanks, many of them financially well-endowed. But there is little evidence of them doing critical thinking and providing alternative approaches to the official line. When it mattered, they tanked. It seems they are too beholden to donors who control the purse strings and who, understandably, want their 2 cents worth. On the buildup to the attack on Iraq in 2003, they too joined the jackals. Having learned nothing from the Iraqi misadventure – whose offshoot was ISIS – the same group of people were beating the war drums about Iran. During discussion, it struck
n By Riaz Haq
F
CA
ourteen-year-old American Muslim kid Ahmed Mohamed is moving to Qatar with his family. His attempt to impress his teacher with a homemade clock put him in jail in handcuffs when his teacher at his school in Irving, Texas, thought it was a bomb and called the police. The story made headlines in Western and international media and brought widespread condemnation of the anti-Muslim bigotry in his hometown. There was also an outpouring of support for him from Silicon Valley tech titans who invited Ahmed to their campuses. President Obama tweeted his support for Ahmed and invited him to the White House. The Dallas Morning News has reported that top schools from across the United States had tried to woo Mohamed, but it was the Qatari offer “that most intrigued the family.” The newspaper reported that Mohamed will study at the Doha Academy while his siblings find schools in Doha, the Qatari capital. The news has intrigued me as well. I have friends and relatives
many when reference was made to Israel’s hefty nuclear arsenal, which is often exempt from Washingtonian scrutiny, leaving thereby a one-sided misperception of matters pertaining to nuclear non-proliferation.
tempts to deep-six it. Equally mishandled has been Kashmir. It is not going to go away. Embracing Modi now after excluding him from America for 10 years is a stark discrepancy, which sends a
When President Ayub Khan arrived in America in July 1961, he was personally received at Andrews Air Force Base by President Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy. Even today, in Washington’s social circles, the benchmark of a grand reception remains that given to Ayub by Kennedy at Mount Vernon, the home of the first US President, George Washington Exactly 42 years ago, in October 1973, an intensely-contested ArabIsraeli War flared up. Now, it was posed: are things any better? The Palestinian problem remains as is, as a volcanic flashpoint despite futile at-
message of expedience. Over 50 years ago, US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and her sister, Lee Radziwill, could openly traipse across Pakistan. When President Ayub Khan arrived in America in
Why Is Texas Teen Ahmed Moving to Qatar?
from Pakistan who have been living and working in Qatar and other oilrich Arab nations for several years. Although they are well educated and probably financially better off than they would be in Pakistan, they resent the fact that they are paid less than their white colleagues doing same or similar work. In the event that they lose their jobs, they would have to pack up and leave Qatar at very short notice. Even their Qatariborn children have no rights there; they would have to leave with them. If Ahmed and his family think they are escaping racism in America, they will find much more of it in
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their new home in Qatar, with no bill of rights or civil rights groups or independent courts to protect them. There are several questions that I suggest Ahmed’s father to ponder as he prepares to move to Qatar along with Ahmed and the rest of the family: 1. When was the last time Qatar’s Emir spoke out against wrongs done to the children of foreign-born residents of his country as the President of the United States did for Ahmad? 2. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) spoke out for Ahmed when he was subjected to abuse in Texas. Are there any civil rights organizations like CAIR in Qatar? 3. What chance does Ahmed have of realizing his full potential in Qatar as Pakistan-born Shahid Khan, India-born Vinod Khosla and many immigrants or children of immigrants have in the United States? Even if Ahmed’s father persists in his folly, he can have some comfort in the fact that the United States will still go to bat for him and his family because they carry US passports. And they can return to the United States as American citizens when Qatar decides to expel them.
July 1961, he was personally received at Andrews Air Force Base by President Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy. Even today, in Washington’s social circles, the benchmark of a grand reception remains that given to Ayub by Kennedy at Mount Vernon, the home of the first US President, George Washington. It was posited that, while the young frequently carp at the status quo, it is their own docility and slumber, often mired in sameness, which, in effect, upholds harmful policies and which puts the inattentive youth in the firing line, as evidenced in Iraq and Afghanistan. Similar to it has been underachievement of the US Muslim community, which has to date yet to make its mark on the American national scene, thereby making them easy targets. That can change but only if hope is followed up with direct action.
Playing Cricket with India
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
W
hile the “To hell with them” (bhaR mein jaen) is the unanimous cry of every patriotic Pakistani, one fails to understand as to why the Chairman PCB Sheryar Khan and the Chief of the PCB Executive Committee Najam Sethi are not only so cowed in condemning the ICB explicitly but are still hoping against hope of playing cricket with India at some later time. To pay the Indians in the same
CRICKET, P24
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OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P5
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OPINION
P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015 n By Azher Quader Community Builders Council Chicago, IL
T
hey are just five ordinary days in any calendar year. But as I witnessed and experienced it first-hand this year, there is a magic and a mystery in those five days of Hajj, when two million men and women from all over the globe descend upon camp Mena, at the outskirts of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.
They are there to submit themselves to the commands of their faith, as related to them in the verses of the Qur’an and the example of their beloved Prophet (PBUH). Their act of submission is so complete, their obedience to the rituals so meticulous, their adherence to every act clothed in such unquestioned acceptance, it almost touches the margins of fanaticism. No one asks any reasons or rationale. None doubts the source. None argues their legitimacy. It is a sight indeed to behold. Perhaps none to compare with in the modern world. A massive sea of humanity, moving from one station of Hajj to another, reciting praises to the Divine, reconfirming over and over again their belief in His unity and in His uniqueness, acknowledging His power and His authority. There is a certain awesomeness in the air all through, which is at once mystical and moving. There is a certain meditative peace and quiet in the midst of bustling activity and movement.
Five Days to Submission Throughout our lives our daily routines are directed by reason. We weigh every act in the balance of benefits and consequences. Every activity however casual or insignificant has to meet the demands of meaning and purpose. We are however by nature creatures of doubt often inspired by the arrogance of our imperfect wisdom. All of that changes in Hajj though, as we let go our doubts to become submissive to His will and his Messenger’s ways. Allah commanded and the Prophet (PBUH) showed us the way to submit. It was to be seven times not eight or nine or ten. There are to be no shoes, no shirts, no scented soaps. A day in Arafat praying under a hot sun, a night in Muzdalifa sleeping under a starry sky, a piece of towel wrapped around the middle and another thrown over the shoulder, pelting stones at granite walls for three days, there is no room for questions, only submission. Hajj is all about submission. They say Hajj awakens our sense of unity too. That may however be a tall order. One obviously sees diversity. Muslims of so many colors and shapes coming together from different regions of the world, is clearly an amazing sight to see. But unity requires dialogue and time. Neither is available in Hajj. We see them but we cannot hear them. Without language to communicate, real unity remains a distant goal and an out of reach reality. So here is the intriguing part of Hajj that begs reflection and even some questions. If two million plus Muslims
every year can find the ability to submit to His will and His chosen Prophet’s ways during Hajj, why can’t we remain submissive to so many of His other commandments once we return from Hajj? For starters, the practice of patience, the control of anger, the pursuit of simplicity, the refrain from indulgence, the show of compassion. Never mind the bigger challenges of living lives of integrity, standing up for social justice, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, serving the underserved, providing education that is free, eliminating the many injustices that plague our societies. Why is it that we are fully submissive in Hajj when we are dealing with mechanical practices but fail to be submissive beyond Hajj when the practices are less mechanical and more transformational of our lives and our societies? So many of us go to Hajj with the comforting notion
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of getting our sins ‘washed away’ by a mechanical undertaking. If that argument holds water (pardon the pun), there has to be an effort to remain clean following such a sin eliminating bath, right? For that too we need submission to the Divine will and the Prophetic way. Without that we are in a never ending cycle of going to Hajj repeatedly to wash away our sins, which clearly is not the command of the Qur’an. Sadly so many of our fellow Muslims look upon Hajj as a ‘Laundromat’, where they can go every year to get their sins washed away. I met people in Hajj who were doing it for the 15th and 16th time and happily counting! We are often reminded that Hajj rituals are reflective of the events in the life of Prophet Abraham (PBUH). That the sacrifice of animals we perform is symbolic of the sacrifice he was willing to make
of his son when God intervened. Here too we are so often quick to offer our submission to the mechanical practice of slaughtering animals and resist to make the real sacrifices when it comes to giving up the things we have come to love so dearly in our self-indulgent lives. Need we mention the many idols we worship, our wealth, our possessions, our comforts our tribal allegiances, our oversized national pride. Why again the disconnect between the mechanical and the meaningful? Submission to the mechanical without submission to the meaningful mocks the sincerity of the faith we claim to practice. Just glance beyond this pillar of our faith and examine the other pillars we practice in the name of religion, and it may not be that difficult for us to see why our submission is so inadequate, our outcomes so obvious. Every day millions of us delight in the pursuit of the mechanical hoping to find salvation the easy way. Tamadan, Tasawwuf, Shariat, Kalam Butan-E-Ajam Ke Poojari Tamam! In culture, mysticism, canon law and dialectical theology— He (the Muslim) worships idols of non-Arab make. Bujhi Ishq Ki Aag, Andhair Hai Musalman Nahin, Raakh Ka Dhair Hai Gone out is the fire of love. Now there is just darkness! The Muslim is a heap of ashes, nothing more. Iqbal Yet when we are face to face with the Kaabain Hajj, it is impossible not to see in our imagination, those who prayed around it some fourteen hundred years ago and submitted their lives to His will. For them submission was not a mechanical SUBMISSION, P24
OPINION n By Dr Mohammad Taqi
T
Florida
he Prime Minister (PM), Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, has arrived in Washington, DC on his second official visit in as many years. Halfway through his third term in office, an incumbent may exhibit a level of confidence if not outright swagger but it was a bit distressing to see the PM fumble with a question asked of him at a short press briefing during his London sojourn on his way to Washington.
The PM was asked, in Urdu, by a journalist whether he “anticipated a breakthrough in the strategic relations between the US and Pakistan”. The PM went on to explain, “The strategic (nuclear) weapons have a deterrence value and are Pakistan’s requirement over which there cannot be a compromise.” Perhaps the PM misunderstood the question but, more disconcertingly, he appeared defensive about the nuclear weapons and national security issues. It was painful to see a duly elected PM taking pains to point out that he has already issued statements that he will protect the national interest (during his US visit). A third-term elected leader having to explain himself in this manner speaks volumes about the pressure brought to bear on him through the jingoistic media forcing civilians to play on the ‘patriotism’ pitch, which only the security establishment gets to define. Why would an elected PM talk anything but
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7
Mr Sharif Goes to Washington national security on a foreign visit? Does it even require reiteration by the PM that he would uphold the national interest? In the Pakistani context it surely does. The late and much lamented Benazir Bhutto was painted as a ‘security risk’ during her lifetime, especially before the 1988 elections, and apparently that has never ended since. That PM Nawaz Sharif ’s Washington visit is being bookended by the Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Chief of Army Staff ’s (COAS’) visits to the US, before and after the PM’s tour, respectively, indicates that he is expected not to veer from the line drawn by the brass and the visit is all about security issues. The irony is not that the military establishment is jostling its way back to a nearly complete hold over state affairs but that the intelligentsia, including quasi-liberal analysts, is also piling on the civilians. Sections of the PPP, for example the then ambassador the US, Professor Husain Haqqani, had tried with some success to set the agenda for Pakistan-US relations much to the chagrin of the security establishment. The PPP, laboring under the weight of its real and perceived poor governance, could not see it through but PM Sharif ’s stint has been largely free of such charges and yet he has become a lame duck as far as national security issues go. It is often said that PM Nawaz Sharif reached out to his Indian counterpart overriding the security establishment’s advice/ objection and when the Indian side did not reciprocate the brass was
irked. Conveniently forgotten is the fact that the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi invited the Kashmiri separatist leaders without the explicit approval of the PM. Who came up with that guaranteed way of scuttling the process that PM Sharif had initiated is not known but eventually he was the one left holding the bag while the security establishment came out smelling like roses. The fact remains that dismissing General Pervez Musharraf in 1999 cost PM Nawaz Sharif both his government and power while prosecuting the former dictator this time has cost him just the power. The net effect is that in Washington PM Sharif will be sticking to the talking points of the brass’ choosing: a) the US should support a political role — read a seat in the Kabul government — for the Afghan Taliban as Pakistan is doing its best to bring them to the nego-
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tiation table; b) the US should help ‘defreeze’ the Kashmir issue with India; c) a US-Pak civil nuclear deal without any caps or curtailment of tactical nuclear weaponry, and d) if he is lucky, the Pakistani PM may be able to sneak in an economic agenda item such as assistance with his country’s crippling energy crisis. The overarching theme of the visit will remain security and not economic development, which was the buzzword when PM Nawaz Sharif came to Washington two years ago. During the announcement last week that he is halting US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Barack Obama already said that he would talk to PM Sharif about Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan and separately mentioned jihadist safe havens also. Mr Obama must, however, state the specifics of what exactly he wants Pakistan to do. Days before PM Sharif ’s depar-
ture for the US, the Taliban, as if on cue, expressed willingness to talk to all sides! Getting the Taliban to talk is not the problem; their ongoing terrorism in Afghanistan and consistent sanctuary in Pakistan is. Mr Obama’s focus should be on getting Pakistan to eliminate the safe havens located well within its borders, as widely reported by the US press. Afghans should be responsible for fighting the Taliban in places like Kunduz and this is not Pakistan’s business. Talking to the Taliban is the Afghan government’s prerogative and the US should desist pushing Kabul to do so on Pakistan’s whims. The US expectation from Pakistan should be that it shuts down the Taliban shop in Quetta and its Kuchlak outskirt, which, according to The New York Times, is still flourishing. Whether the Afghans fight those Taliban or crown them is not for Islamabad to decide. The US’s nuclear concessions to Pakistan in return for the purported support to ‘solve’ the Afghan imbroglio should absolutely not be on the table unless the jihadist sanctuaries have been verifiably dismantled. A thaw over the Kashmir issue under US auspices seems absolutely unlikely, especially given the street mood turning absolutely nasty in India. And while there will be discussion over nuclear arsenal safeguards and numbers, including tactical nukes, it would be a shocker if even a joint statement, let alone an actual deal, came out of PM Sharif ’s current visit. While Pakistan presents its nuclear armaments as “weapons for peace”, the surge and deployment of tactical nukes is simply a bridge to nuclear NAWAZ, P24
OPINION
P8 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
A
Beyond Debate: Becoming Respected Political Players
few weeks back we saw the first debate for Democratic Presidential candidates. The GOP has already had two highly-publicized debates, and the differences between the Democratic and GOP debates was stark.
The American Muslim community is overwhelmingly Democratic. This was not always the case. American Muslims voted Republican overwhelmingly 15 years ago. Forty-two percent voted for President Bush in 2000. Just four years later, Muslims overwhelmingly voted for Kerry, with 76 percent supporting him. The main questions to be asked are why is this the case, and what can American Muslims do to be a force in both parties? While some of this shift can be attributed to policy, much of it can be placed on rhetoric. Some Republicans have gone out of their way to marginalize American Muslims in order to secure votes from a very specific small group of ultra-conservative voters. For example, while President Obama has made very clear that saying “Islamic terror” is not only inaccurate and gives terrorists legitimacy, Republicans have doubled down and claimed that it is accurately identifying the problem, not realizing they are alienating an entire group based on their faith. However, to be catered to
‘He Named Me Malala’
This Is Not Cricket
n By Saira Bhatti
n By Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
I
Washington Metro Area, USA
had the opportunity to view the documentary ‘He Named Me Malala’ directed by Davis Guggenheim and spotlighting education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai’s journey. It was fascinating to see the intimate and informal moments of the young, intelligent, and inspirational leader from Swat.
by any political group, we must be a part of that constituency. American Muslims must make themselves a significant voting or financial bloc for candidates to consider them real players in the political arena. And we must be involved with both parties- Republicans and Democrats. Not only does this mean holding fundraisers, but also volunteering for campaigns and holding leadership positions in party institutions. Even the general acceptance American Muslims get from the Democratic party is one that is due to their own philosophy of inclusion as opposed to any significant respect for the Muslim community’s political might. To have
more of a say, we must do more than just rely on the goodwill of people, but instead finance, contribute our expertise to, and work for political institutions. The debates highlight that our lot with the two political parties is a mixed bag. While there is cause for concern, we should also be optimistic, for other minorities have had the same issues we have. While investing in building mosques, we must not ignore investing in our political parties, communities, and institutions. We must remain involved and active on the issues that impact us and our communities; to that end, we cannot be politically passive. -MPAC
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T
Lahore, Pakistan
he Shiv Sena attack on the BCCI headquarters at Mumbai was a pre-planned scheme of the RAW-controlled BJP government. This is convincingly proved by the pictures of the BCCI chief, sitting casually and talking confidently with the attackers as if they were his guests. The body language of the BCCI president, Mr Malala shows beauty in many Shashank Manohar, said it all.
ways - from her innocence to her humility and maturity. However, a disappointing feature of the documentary for me were the interviews of Pakistanis who had a negative opinion of her with one person claiming that she was “just a character,” that she did not mean anything. Now while not everyone in Pakistan shares this view, such opinions are aired when an individual brings awareness about an issue and people turn against him/her for revealing negative things about the country. When her autobiography came out, Therik-e-Insaaf had the book’s launch banned in Peshawar. Some private schools also banned it. What such accusations and disapproval reveal is a regressive paranoia amongst educated individuals which is holding the nation back. Just because Malala is talking about inconvenient truths in Pakistan does not mean she cannot be the nation’s hero. One only does such things for the love and betterment of the country.
The whole drama was enacted to put the PCB chairman under pressure and to force him to accept whatever offer they (RAW, BJP and BCCI) were going to make to show that the BCCI was going out of the way to favor the PCB in spite of severe pressures from the Hindu fanatics. The BCCI realizes the consequences of India’s refusal to play with Pakistan in the UAE: 1. There is a chance that BCB may agree to visit Pakistan, after their Australian tour setback and the treatment meted out to the BCB by the big three, where India didn’t support them at all and Pakistan fully supported their cause. 2. If Pakistan, as a retaliation, refuses to play the T20 match vs India in the coming World Cup, it will result in huge financial loss as well as loss of face. As such, the Indians want to give the PCB chairman a lollipop by way BCCI, P24
OPINION
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9
9 Ways Muslims Can Fight Violence in Their Homes and Communities n By Samana Siddiqui
E
very 15 seconds, a woman is abused in her home in the United States. Of the nearly four million victims of domestic violence in the US, 97 percent are female.
Youth violence is also widespread. It is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. According to the US Justice Department, this month one out of every four kids will be abused by another youth. These are just some examples of violence in our homes and our communities. They reflect a disturbing trend fueled by violence in video games, movies, television shows, family attitudes about acceptable methods of conflict resolution, and the longstanding tolerance of behaviors like bullying. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. But domestic violence is only one example of the wider problem of violence in general. It cannot be tackled in isolation. And it requires an approach that involves our families and communities in a systematic, hands-on manner. Here are nine ways Muslim families and communities can start doing their part: 1. Make your home a zero-violence zone Whether it’s siblings slapping each other during a fight, one spouse warning the other to keep quiet about something in public by pinching that bruises, or visiting relatives encouraging you to “toughen up” your sons through a couple of fist fight sessions, tolerate none of it. Start making your goal of a violence-free home a reality by: a. Calling a family meeting and making it clear that these types of violence will no longer be tolerated. Emphasize that as a family you would like to emulate the example of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in having a violence-free family life. This is why you need to all work together to root it out. Also in this meeting, share a few of the things Allah and the Prophet advised about anger with everyone. Anger is the first stage of moving toward violence if it is not controlled. Emphasize the following Islamic teachings: -“Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; for God loves those who do good” (Qur’an 3:134). -”The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger” (Bukhari). -A man said to the Prophet, “Advise me!” The Prophet said, “Do not become angry and furious.” The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, “Do not become angry and furious” (Bukhari). Also discuss the Prophet’s practical advice on how to control anger. These include making Wudu when angry; saying “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan”, and changing one’s position (e.g. sitting if standing, lying down if sitting). In addition, discuss how the Prophet never hit a woman or child, that he did not relentlessly scold his family, and that he was tolerant, loving, and kind. That is the model of Muslim family life you are hoping to achieve. b. Institute painful punishments
for violent behavior. These can include the suspension of a favorite extra-curricular activity should the violence continue, canceling upcoming outing(s) with friends, or taking away a favorite toy, personal item (iPod, iPad, or text messaging option on a cellphone), or privilege (e.g. having the car on the weekends). Be rigorous about implementing these consequences. c. Consider enrolling yourself and your family in anger management classes. Check with your city or suburb’s main office. If you find this embarrassing, consider enrolling in an online one. Here is one example: Others can be found by Googling “online anger management class”. Parents should consider attending a Scream-Free Parenting workshop. d. Reward anger-free and violence-free responses to stress-inducing situations: for example, if your thirdgrader walks away from his younger brother who’s in the mood for some hitting, notice it, praise him in front of others, and reward him. For teens, privately congratulate them. Public praise can have the opposite effect in their case. e. Develop a code word for anger so that if you see a family member about to blow their stack, you can remind them it’s time to put Prophetic anger management advice in practice. For instance, you can say “La Taghdab” (which is the Arabic for “do not become angry”, which the Prophet advised the man in the above-mentioned Hadith). Or simply repeat out loud “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan” several times. e. Promise a big reward for the entire family if the goal of violencefree family life is achieved. This can range from a trip to a favorite place, a new car, or anything you previously could not do together due to the negative family atmosphere caused by anger and violence in the home. f. Identify stressful situations and do something about them. If, for example, mornings are a scream fest because of missing clothes, backpacks, money, or lunches, start planning ahead the night before. Set out all clothes, make lunches, and prepare schoolbags. These may seem like small things but in the heat of the moment, they can defuse tremendous stress and anger. For bigger stressors, like job loss or the serious illness of a loved one, consider finding a good Muslim counselor to talk to. Also, turn to Allah through patience, along with frequent prayers and supplications, as well as increased good deeds, to help you handle the stress these situations bring
into our lives. 2. Forswear violent media This runs the gamut from movies to video games, books, television shows, and even sports watching. The American Psychiatric Association notes that for the last three decades, the one predominant finding in research on the mass media is that exposure to media portrayals of violence increases aggressive behavior in children. So while it’s hard even for some parents to skip watching portrayals of violence, however “minor”, it has to be avoided. You can start by not watching these programs at all in front of the kids and limiting it to only when you are alone or with your spouse. Then slowly, try to find alternatives. 3. Look for violence-free outlets
Most tweens and teens are looking for a sense of belonging, and when they don’t find that within their families, look elsewhere. Sometimes, that can mean violent gangs or banding with friends to engage in bullying. Other times, it means turning that loneliness into hours of playing violent video games For every form of violent media you enjoy, try your best to find an alternative. Instead of video games, consider doing more hands-on things with your family and friends. For example, you could take up a sport together or shoot some hoops outside the house after school. You can of course also replace the violent games with nonviolent ones. 4. Talk to your Imam and community leaders Encourage them to discuss family violence in their Khutbas, sermons, and, classes. These need to not only emphasize that violence in the home is antithetical to Islam, but they must also share practical ways the Prophet was the ultimate family man. Examples include how he helped with household
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chores, overlooked the faults of his wives and children, advised them in a kind and gentle manner, etc. In particular, stress the lessons found in Surah Al-Hujarat (49) in the Qur’an, with the warning to avoid name-calling, sarcasm, and backbiting. While these are not physical violence in and of themselves, they often lead to it and are the first step of bullying. Also discuss Islamic anger management techniques the Prophet advised us to use. 5. Join anti-bullying initiatives in your city, state, or your child’s school Google “parents against bullying” and you’ll find a number of organizations working on this cause. Join one you feel comfortable with or start one of your own. Banding with other parents to fight violence in our schools is a concrete way of getting involved to root out this scourge from the younger generation. 6. Make sure your community’s full-time and weekend Islamic schools have an anti-bullying policy Many schools across the United States have implemented anti-violence programs across the country, especially since the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 http:// www.npr.org/templates/story/story. php?storyId=103274911. Muslim schools should do the same. This policy needs to be put on paper and implemented. It also has to be made clear to parents in a letter sent home, with the consequences of violence and bullying clearly spelled out. As well, perpetrators need to be advised, then, after a warning, punished. This needs to be done regardless of how much money the parents of a bully have given to the Masjid or Islamic school or how much influence they may have in the community. 7. Join the Parents’ Television Council This is the go-to organization for dealing with all kinds of inappropriate media content, violent or not. If you don’t feel comfortable becoming a member, then participate in one of their projects like their Violent Video Game Campaign. 8. Engage Muslim youth at your Masjid or Islamic center with a youth group or sports club Establishing well-organized Muslim youth groups that meet consistently and engage in healthy fun and learning are key to countering violence. Most tweens and teens are looking for a sense of belonging, and when they don’t find that within their families, look elsewhere. Sometimes, that can mean violent gangs or banding with friends to engage in bullying. Other times, it means turning that loneliness into hours of playing violent
video games. If your Masjid or Islamic center does not already have one, start it up. Even if it begins with only three or four people, keep it consistent by meeting regularly. Slowly, insha Allah, the momentum will build if you meet regularly and don’t give up. Alternatively, if a youth group seems too daunting, start a sports club. This group would get together to play an agreed upon sport at least twice a month, followed by prayer and a short talk. This has been tried out in various Muslim communities and is a good way of helping young people gain a sense of brother- and sisterhood, along with nuggets of Islamic knowledge. 9. Be aware of cyber bullying This is a new trend among techsavvy young people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine to 35 percent of young people in the US say they have been victims of electronic aggression. Cyber bullying involves making threats and sending insults online through text messaging, email, Facebook, and other online venues. This needs to be discussed and incorporated in any discussion on bullying with tweens and teens. - Sound Vision ZONE FROM P11
their foci than is the case with similar magnitude shallow-focus earthquakes, but large intermediate-depth earthquakes may be felt at great distance from their epicenters. Pakistan is located in the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone, which is roughly 200 km north of the Himalaya Front and is defined by an exposed ophiolite chain along its southern margin. This region has the highest rates of seismicity and largest earthquakes in the Himalaya region, caused mainly by movement on thrust faults. Examples of significant earthquakes, in this densely populated region, caused by reverse slip movement include an 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Bihar, the 1905 7.5 magnitude Kangra and the 2005 7.6 magnitude Kashmir earthquakes. The latter two resulted in the highest death tolls for Himalaya earthquakes seen to date, together killing over 100,000 people and leaving millions homeless. The largest instrumentally recorded Himalaya earthquake occurred on Aug 15, 1950, in Assam, eastern India. This 8.6 magnitude right-lateral, strikeslip, earthquake was widely felt over a broad area of central Asia, causing extensive damage to villages in the epicentral region. Along the western margin of the Tibetan Plateau, in the vicinity of south-eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, the South Asian plate translates obliquely relative to the Eurasia plate, resulting in a complex fold-andthrust belt known as the Sulaiman Range. Faulting in this region includes strike-slip, reverse-slip and oblique-slip motion and often results in shallow, destructive earthquakes. The May 30,1935, 7.6 magnitude Quetta earthquake, which occurred in the Sulaiman Range in Pakistan, killed between 30,000 and 60,000 people.
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OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P11
Earthquake Toll Exceeds 248, Relief Efforts Continue
60 Seconds of Horror: ‘We Thought the Earth Would Split Open’
Concrete houses are reduced to rubble as the quakes measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale rocks the northern parts of Pakistan
Hundreds of people reached hospitals to donate blood & help in any way they could
Kabul/Islamabad/Peshawar: In Pakistan, at least 248 people are confirmed dead in the aftermath of a massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake which hit northern Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) says at least 1,665 were injured across Pakistan. Rescuers on Tuesday rushed to deliver relief aid to victims of the quake, which killed at least 311 people in the Pak-Afghan region over a wide swath of mountainous terrain. “Many houses and buildings have collapsed in the city,” said Arbab Muhammad Asim, district mayor for the northwestern city of Peshawar. Many people were trapped under piles of rubble, with officials warning that the toll was set to rise. “The building was swinging like a pendulum, it felt as if the heavens would fall,” Peshawar shop owner Tufail Ahmed told AFP. Thousands spent the night outdoors in near-freezing temperatures reluctant to go back inside for fear of aftershocks, Pakistani media reported. Pakistan Army continued relief efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Tuesday. Army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa said on Twitter two army helicopters each were flying in KP and GB for rescue services. Frontier Works Organization
Peshawar: “I felt the earth heave
(FWO) personnel, he said, cleared 27 of the 45 landslides that blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH). A C-130 aircraft was on its way to Chitral with seven tons of ration, 2,500 ready-to-eat meals, medical teams, 1000 tents and blankets to be distributed in remote areas, the spokesman said. Twenty tons ration, 10,000 ready-to-eat meals, 1,000 tents and 500 blankets had been dispatched by road for KP’s Dir region while a ration distribution point and relief camp was also established, Bajwa said. “Rescue work is ongoing, and tents, blankets and sleeping mats are being provided,” Latifur Rehman, a Pakistani disaster management official, told Reuters from Peshawar. Pakistan’s military and civilian authorities dispatched several helicopters to the affected areas to assess the damage and run rescue operations, the NDMA said. A team of Rescue 1122 Sialkot comprising 20 rescuers and wardens left to participate in the relief operation in quake-affected areas of KP. Eyewitnesses near Lower Dir’s Khal area earlier Monday said rescue and relief teams have yet to reach their area. One Syed Shah says, “No rescue teams have reached here yet. There is no power, no water and no roads are open.” His account is echoed by Irshadullah who says, “Our houses are not capable of living in. We spent the whole night under the open sky
because we were afraid of the aftershocks. Everything we own is buried under the debris of our house.” Shah says his house, too, has been completely destroyed. “All our possessions and our money is buried under it,” he says. “We sent our children to relatives living 5km away. We are very scared.” At least 95 people, including women and children, were injured, with many admitted to District Headquarters Hospital Timergara. At least 12 houses have been destroyed in a village near Khal, where over 50 per cent of houses have been damaged by the quake. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the highest number of confirmed deaths in the province is 38 in Shangla, while the highest number of injuries has been confirmed as 248 in Lower Dir. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said he would personally oversee the rescue efforts. “We will try our best to deal with this disaster using our own resources,” he said. The toll is expected to rise as search teams reach remote areas that are cut off by the powerful 7.5 magnitude quake, which triggered landslides and stampedes as it toppled buildings and severed communication lines. Landslides in Pakistan’s northern areas over the weekend caused by heavy rain and snow had already left thousands of tourists stranded.
Pakistan in the Most Active Quake Zone, Says US Geological Survey
Washington, DC: A reverse fault-
ing at immediate depths about 210 km below the Hindukush Range in north-eastern Afghanistan caused Monday’s earthquake in the PakAfghan region, according to the US Geological Survey. In a report on the earthquake and its causes, the USGS said the rupture occurred on either a nearvertical reverse fault or a shallowly dipping thrust fault. At the latitude of the earthquake, the Subcontinent moves northward and collides with Eurasia at a velocity of about 37 millimeters per year. Active faults and their resultant earthquakes in northern Pakistan and adjacent parts of India and Afghanistan are the direct result of convergence between the South Asian and Eurasia plates.
This collision causes an uplift that produces the highest mountain peaks in the world like the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Pamir and the Hindukush ranges. Earthquakes such as this event, with focal depths between 70 and 300 km, are commonly termed “intermediate-depth” earthquakes.
Intermediate-depth earthquakes represent deformation within subducted lithosphere rather than at the shallow plate interfaces between sub-ducting and overriding tectonic plates. They typically cause less damage on the ground surface above ZONE, P9
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beneath my feet, it was the most powerful earthquake I have ever felt,” said Hajra Bibi, an aged woman from Charbagh, dazed and shaken from the experience. Hajra Bibi was injured in the earthquake, and was admitted in a hospital along with her two children, who were also injured. A man was seen grieving the loss of his two children in the earthquake. -Photo provided by author Terror stricken residents panicked as the earth shook, and ran out of their homes screaming in fear when the earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck the scenic Swat valley. The earthquake has claimed the lives of over 248 and injured hundreds more, with casualties expected to rise as remote areas are reached by rescue and relief teams. The government has declared an emergency in all government and private hospitals of the region. According to reports, 80 per cent of houses in Shangla have been destroyed. Residents of Pakistan’s northern areas, still have horrifying memories from the massive earthquake that devastated the region in
2005. “We thought that the earth would split open again, like it did 10 years ago,” said Zainab Bibi, a resident of Amankot. Zainab added that the air too was filled with an ear shattering sound. Bakht Rawan, a resident of Parrarai, rushed an injured neighbour to the hospital, said that all the villagers ran to the riverbank and many houses in his village were destroyed. Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital (STH), which is the largest in Malakand division was short of beds to treat the injured, who were lying on the ground awaiting treatment. Hundreds of people have reached the hospital to donate blood and help in any way they can, while lawmakers and officials from provincial administration are trying to ensure that all help is provided to the affectees. “I came to the hospital to assist, and sent all the Assistant Commissioners to sub-divisional hospitals to do the same,” said Deputy Commissioner of Saidu Sharif, Mehmood Aslam Wazir. Army troops have also reached Malakand division, and have initiated rescue and relief efforts.
UN Leads World Response to Help Quake-Hit Regions Islamabad: The United Nations on
Monday led the international response to the massive Badakhshan earthquake by offering help in providing relief to the victims of the massive earthquake in Pakistan. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Pakistan in a media statement said: “The United Nations and its humanitarian partners stand ready to support the government’s ongoing relief effort for the people affected by the earthquake and mobilize any support, if requested.” It further said that as a contingency measure, the UN agencies were mobilizing emergency stocks. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Islamabad said: “The United States stands with the nation and people of Pakistan and we are in touch with the National Disaster Management Authority and we are ready to provide assistance if requested.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke to Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif, also offered to help. “Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone’s safety,” Modi tweeted. “We stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said in another tweet. The government, which is still unclear about the extent of the damage, has so far not decided about the offers.
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PAKISTAN
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
A Big Chill Sweeps across the Country
“This is the heaviest pre-winter rainfall in Pakistan’s history and has affected more than 80 per cent of the country,” said Dr Muhammad Hanif, spokesperson for the Pakistan Meteorological Department
Islamabad/Lahore: Pakistan wit-
nessed some of the heaviest pre-winter rains in recent memory over the weekend, leading to a marked drop in temperature in various parts of the country. On Sunday morning, heavy precipitation — including rain and snow — also triggered landslides in the northern areas. “This is the heaviest pre-winter rainfall in Pakistan’s history and has affected more than 80 per cent of the country,” said Dr Muhammad Hanif, spokesperson for the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). “This signifies that winter, which could be harsher and more prolonged this year, has arrived.” Hilly areas in the country’s north saw heavy snowfall, with an average of two feet of snow falling in Naran, which went up to around four feet in some areas. The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad received the highest amount of rainfall in the country, 81mm and 135mm, respectively, with Saidpur receiving 137mm, Zero Point 127, Golra 107, Bokra 94, Shamsabad 131and Chaklala 102mm. Rain brought the maximum temperature in the capital down from 28 degrees on Saturday to a chilly 16 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Lahore also received light rain in the early hours of Sunday, intro-
ducing a chill in the air and forcing people to wear warm clothes. The maximum temperature in the city was 24 degrees. 19 degrees Celsius was the minimum on Sunday night. The Met Office predicts that it will continue to snow in parts of Azad Kashmir, the Galiyat, Malakand and Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday. Daytime temperatures in Murree dropped to eight degrees Celsius, while Muzaffarabad went down to 11 degrees, with increased chances of snowfall on hilltops. The PMD spokesperson said that extreme weather conditions are visible across the Northern Hemisphere and this unexpected spell of heavy precipitation could be part of that cycle. The rainfall between Oct 15 and Oct 31 is categorized as pre-winter rains in South Asia, but this is usually low volume precipitation and limited to certain areas. However, the current spell of rainy weather has engulfed most parts of the country. The unexpected change in weather comes from the cold and moist winds coming from Europe and Southern Russia, which not only bring rainfall but also significantly lower the mercury. These clouds are likely to hit the Himalayas and head into India, while some of the cloud formations
Hashmi’s Meetings with Punjab Governor Stoke Speculations Lahore: Former PTI leader Makh-
doom Javed Hashmi called on Governor Rafique Rajwana here on Thursday and discussed political scenario as well as the development works going on in Multan. It was the third meeting between the two leaders from Multan within a short time, giving rise to speculations that Mr Hashmi could rejoin the ruling PML-N. Months before the 2013 general elections, Mr Hashmi had quit the PML-N and joined the Imran Khan-led PTI only to resign during the Islamabad sit-in alleging that “the protest was being held at the behest of anti-democracy forces.” The meetings hint that Mr Rajwana is working on the responsibility he had reportedly been assigned while being appointed as the governor: improving position of the PML-N in south Punjab in the wake of departure of Sardar Zulfikar Khosa, the last PML-N strongman
in the Seraiki belt, from the party after developing differences with the Sharifs. A handout issued after the meeting quoted Mr Hashmi as saying that only continuity of democracy is the basis for a strong political system and that it’s the duty of all to discourage undemocratic elements for the sake of a robust democratic political system.
are expected to bring cold in northern India Tuesday evening. At the same time, winds from Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan, which will be pushing the clouds eastwards into India, would also affect several other parts of the country, including Sindh and Karachi. “There will be a sharp decline in Karachi’s temperature on Monday night,” Dr Hanif said. The average rainfall recorded in the northern parts of the country is as follows: Kakul 85mm, Balakot 79mm, Murree 74mm, Garhi Dupatta 73mm, Muzaffarabad 71mm, Kamra 70mm, Rawalakot 62mm, Pattan and Kohat 49mm each, Malam Jabba 48mm, Risalpur 44mm, Cherat 38mm, Kalam 31mm, Saidu Sharif 29mm, Peshawar City 20mm, Lower Dir and Kotli 18mm each, Dir 17mm, Mangla 16mm, Drosh 14mm; Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Jhelum and Chakwal 13mm each, Kot Addu 12mm, Astore 11mm, Layyah, Toba Tek Singh and Jhang 10mm each; Chitral, Skardu and Barkhan 9mm each; Multan, Dera Ismail Khan 8mm each; Bannu 7mm, Gujrat, Joharabad and Shorkot 6mm each; Sargodha, Mirkhani and Noorpur Thal 5mm, Lahore and Mandi Bahauddin 4mm each and Gujranwala, Hunza, Bunji, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Sahiwal and Sialkot 2mm each.
Edhi Declines Modi’s Cash Offer Karachi: A Pakistani charity has declined a $150,000 donation from the Indian prime minister in recompense for 13 years of caring for a lost deaf-mute Indian girl whose quest to return home captivated the subcontinent, a charity spokesman said on Tuesday. “What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured but I am happy to announce a contribution of one crore rupees to their foundation,” Modi said in a tweet, referring to a figure of 10 million rupees, or just under $154,000. But the charity, which has a reputation for integrity and independence amid the murky world of politics, declined the cash. “We have declined with thanks to accept the donation by Indian Prime Minister Modi as taking donations from heads of states is not the policy,” Edhi official Anwar Kazmi said.
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Snowfall Paralyzes Naran Valley
Over 1,000 tourists were stranded after heavy snowfall and landslide blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road
Mansehra/Peshawar: A spell of heavy snowfall paralyzed Naran Valley, one of the popular tourist spots in the country, on Sunday. Over 1,000 tourists were stranded in the valley and long lines of cars and other vehicles were seen on roads blocked by piles of snow. A miner was killed when 15 mine workers were hit by an avalanche in Bassar area of Kaghan. Heavy rain and snowfall also lashed other regions of Mansehra district and upper parts of Hazara division. Rain and snowfall were also reported from other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjacent tribal areas which brought down the mercury and heralded the onset of early winter. The Peshawar Met office has forecast more rain and snow. Abbottabad, Balakot and Kohat received 52mm each of rain and Peshawar 21mm on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy downpour and snowfall were also reported in Malakand Division, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Life was almost at a standstill in Naran. Mustafa, a police officer, told Dawn on phone that over two feet of snow had accumulated on roads and vehicles were unable to move. He said the stranded tourists had been provided shelter by local people and announcements were made from mosques appealing to owners of hotels to provide free accommodation to them. Advocate Babar Khan
Yousafzai, stranded in Naran, said he and his companions had run out of fuel and there was no electricity in the area. He said the local hotel association had provided free accommodation to tourists. According to him, 500 to 600 vehicles were stuck on roads. “We are worried about our children because there is no heating arrangement in rooms,” said Mr Yousafzai, who is a regular traveler to northern areas. “Hoteliers must be praised for providing accommodation to the stranded tourists; we have not yet seen any official of local administration. People left their vehicles on road and rushed to the hotels,” he added. An official of the district administration said that over 1,000 tourists in about 500 cars and other vehicles were stranded after the Kaghan-Battakundi section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road was blocked by a landslide triggered by continuous rain and snowfall. Deputy Commissioner Amer Khattak said heavy machinery had been sent to the area to remove snow. He said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had offered a helicopter to airlift tourists from the valley. Officials said the blocked portion of the main road would soon be opened. The National Highway Authority has sent machinery to expedite work. Upper parts of Shangla district received the first snowfall of the season while rains hit low altitude areas.
Geeta Returns to India
Geeta with Indian Prime Minister Modi and Bilquis Edhi
New Delhi:
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered $154,083 (10 million Indian rupees) to Edhi Foundation for taking care of Geeta - a deaf and mute young In-
dian woman - who had mistakenly crossed border more than a decade ago. “I don’t think any amount of
GEETA, P21
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PAKISTAN
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P15
Nawaz Urges US to Side with Pakistan against Indian Aggression
US Most Relevant Third Party for Kashmir Intervention
Washington, DC: Prime Minis-
ter Nawaz Sharif urged the United States to take Pakistan’s side in its long-standing dispute with rival nuclear power India or run the risk of escalating the conflict. Speaking in Washington on Friday, a day after talks with US President Barack Obama, Nawaz said Pakistan was ready to help Afghanistan revive peace talks with the Taliban rebels. But he made it clear that his main priority was seeking international support to compel India to negotiate over the future of the disputed state of Kashmir. The premier charged India of stepping up ceasefire violations across the Line of Control and Working Boundary. “While refusing dialogue, India is engaged in a major arms buildup, regrettably with the active assistance of several powers,” he said, in an address to the US Institute for Peace. “It has adopted dangerous military doctrines. This will compel Pakistan to take several countermeasures to preserve credible deterrence.” “Obviously the Pakistan-India relationship poses the most difficult and urgent challenge,” Nawaz said. “I believe a close review of some of the existing assumptions and analysis and greater attention to Pakistan’s views and interests would be useful in enabling Washington to
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Nancy Lindborg, head of US Institute of Peace
play a constructive role in averting the ever present danger of escalation and in promoting stability in South Asia.” He also noted “a stream of hostile statements by the Indian political and military leadership.” At the White House on Thursday, Nawaz and Obama had agreed to help Afghanistan re-start peace talks that broke off in early August when it emerged that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had been dead for two years. Pakistan has been accused of covertly supporting the Afghan Taliban in their guerrilla campaign against Kabul and allied NATO
forces. Nawaz insisted his country has no interest in backing the Taliban’s campaign of violence and stated that Pakistan “cannot bring them to the table and be asked to kill them at the same time.” Of far more importance, he suggested, was Islamabad’s relationship with India, pressuring Washington not to continue pursuing warmer ties with his giant neighbor. “There is no alternative for the two countries but to resume a comprehensive dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
harshest terrain in the Welsh Black Mountains. Patrol commanders were given a set of orders based on a specific scenario, for onward briefing to members of their patrol before they were taken to a number of insertion points in the hills. The exercise is split into seven phases with soldiers marching a mind-and-muscle sapping 55km,
carrying full personal kit and equipment, weighing in at some 60lbs, on the two-day patrolling mission. Navigating both by day and night, the patrols face many testing and specialist challenges, including observation and reconnaissance of enemy forces, cold river crossings in full kit without access to boats, firstaid and an enemy attack. At
Pakistan Army Wins Gold in Exercise Cambrian Patrol
Islamabad: A team of Pakistan
Army won the gold medal in the premier patrolling event of the British Army - Exercise Cambrian Patrol - beating around 140 teams from armies across the globe. The international patrolling exercise, an annual event organised and run by the 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales, is both physically and mentally demanding and is a highlight in the British Army’s training calendar. Internationally, it is regarded as one of the toughest tests the modern-day soldier can face, with some overseas entrants having to claim the right to take part by winning their own domestic competition. The first place award is shared by the Pakistan Army with the Royal New Zealand Army. This year’s exercise, which took place between October 16 and October 25, has seen Bosnia taking part for the first time, aiming to navigate their way through some of the
ARMY, P28
Indian Media Using ‘Doctored’ Videos to Defame Pakistan
Muzaffarabad: Two Kashmiri ac-
tivists accused India’s mainstream media on Sunday of “constantly publishing and airing baseless reports” about Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to defame Pakistan. “We are shocked to notice how brazenly an Indian newspaper has used a picture of our anti-India demonstration in Muzaffarabad and presented it as an anti-Pakistan protest,” said Uzair Ahmed Ghazali of the Pabsan-i-Hurriat Jammu Kashmir at a press conference along with Hamid Jamil of the Refugee Welfare Organization and other activists. The Facebook page of The New Indian Express used on Saturday a
picture of Mr Ghazali and Mr Jamil chanting slogans. The caption was: “Anti-Pakistan protest erupts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.” Showing the printout of that page to reporters, Mr Ghazali said it was a picture of a five-year-old antiIndia demonstration they had organized in Muzaffarabad to condemn the invasion of Kashmir by India on Oct 27, 1947. “Indian media outlets are hellbent upon establishing that antiPakistan sentiments are on the rise in AJK, in the worst breach of media ethics,” Mr Ghazali said. He stated visuals from different areas and occasions were being used to create a
negative impression about AJK. He said another Indian media outlet had used visuals of the ongoing Rangers’ operations against hardened criminals in Karachi and described them as happenings in AJK. “They can hoodwink a section of their population but not the international community, let alone the Kashmiris on either side of the divide,” he said. Mr Ghazali felt that even in doctored video clips the Indian media had failed to air a single sound bite in favor of India and its unlawful rule in Kashmir.
MEDIA, P28
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PM Nawaz chats with members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Washington: The United States would be the most relevant third party that could intervene to help resolve outstanding issues including Kashmir between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told US senators. Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Bob Corker along with Ranking Member Senator Ben Cardin received the prime minister and his delegation at Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon — the second day of his visit to Washington, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. The premier briefed the meeting — which was attended by several senior members of the committee — about his recent peace initiative towards India announced in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session. Members of Senate noted the prime minister’s proposal that given India’s resistance to bilaterally resolve outstanding issues including Kashmir, it would be imperative to have third party intervention for which the US would be most relevant, said the handout. On the same day, Pakistan handed over three dossiers to US Secretary of State John Kerry on India’s involvement in subversive activities in the country. Outlining his vision of a peaceful neighborhood, Nawaz reiterated his government’s commitment to remain engaged with the Afghan leadership to enhance mutual coordination in dealing with the common challenges of terrorism and promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. The prime minister was flanked at the meeting by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaz Aziz, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and Ambassador of Pakistan to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani. Thanking the Senate committee for their consistent support to democracy, security cooperation and economic development in Pakistan, Nawaz briefed the members on his economic reforms agenda that led to reviving the economy and upgrading Pakistan’s economic outlook in recent months, the statement said. The prime minister also briefed members on the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the Temporarily Dislocated Persons (TDPs) back in their homes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) following the clearing of areas by successful military operations. Appreciating the provision of
counter-terrorism assistance by the US Congress, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that due to the successful operations of Pakistani security forces the militants’ command and control infrastructure in Pakistan had been destroyed and their ability to plan or conduct any major attack had been significantly diminished. Responding to questions by members of the US Congress, the premier remarked that Zarb-i-Azb had achieved its initial targets and entered a decisive phase. Members of the US Congress emphasized that Pakistan was an important country in the region and the US looked forward to engaging with Pakistan to advance the goals of regional peace and stability. The senators also assured Nawaz of continued support of the US Congress in complementing Pakistan’s efforts to stimulate people-centered growth and eliminating militancy and extremism from the region. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is among the important standing committees of the US Congress with the mandate to oversee US foreign policy. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Washington on Tuesday for an official four-day visit. During the visit, the prime minister held discussions on wide-ranging issues of bilateral interest with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and various Cabinet members.
Shah Asks India Not to Test Pakistan’s Patience
Islamabad: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah asked the government on Sunday to work out a plan to prevent Indian “interference” in the country after discussing the matter in parliament. “Indian interference in Pakistan is increasing. The government should immediately take parliament into confidence and prepare a strategy to deal with the issue,” Mr Shah said in a statement. Expressing concern over “growing Indian aggression” against Pakistan, he said that opening fire on unarmed Pakistani citizens had become a routine activity for India. He asked India “not to test Pakistan’s patience and not to take Islamabad’s desire for peace as our weakness”.
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Community Link Friday, October 30, 2015
VOL. 25/44 PAGE 19
PAGE PAGE21 17
egum PAGE 19
International Debut of First Daughter in Washington
16 Muharram 1437 H
Ambassador Faily Discusses Social Cohesion
What’s Wrong with the Republicans?
For news, updated round the clock, visit
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SALAM Fall Banquet Focuses on Building Bridges
The Citrus Heights Community Center was almost full and reflected the diversity of the SALAM congregation and support groups
T
n By Ras H. Siddiqui
he Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims or SALAM (http://www. salamcenter.org/) is one of the premier Islamic centers in California’s Capital City.
Located across the street from American River College, its beautiful Mosque now stands out as a Moorish architectural anomaly on College Oak Drive and it is really
inspiring to look at, making it hard to imagine that it all started off with just a trailer where families used to come and pray. Today, SALAM focuses on being a truly American Mosque and the Stars and Stripes are often seen flying at its facilities. And over the years it has not been a bystander in Sacramento’s social scene as it has openly invited non-Muslims and interacted with people of all faiths to expand the understanding of Is-
lam with anyone who might want to know more about it. In other words, it has focused on building bridges and has continued this effort. So it was not surprising that when it held its Fall Banquet Fundraiser on October 24th, the theme was “Building Bridges -Crisis to Engagement”. The Citrus Heights Community Center was almost full and reflected the diversity of the SALAM congregation and support group as event emcee and Fundraising Com-
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mittee Chair Asif Haq called everyone’s attention. Haq also explained the theme for the day and elaborated on the agenda for the evening before inviting Tulaib Zafir to start the formalities with a recitation of the Holy Qur’an and an English translation of the verses. Next SALAM Board Chairperson Dr Anne Kjemtrup officially welcomed everyone on behalf of the organization. She started off asking for a round of applause for Brother
Asif Haq for all the work that he had done on behalf of the organization over the years. Dr Anne said that she was delighted to welcome everyone to the fall banquet. She also asked all the Board Members, Chairs of Committees and the SALAM Management teams to stand up and be acknowledged. She elaborated on SALAM’s mission to build a modern Islamic identity in a family-oriented environment. She
SALAM, P28
COMMUNITY
P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
Icons of Cricket Play on American Soil for First Time
New York/PRNewswire: Global
cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne will headline a star-studded lineup of renowned cricket players from around the world in the inaugural “Cricket All-Stars,” a three-game series in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles. The historic tour marks the first time these legends have played in the US, and also renews the famous rivalry between “Master Blaster” Tendulkar and “King of Spin” Warne. The “Cricket All-Stars” kicks off on November 7 at Citi Field in New York City with a special opening ceremony prior to the match as well as other functions and galas. The second match will be on November 11 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The final match in the series will be on November 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, followed by a special trophy presentation to the winning team. The format will be T20, a much shorter and boisterous form of cricket with the games taking around three hours instead of multiple days. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Australian spinner Shane Warne will each captain a hand-picked team. “Sachin’s Blasters” and “Warne’s Warriors” will feature some of the best players to ever play cricket hailing from eight different countries including Ricky Ponting (Australia), Brian Lara (West Indies), MutCG FROM P1
while intoxicated was published in the May 5, 2015 issue of Pakistani newspaper Business Recorder. According to this report, in March 2015, Khan while delivering his official speech in the presence of over 100 guests at an event hosted by Pakistan Arts Council, insulted and physically threatened one of the guests, Dr Mansoor Shah. Dr Shah is a prominent and highly respected member of the Pakistani community. Following the speech numerous Pakistani and American guests complained of the incident to the Pakistan ambassador. There are also reports of Khan’s disparaging remarks about the state of affairs in Pakistan and its leadership. One such report described Khan’s derogatory remarks towards Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif at a gathering. Khan was reported to lament about Pakistan’s political, and energy crisis, and repeatedly said that Pakistan continues to beg and survive on international aid. One of the guests expressed his anger and said, “It is the role of the Consul General to promote Pakistan abroad and to improve its image not to belittle it and bring it ridicule.” Following the event, Qamar Abbas Khokar, the Head of Chancery at the Pakistan Consulate, called all the guests present at that occasion, to apologize for Khan’s behavior. It has also been alleged that Khan asked several prominent Pakistani-American and American businessmen for financial rewards. The businessmen reported that they were told by Khan that in order for them to bring much needed investment to Pakistan they would be required to give a
The historic tour marks the first time these legends have played in the US, and also renews the famous rivalry between “Master Blaster” Tendulkar and “King of Spin” Warne
tiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) and Michael Vaughan (England), among others. “Americans are so passionate about sports, and I think there’s a huge potential for cricket to take off,” said Sachin Tendulkar. “This is also the first time that international cricket will be played in these beautiful baseball stadiums in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles, which will be a lot commission or “kick back” to him. It has also been reported that the payments for the interior construction work done at the Pakistan Consulate premises in February 2015, which included the construction of the ‘community hall’ at the Consulate, by Icon Architects - Icon Atelier Inc., a company owned by Pakistani– Americans, have not been made in full as of now. It has been alleged that the budget for the project was approved before the start of the project, but after the completion of the project in record time, the principles of the company were asked to donate all or portion of the invoice amount. It has been feared that though the Consulate received the full budgeted amount for the project, only portion of the funds was released to the company and the rest of the funds were used for possibly some unauthorized purpose. It has been alleged that Khan’s behavior has not only offended the Pakistani community but also eminent American politicians and government officials, who have distanced themselves from Khan. These politicians and government officials have now refused to attend any future Pakistan Consular events. Tony Mendoza, a prominent California Senator, has publicly expressed his dismay and regret over Khan’s behavior and is one of the many American politicians who no longer attend the Consul General’s events. Though the exact date of Khan’s departure from the Pakistan Consulate in Los Angeles is not yet announced, he is expected to leave his post before the end of December 2015. Hamid Asghar Khan could not be reached for his comments.
of fun. We’re also planning some other events and festivities in each city so we can reach as many fans as possible. It would be great someday to see cricket bats right alongside the baseball bats, basketballs and soccer balls in America.” “We’ve signed all the top players you’d ever want to see,” said Shane Warne. “I’m excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the first time, and I also think that the T20 format
will appeal to new audiences who have never seen or played cricket before. I’m really looking forward to the matches in November, and helping to grow the sport of cricket in America.” As a sponsor of “Cricket AllStars,” MasterCard will provide its cardholders exclusive access to event tickets and Priceless experiences throughout the series. A few lucky cardholders will even have the opportunity to meet some of the players. The pre-sale for Mas-
ter Card holders began on October 6. Tickets went on sale to the general public on October 8. Tickets are available through the following: Citi Field (NYC): Mets.com/ cricket Minute Maid Park (Houston): Ticketmaster.com/ event/3A004F3195293147 Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles): Dodgers.com/cricket “Cricket All-Stars” is being produced by NYC-based Leverage Agency, a full-service sports and entertainment marketing company. Leverage will also handle the marketing and promotion for the event. Sponsors for “Cricket AllStars” include MasterCard, State Farm® and Uber. “It’s been a dream of mine to help bring the best of cricket to America,” said Ben Sturner, CEO of Leverage Agency. “Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world and we couldn’t ask for better partners than Sachin and Shane on this exciting venture.” For information on Cricket All-Stars, visit: CricketAllStarsLeague.com. Facebook.com/cricketallstars For Sachin Tendulkar, visit: Facebook.com/SachinTendulkar. Twitter.com/sachin_rt (@Sachin_ rt) For Shane Warne, visit: Facebook.com/officialshanewarne. Twitter.com/shanewarne (@ ShaneWarne)
The march was jointly sponsored by all groups who believe in the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir KASHMIRIS FROM P1
teamwork of hundreds of volunteers made it all happen, and to great success. Their sole purpose was to help the cause of Kashmir, a higher calling that seeks justice and fairness for the lives of Kashmiris, and respect for their right to determine their own future. Credit should instead be given to those millions of Kashmiris who are resisting the occupation of a foreign government. It is a fact that when people keep cause above their political motives, the outcome is a victory. It is also a fact when people join hands for a great cause, the result is a success. History tells us that a cause based on international legitimacy and universal principles will never die down. Achieving the ultimate result may take time but justice will not be denied forever. The ‘Million-March’ initiative was taken in August 2015 by Barrister Sultan Mahmood Choudhary, former prime minister of Azad Kashmir in consultation with the leadership
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of Kashmiri American community. Within the past three months, the group had more than three dozen meetings in more than one dozen states in the United States which proved very effective in mobilizing thousands of people who came from far off places, like Calgary, Canada; Toronto, Canada; London, England; Illinois, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC, Delaware, etc.
What was amazing was that more than sixty percent of the participants were women and children. Their enthusiasm was genuine. Their sentiments were reflected by waving placards and chanting slogans like: Wake Wake UN Wake Up India Honor UN Pledges India Out Of Kashmir Kashmiris Demand Right of Self-determination No Justice No Peace KASHMIRIS, P28
COMMUNITY
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19
Ambassador Lukman Faily Discusses Social Cohesion and Democracy at American University
International Debut of First Daughter in Washington
n By Silke Schoch School of International Service American University, Washington
I
n light of the international interest of late in Iraq, Ambassador Akbar Ahmed’s World of Islam class at American University had the special opportunity to welcome Lukman Faily, the Ambassador of Iraq to the US on Oct 16th. Ambassador Faily created a high level of anticipation in the classroom that day; nearly all the students arrived early, enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of their important guest with vivid openness and curiosity.
Ambassador Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, started off the lecture by introducing Ambassador Faily to the class. “I am excited to talk to such a class as this,” Ambassador Faily began. “Classes like this are a journey and I am honored to be a part of that journey.” He delved into his day’s discussion by highlighting three countries—Japan, the US, and Iraq—and explaining their paths to democracy. Japan, Ambassador Faily clarified, has had a ruling family since 800 AD and yet is now one of the world’s greatest democracies. America which, in the modern sense of the word, has
Author Silke Schoch, right, delivers a gift on behalf of Ambassador Ahmed (center) and the class to Ambassador Lukman Faily (left)
he be issued a ticket? Will he be issued only a warning because of his status? Should a policeman take into account the job or family someone comes from if that person has broken the law? All these questions that I’ve been asking pertain to what sort of democracy exists in each country,” he concluded. He went on to explain that three things contribute to the social harmony ‒ or cohesion ‒ within a society: religion, culture, and the government.
tries he spoke about. Despite the class being multiethnic with Kurdish students, Afghani students, French students, and of course, American students, I think we were all equally eager and inquisitive to explore the topic Ambassador Faily was discussing with us. On the last question about conflicting identities he ended his session by leaving the class with a powerful metaphor by simply saying, “Oftentimes people wear different hats, we as
Ambassador Lukman Faily joins Ambassador Akbar Ahmed and his undergraduate class, World of Islam, at American University, following a popular lecture on democratization in Iraq, Japan, and the US
not been a nation state very long, is also a very advanced democracy. Yet Iraq, he concluded, while a more recent nation state and democracy, has had a legal code dating back 4,000 years. These differences that appear in each country lead to a lot of questions, he told the class. “We must remember that a society is always in evolution and that in order for there to be a critical compare and contrast between nations, one must consider where each country currently lies in this cycle of societal and democratic evolution. One cannot assume that every country is in the same stage of their development.” The ambassador went on to give several examples of the three countries’ cultural differences before speaking about his knowledge of the way that the Japanese became a democratic society and their differences with the Iraqis journey to democracy. Throughout his discussion Ambassador Faily deliberated on an allegory of a country’s political system, weaving it between his examples of each country’s democratic institutions and historical development. “If there is a police officer who pulls a man over and that man happens to be a senator, what will happen? Will
Furthermore, each aspect has its own rule of law; the government has a legal rule of law, but religion and culture also have their own rule of laws. Often times, he explained, religious and cultural laws are implicitly trusted more than the government’s laws, and this leads to a lack of social cohesion and causes things to fall apart. Following Ambassador Faily’s lecture there was only a moment of hesitation before several hands went up. Each student gave their name, then liberally thanked Ambassador Faily for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to the class, before stating their inquiries. The first question from a student focused on overcoming challenges to democratization and creating a democratic culture. Ambassador Faily paused for a moment to reflect, then said, “The evolution of a democratic society is important; one needs to customize every approach to democracy. Perhaps instead of nation-building, we should focus on state building — getting the state healthy first before going on to create a nation and ask its citizens to inherently trust the government”. During his entire dialogue, Ambassador Faily not only conveyed a sense of his expertise and wisdom but also his true respect for the coun-
humans do not just have one identity but multiple identities and multiple hats.” He laughed as he finished talking, “Most times people do not even know which hat they are wearing.” The American narrative of the Middle East can often be politicized and manipulated to benefit parties whose sole interest lies pointing figures during times of struggle. Yet, being instructed on the complex aspects of nation-building by a man of such intelligence and clarity like Ambassador Faily was an exciting and illuminating moment for everyone he spoke to at American University that day, especially myself. Growing up in Southern Arizona I was surrounded by conservative politics and a somewhat limited international perspective. When the 9/11 attacks took place I was six years old and thus I have lived hearing about the conflicts in the Middle East for my entire life. This, mixed with many of my beloved family members being in the armed forces and my attendance at a high school with a number of students who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, slanted my introduction to politics in the Middle East, especially in Iraq. When I began studying internaDEMOCRACY, P28
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O
n Wednesday night, the television coverage in Pakistan was focused on what was being telecast from Washington DC as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif descended on the White House to meet President Barrack Obama.
However, all the Pak-American activity was not limited to the Oval Office. In another wing of the White House, the first daughter too had her first engagement on the international stage. Standing besides First Lady Michelle Obama, as the Pakistani First Lady sat quietly in the audience, Maryam Nawaz Sharif gave her first speech during an international visit. Speaking on education for the girl child, she mentioned that she and her two daughters were enjoying their comfortable stay at the Blair House. It seemed to be a working trip for the entire family. Though Maryam’s meeting with Michelle Obama was focused on education, the bigger news appears to lie in the fact that the Americans have used the trip and the education initiative to cultivate Maryam, who is being seen as the heir apparent of Nawaz Sharif. What else could have led to Michelle Obama’s surprise choice to work with Maryam on girls’ education (the first daughter till the White House invitation had not shown any interest in or done any substantial work on education)? That the Americans had a bigger plan in mind was also evident from the fact that the messenger who delivered the invitation to Maryam was Dr Peter Lavoy, who is President Obama’s top aide on South Asia. Her interaction with Dr Lavoy, who is the principal interlocutor on the nuclear parleys raised many eyebrows in Pakistan. Maryam too is enjoying the importance that the Americans are according to her. In a twitter posting from Washington, she thanked both President Obama and Michelle for their “wonderful hospitality”. Someone who has been aware of the recent events explained that it was a routine strategy to engage people close to the leader as this could help achieve what was otherwise difficult to do through official channels. “At a time when the first lady Kulsoom Nawaz is keeping a low profile, the administration would have searched for someone empowered around the prime minister and eyes would have eventually turned to her [Maryam],” he said, adding that the administration officials also found it easier to communicate through her. The US embassy did not comment on the issue. However, this is not to say that the American initiative came out of the blue; it appears that Prime Minister Sharif, and his government, have been behaving in a manner that has led the foreign governments to understand that Maryam should be engaged, an official said. After all, Maryam has been very active in this term of Sharif. Her twitter account is seen as a good source of information on the government. Soon after the government came into power, she was also made the head of youth loan scheme, but stepped down after the Lahore High Court questioned her qualifications to hold the post. Since then, she is known to play an important role in the government’s media policy – though most of this ‘media management’ is done from behind the scenes. Occasionally, she also attends PML-N meetings, publicly. Her appearance on the scene – post 2013 – has led to great speculation that she is being groomed by her father to take over the party; a position that earlier was seen to belong to Shahbaz Sharif ’s son, Hamza Sharif. Nawaz Sharif ’s two sons are reported to not be interested in politics. The trip to the US will simply add to the speculation in this regard. Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa feels that Maryam is being groomed by Mr Sharif much like Zulfikar Bhutto trained Benazir Bhutto. The way Maryam is being promoted is definitely not surprising in a country where dynastic politics is a trend. Siddiqa points out that by investing in Maryam, the Americans seem to be indicating that they see the Sharifs/PML-N as a major political force in the future. But there is also speculation that Sharif himself also wants an informal line of communication with the US – something that Maryam could open and use successfully. This is something that the Bhutto family had always enjoyed and continues to enjoy – the recent meeting of Aseefa Bhutto with Hilary Clinton is a case in point. After all, the relationship with the US is not limited to foreign policy and security. Historically, Washington has played a role in domestic power struggles, as revealed by the Wikileaks.
COMMENTARY
P20 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
Book Review
Neither a Hawk nor a Dove n Review by Javed Jabbar
N
Karachi, Pakistan
either a Hawk Nor a Dove by former foreign minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, is a valuable addition to literature on Pakistan’s foreign policy. It joins many other books, writings and interviews of former foreign ministers, advisers and ambassadors as well as non-Pakistani analysts. In company or by itself, this book reflects the exceptional capacity of Pakistan’s political and diplomatic leadership to lucidly articulate and advocate Pakistan’s worldview.
Born in unrivalled insecurity, located in a geopolitical hot zone, beset by gross internal failures, Pakistan’s foreign policymakers have had to steer through stormy complexities. These conditions are often unappreciated, at home and overseas, and this book helps redress this injustice. Kasuri served as foreign minister from November 2002 to November 2007. All periods of history are marked by shifting currents of stability or tension or conflicts between states, but his tenure of five years was more extraordinary than the ‘normal’ abnormal — he assumed office barely 14 months after 9/11. The US and its allies had already invaded Afghanistan, and they were preparing to intrude into Iraq. Just 11 months earlier, a remarkably crude attack on the Indian parliament building had led to the deployment of about a million troops of India and Pakistan at the border. The Agra summit had failed in July 2001. Both on regional and global levels, palpable uncertainty prevailed. Internally, though Gen Pervez Musharraf was firmly in command and had received Western and international blessings for commitment to the ‘war on terror’, unease about a military ruler persisted. The author is an individual passionately committed to constitutional and democratic principles. He has the proud legacy of being the son of Mahmud Ali Kasuri, one of Pakistan’s most outspoken jurists (and an under-acknowledged co-author of the 1973 Constitution) who preferred to resign from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s cabinet as law minister rather than accept authoritarian trends. In office, the author also dealt with his own internal dilemmas: this aspect came to a head much later and he describes this honestly. But those five years were tumultuous times in which to be foreign minister and Kasuri rose to the challenge. At around 850 pages, the book itself seems like a daunting read, yet the text flows fairly fluently and readably. Kasuri has facilitated a reasonably well-paced appraisal by readers. The text is divided into nine chapters and numerous subsections, all aiding in quick identification and navigation. Sixteen pages bear reproductions of photographs in black and white as well as color, depicting memorable moments. Though the book is well-produced, the text should have been subject to ruthless editing which could have reduced the pages by at least one-third. Several passages are similar to ceremonial, official statements. Others are repetitive and needlessly reiterative of already stated views. Frequent references occur to a self-centric perspective. Far too many errors appear in proofreading, spellings, and syntax for a book from a leading publisher. The book is also an autobiography. The author wryly muses that his paternal and maternal lineages were so contrastingly diverse that “the twain never met”. In the chapter ‘Early years’, there are interesting sketches of 30 prominent public figures who were regular visitors to their Fane Road home to meet his father. More than once, the author pays tributes to his wife, Nasreen, the enterprising leader of Pakistan’s largest private education network — Beaconhouse — reinforcing the personal dimension of the narrative. Kasuri invested notably high levels of energy, enthusiasm and expression in his work. The text alternates between an official tone and
casual reflection. In both, progressive views and humane values remain common. There are periodic and lively departures from already publicly-known versions of foreign relations to share previously unknown or little-known episodes. A large number of famous and infamous figures are encountered. Extensive research supports quotations and claims. On core issues like Kashmir, there is a levelheaded analysis, not one shaped by faith-based bias or unreasonable animus against India. A similar sense of balance, with an irrefutable loyalty to Pakistan’s valid interests, comes through when the author deals with the Pakistan-US equation (cited as “the odd couple”), the bilateral bonds with Afghanistan and Iran and the phenomenally stable relationship with China. Passages are also devoted to other important relationships, such as with Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UK, Bangladesh, Japan, and multilateral networks such as the European Union and the Commonwealth. Public diplomacy, media and civil society’s roles are also emphasized. The competence of our foreign service officers is warmly acknowledged — with a complimentary quote from an Indian foreign minister. The chapter titled ‘Interrupted symphony: contours of backchannel settlement on Kashmir’, provides the historical context before proceeding to identify the elements on which the nominees of Mr Musharraf and prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and then Manmohan Singh attempted to reach a consensus. These elements included the need to mutually agree on the exact contemporary definition of Kashmir’s territory. A second element is acceptance of the validity of elections to be held on either side of the Line of Control (LoC). The third is authentic autonomy for, respectively, Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir and Srinagar in India-held Kashmir. And fourth, to move toward a calibrated demilitarization on both sides while constructing a joint mechanism for cooperation in trade, travel and tourism: for possible later expansion to other spheres, e.g. security and defense. About five years before the backchannel process during Kasuri’s tenure resulted in this new framework, a previous foreign minister, Sartaj Aziz (1998-1999) had supported the concept called the Chenab Formula. This sought to convert a communal perspective into a geo-
graphical perspective. The author quotes at some length from Aziz’s book Between Dreams and Realities: Some Milestones in Pakistan’s History (OUP, 2009) and expresses doubts on whether the earlier approach could have worked — just as members of present ruling parties in both countries doubt whether the Framework Formula is
At around 850 pages, the book itself seems like a daunting read, yet the text flows fairly fluently and readably. Kasuri has facilitated a reasonably wellpaced appraisal by readers practical. He laments the rash decision by Mr Musharraf to suspend the then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in March 2007 — this abruptly derailed plans for the Indian prime minister’s visit to Islamabad for the possible signing of the framework agreement. References are made to earlier backchannel talks between Pakistan’s former foreign secretary Niaz A. Naik and Indian journalist and politician R.K. Mishra after Vajpayee’s visit to Lahore in February 1999. While the author notes the very useful, publicly reported Track-II work on preparing options for a Kashmir settlement rendered by the Kashmir Study Group and convened by Kashmiri-American businessman Farooq Kathwari, there is no reference to the Track-II India-Pakistan Neemrana Initiative
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(IPNI). This is the longest-running process of its kind between the two countries. Launched in end 1991 (this reviewer has been a member of the IPNI group since 1992), IPNI is now in its 24th year. Certain elements that eventually became part of the backchannel on Kashmir were initially debated and agreed upon 10 years earlier in 1995-96. An entire chapter is pertinently devoted to ‘The Pakistan Army and India’. Kasuri deals with the proposition oft-stated by some that the army is the main obstacle to peaceful relations with India. He cites objective facts that show the opposite to be true. The most durable, The Indus Waters Treaty — which has survived 55 years, two wars and several other conflicts (Rann of Kutch, Siachin, Kargil, LoC clashes, border stand-offs, etc) — was signed by then field marshal Ayub Khan. Even Gen Ziaul Haq conducted cricket diplomacy, and Mr Musharraf overcame the Kargil and the Agra setbacks to give a new impetus for a possible Kashmir settlement. Former US ambassador Anne Patterson in a WikiLeaks-revealed cable informed the State Department that the army top brass in 2009 continued supporting the peace process with India even after Mr Musharraf left the national stage. To quote the author: “My experience in dealing with the military leadership, specifically on the Kashmir issue, suggests that the Pakistan Army is neither opposed to, nor is it a roadblock to better relations with India”. Several vignettes convey remarkable moments. India’s national security adviser J. N. Dixit tells the author that Mr Musharraf should retain his military uniform (to enable conclusive talks with India). Before the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan — despite the difficulties that have marked Pak-Afghan relations — there was an Afghan interest in joining a confederation with Pakistan. Indian foreign minister Natwar Singh, in an aside to a European leader, said: “If India and Pakistan can have nuclear weapons, why shouldn’t Iran too?” President Hamid Karzai is shocked when, during a tense meeting with Mr Musharraf in Islamabad, top-secret Afghan documents — revealing Afghanistan’s connivance with India to allow RAW operatives to visit points close to the Pak-Afghan border — are shown to him. The author’s friendly persuasion of former US vice president Dick Cheney leads to Mr Musharraf becoming the first leader from South Asia invited to a weekend meeting at Camp David with the then US president George W. Bush, instead of at the conventional venue, the White House. President Mohammad Khatami of Iran alarmed Mr Musharraf and the author when he shared the information that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspection of Iran’s nuclear facilities indicated only one potential source of proliferation: Dr A.Q. Khan of Pakistan. And, in their solo, historic meeting in Istanbul, Aug 31, 2005, the Israeli deputy prime minister opened his dialogue by asking Kasuri: “Why are you more Palestinian than the Palestinians?” Kasuri expresses deep appreciation for Mr Musharraf, both for the former general’s leadership and for his non-interference in the foreign ministry: they worked cohesively. In five years of intense pressure on Pakistan, the country’s case was represented widely and well. Pakistan’s international relationships deserve sustained in-depth study. Further exploration is always needed of the factors which shaped relations in the past and which do so now in the 21st century. Written with unusual candor, Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove should be read by all specialists, and by all those who hold Pakistan dear. Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider’s Account of Pakistan’s Foreign Relations Including Details of the Kashmir Framework By Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri Oxford University Press, Karachi ISBN 978-0199401932 851pp. (Courtesy Dawn)
COMMENTARY
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n By Nayyer Ali MD
merica has a two party political system, and for it to function in a healthy fashion both parties need to be rational and committed to the national good. They should also refrain from demonizing their opposition and indulging in all sorts of conspiracies and fantasies about American politics.
When one party gets too far from reason, the whole system can break down. This is where we are now, with the Republicans suffering from a disconnect with reality that has just gotten worse under Obama. The old, rational Republican Party of Nelson Rockefeller or Gerald Ford or Bob Dole is now long gone, and we are left with a bunch of extremists that want to destroy the government. So in what ways have the Republicans lost touch? I can think of at least 15 major issues. 1. Voter suppression. The fabricated notion that fraudulent voting is rampant and justifies a variety of hurdles to make it hard to vote, that just happen to hit Democratic voters hard, shows how little regard they have for the American people or democracy. George Washington didn’t have photo ID, and none of us need it either. Hopefully, a liberal SCOTUS in a few years will throw out all these voter ID laws. Also, the Republicans have declined to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act in compliance with the recent SCOTUS decision. 2. Immigration. Republicans confuse two different issues. One is what to do to keep new undocumented immigrants from coming to the US, the other is what to do about the 11 million who are already here. A fence does nothing to keep them out. The reality is that falling birthrates and a growing Mexican economy mean that the number of unskilled workers that will enter the US in the next decade has fallen sharply. At this point there is little or no new net immigration. Securing the border is just a pointless ruse to avoid dealing with the 11 million here who should be given legal status as an amnesty, just like Reagan did in 1986. 3. Climate Change. It would be fine if Republicans wanted to argue about the best and most effective way to tackle this issue, but instead they completely deny it even exists. This anti-science bias is pervasive in the Republican party and infects not just cranks but is expressed by its most senior leaders and opinion makers. 4. Rejection of evolution. Evolution is the basic foundation of biology. That Ben Carson denies it is strong evidence that he is disqualified to be President. If a leading Dem rejected the science of evolution, he would be a persona non grata in the party. But to openly declare the obvious, that Darwin was right, is something no Republican is willing to do. They even indulge the fundamentalists that want to teach creationism or at least dumb down and minimize evolution in high school biology texts. 5. War. The Republicans have learned nothing from the last 15 years. They still shoot first and ask questions later. After two long disastrous and costly wars, we should
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21
What’s Wrong with the Republicans?
not be looking for more places to put soldiers. Wars don’t solve our problems, and trying to reshuffle the Mideast chess pieces with firepower doesn’t work. Yet listening to them, it seems they want a full scale war against ISIS and perhaps another against Iran. No humility or sense of limits, just march to war with eyes shut. 6. Economic illiteracy. The Republicans don’t understand the deficit, the debt, the debt ceiling, or what economic policy should be in a recession. They completely reject the idea that tax cuts add to the deficit, or that tax increases can cut it. They believe that all economic problems can be solved by reducing taxes on the wealthiest. This is absurd and was shown to have failed under W. But they keep hitting the same note. 7. Minimum wage. They consistently block any increase in the minimum wage, even though it was over 10 dollars an hour back in 1970 adjusted for inflation. Many states, even red states, have voted to up the minimum wage. Republicans claim that higher wages will cost jobs. While that is true if taken to an extreme, it does not apply when dealing with modest minimum wages. Minimums are needed because the lowest skilled workers have no bargaining power, and need a minimum wage to allow them to earn a decent living. There is overwhelming public support for a higher minimum. 8. Guns. Republicans believe that every time there is a gun death, it should be lamented but not spur any action. They are totally defeatist on this issue. It is bizarre that to drive a car one has to be licensed and insured, but neither is the case for guns. No one is proposing gun confiscation. But many states have tight gun control laws and the ones that do have much lower gun violence than states with lax laws. If we just tighten across the board to the same standard we can save thousands of lives per year. Mandating safety features on new guns is also a no-brainer, after the ongoing child deaths from loose firearms. 9. Religion/Abortion. The Republicans have allowed religion into their party and a very particular fundamentalist religion. Their op-
position to abortion is hypocritical. Everyone knows that if abortion was outlawed, middle class and wealthy women would still have access to the procedure, it is the poor that would be cut off. If they want to cut the number of abortions then provide
They consistently block any increase in the minimum wage, even though it was over 10 dollars an hour back in 1970 adjusted for inflation. Many states, even red states, have voted to up the minimum wage. Republicans claim that higher wages will cost jobs. While that is true if taken to an extreme, it does not apply when dealing with modest minimum wages. Minimums are needed because the lowest skilled workers have no bargaining power, and need a minimum wage to allow them to earn a decent living. There is overwhelming public support for a higher minimum birth control and sex education. And keep religion out of public life. 10. Health care. Once upon a time the Republicans agreed that we should improve access to health care while cutting costs. Now they think the system in 2009 was perfect, and we should just go back to that. Republicans believe that health care is just another consumer good, you
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get it if you can afford it. But in reality, we all pay for free emergency care, and we all pick up the tab when someone becomes fully disabled because their medical condition was not treated at an earlier stage due to no insurance. 11. Keynes and Inflation. The Republicans used to be Keynesian in their policies if not rhetoric, but with Obama they rejected this obvious truth and insisted on austerity during a Great Recession, which has hurt the economy and the recovery. When Bush had his first recession in 2001, they pushed tax cuts as stimulating the economy, but under Obama they rejected any stimulus, even though half of Obama’s stimulus was tax cuts. The Republicans remain obsessed with the idea that government policy is about to cause hyperinflation, when in fact we have been skirting with deflation for 6 years now. This make-believe world they live in has nothing to do with what is needed to guide economic policy. 12. Campaign Finance. Citizens United destroyed limits on cash in politics. Republicans thought that was going to be good for them, but 100 million dollars hasn’t helped Jeb! Half of all the money raised this cycle has come from only 150 individuals, obvious proof that our electoral system is being manipulated by a small number of extremely wealthy people. Money may be speech but it is also influence, and the rich should not have a blank check to buy influence. 13. Criminal justice. The public is finally understanding that we have locked up too many for too long with little to gain from it. It is time to cut back on the penal state. While a few Republicans are interested in reform, the vast majority remains committed to mass incarceration. In addition, the Republican Party as a whole does not acknowledge that African Americans are being victimized excessively by police across the country, and we need to enact real reforms, including but not limited to body cameras, to address this issue. 14. Entitlement cuts. Republicans believe that the biggest problems with America are that the rich
pay too much in taxes and the elderly get too much social security and Medicare benefits. In reality, Social Security and Medicare are solvent for decades, and further down the road, small tweaks will keep both functioning well. There is no need to cut benefits now because some table projects that in 2038 we won’t have enough revenue to pay all benefits. Medicare spending in fact has grown much slower than expected in the last 7 years, and we are doing remarkably well in controlling costs. 15. Racism. Not all Republicans are racist, but there sure seems to be a lot of Republican officials making racist comments, emailing racist cartoons about Obama, using the N word, not to mention the anti-Latino racism underneath the immigration stance and the anti-Muslim hysteria when talking about people from the Middle East. This racism is what drives the voter suppression, the opposition to immigration reform, the desire to cut the safety net, and the opposition to Obamacare. Anything that disproportionately helps minorities is seen as taking from deserving Whites and giving to undeserving others. Racism has fueled the Tea Party antipathy to Obama and the 50% of Republican primary voters who think Obama was born in Kenya and is a secret Muslim. The fact that elected Republicans let this cesspool of crap build up for the last seven years is part of why they no longer have control over the party. I make a very good living as a doctor, and I pay a heck of lot in taxes. A political party that appealed to me on the grounds of keeping my taxes low should have the inside track to my vote. But the Republicans have so much other baggage that I cannot take them seriously. Until they reverse the 15 points above, and rejoin the planet Earth, my support is to the Democrats. GEETA FROM P13
words is enough to thank the Edhi family for taking care of Geeta. They are apostles of kindness and compassion,” Modi said in a series of tweets. “What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured, but I am happy to announce a contribution of 10 million Indian rupees to their foundation,” he added. The Indian prime minister also welcomed Geeta on her return to India and expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his efforts that ensured Geeta’s return to India. The young woman, known only as Geeta, smiled, waved and fought back tears after landing at New Delhi airport clutching bouquets of flowers and escorted by charity workers and officials. She was hopeful of reuniting with people that she believed were her long-lost family after identifying them earlier this month in photographs delivered by Indian officials in Pakistan. But in a tragic twist just hours after arriving in Delhi, Geeta told officials she did not know the Mahato family from India’s eastern state of Bihar. “She recognised one family after we showed her their pictures. But after meeting the Mahato family today, she could not recognise them,” Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said at a press conference alongside Geeta. Geeta’s story has been closely followed in both countries in recent months at a time of heightened tensions between the arch rivals.
COMMENTARY
P22 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
Can Recurring Hajj Tragedies Be Prevented? n By Riaz Haq
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of the construction cranes crashed down on the people performing Tawaf around the Kaba.
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y friend Khan was in Makkah for Hajj yet again. He says he was in Mina for Ramy al-Jamarat (Ritual Stoning of the Devil) when a tragic stampede claimed nearly a thousand lives this year. Besides those killed, more than 800 were reported injured. It was the deadliest day for the Hajj since more than 1,400 pilgrims suffocated in a crowded tunnel near Mecca in 1990, also on the day of the stoning of the devil ritual, according to a National Geographic report.
Even though Hajj is required only once in a lifetime, my pious friend Khan has far exceeded this requirement. He has been to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage every year for more than a decade. He proudly announces his presence in Mecca and posts his Hajj pictures on Facebook as his Hajj count rises every year. While I admire Khan’s annual reaffirmation of faith, I also question whether he is contributing to the rising crowds and recurring tragedies in Makkah. Let me explain:
The Problem As the world’s Muslim population has grown to nearly two billion people and the faithful enjoy rising incomes and easy access to air travel, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of people performing Hajj. The rituals associated with it require the presence of all of the pilgrims in a relatively small
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Mina Tent City
space within a short period of time. This requirement puts tremendous pressure on the Saudi government to ensure flawless movement of millions of pilgrims. There is very little margin of error. Even small errors of the administrators or poor judgment of only a few of the millions of pilgrims in this monumental exercise get amplified leading to major loss of life. This has become almost a regular feature of Hajj with tragic deaths. Possible Solutions
The obvious include adding more capacity to handle more pilgrims and/or limiting the number of people permitted to perform Hajj every year. 1. Adding Capacity The Saudi government has been spending tens of billions of dollars to increase capacity at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the tent city in Mina and the Jamarat where the stampede occurred as pilgrims prepared to throw pebbles at three
pillars representing the big, medium and small Satan. More levels have been added around the Grand Mosque for tawaf (circling around the Kaba). The height of the Jamarat has been increased and a multilevel structure built to accommodate more people simultaneously. A large number of cranes visible in Makkah confirm the continuing massive construction projects undertaken by the Saudi government. In fact, the earlier deaths in the Grand Mosque occurred when one
2. Limit Pilgrims Since Hajj is required to be performed only once in a lifetime, it makes sense for the Saudi government to limit how often visas/ permissions are granted to people to perform Hajj. In my view, the Saudis should impose once in five years restriction on issuance of visas. In addition, the Saudis should enlist the help of religious leaders to persuade pilgrims to stagger the pebble-throwing ritual. Many pilgrims, particularly those from South Asia region, believe that they must follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by doing Jamarat (pebble throwing) at zawal time, the time between Zuhr (high noon) and Asr (mid-afternoon). This limits the amount of time for this ritual to just a few hours. The religious leaders should issue fatwas (edicts) making it permissible to do Jamarat any time from sunrise to sunset. This will reduce the number of people present near the Jamarat and reduce the chances of tragic stampedes. Summary Urgent action is needed to prevent Hajj tragedies with increasing Muslim population and greater demand for Hajj. Increasing capacity alone will not work; the Saudis must also limit the number of people permitted to perform Hajj every year. These actions will make Hajj safer for all in coming years.
Taking Shahada Was a Cleansing Experience for an American
fter indulging in the pleasures of most teenagers, Dawood Kinney of the US explains here how he finds solace in Islam after being rejected by the Catholic Church.
As far back as I can remember as a child, I was always astounded by this universe in which we live; how everything works perfectly. I used to lie outside at night on my parent’s lawn, staring up at the stars, just amazed at the unfathomable size of the heavens. And I also used to be amazed at how the human body just ticked along, heart beating, lungs pumping, with no help from me. And from that early time, I always in some way knew there just had to be a Creator responsible for all this. But then as I segued into my teens, it was much easier to succumb to peer pressure, and I lost interest in the Divine and instead devoted my time to alcohol, sex and the immature games of a young male growing up in America. Growing into young adulthood, my obsessions became money, power, a better house, a faster car and a prettier woman - all shallow pursuits. I lived this way for many years, slowly losing control of my life, thinking I was pursuing happiness when all I was getting was more depressed, more confused, and making more and more of a mess of my life. At some point, my life just sort of spiraled to the bottom and I cracked. My immediate response was to turn to God, and, having been raised Catholic, it was to that church that I turned. At the time, I had been divorced and remarried and came to find out that the Catholic Church didn’t want me. Hurt and angry, but also realizing a need for a spiritual order in my life, I turned to Buddhism. The Buddhist sect I became involved with followed a Tibetan tradition, where importance is placed on gaining empowerments, which are basically blessings from
various Buddhas. At some point I realized I was not really bettering myself, just running around gaining empowerments, performing elaborate rituals. All of a sudden, I realized that one of the last things the Buddha said before passing away was not to worship him. I realized this whole practice was based on worshipping not only “the” Buddha, but also all these other Buddhas. I became very discouraged and reverted to my old ways of indulgence in alcohol and other forbidden pleasures. And once again, I became very depressed, only this time with emotional side effects that began
to manifest in very frightening and selfdestructive ways. When I was a young man, I was very much “into” the music of Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam). When I heard he had embraced Islam, I was in the US Navy at the time and this was during the “hostage crisis” in Iran. So, I immediately drew the conclusion that Cat Stevens has become a terrorist, and I kept that belief for many years. A couple of months or so ago, I heard Cat Stevens was going to be interviewed on TV, and I wanted to hear about this crazy
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man who had left a great life to become a terrorist. Well, needless to say, I was just floored by the interview, because he was certainly no terrorist, but a soft-spoken, articulate, peaceful man who radiated love, and patience and intelligence. The very next day, I began researching Islam on the Internet. I came across a lecture in RealAudio by a brother, Khaled Yasin, and well, this lecture really put me over the top. The first one by brother Khaled is really the one that did it for me, but the other two by brother Yusuf (Cat Stevens) really speaks to those of us who did not grow up in a Muslim society. It all made so much sense, the existence of God was so simple to understand! How could I have been so stupid all this time? Well, the more I learned the more I was convinced that this was truly the path I had been searching for. It contained the discipline - physical, mental, and spiritual that leads to true peace and happiness. But most importantly, it contains that path to God. Pronouncing my Shahada was such a cleansing experience, and since this time, I have often just ... cried and cried and cried. How wonderful! I have received such a warm and embracing welcome from all Muslim brothers and sisters from around the world; I take great comfort in this, knowing that, despite any adversity or setback, I am literally surrounded by my Muslim family that will never abandon me as long as I remain Muslim. No other group of people has ever treated me in this way. I still have a very long and arduous path ahead. Accepting the reality of Islam is the easy part, walking the Straight Path is the hard part. But I pray to God every day for strength and guidance, and I just take it one day at a time, trying to improve in Islam little by little each day. – Arab News
COMMENTARY
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23
Muhammed Chaudhry – A Champion of Public Education n By C. Naseer Ahmad
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Washington, DC
ducation is the great equalizer, wise folks say. Without education, chances of success in life become diminished but with education possibilities can become endless.
Promoting education requires initiative, energy and vision. Muhammed Ahmad Chaudhry – known to friends as Mac – is a visionary leader with a burning passion for education. For decades he has been striving tirelessly to transform California’s vaunted Silicon Valley into a model for enhancing public education. And, he has much to show for this. When asked in an interview about what caused him to adopt the cause of education, Mac replied: “I got tired of being a cheerleader for products (I previously worked in brand marketing) and wanted to be a cheerleader promoting causes and initiatives for children, which was always a passion of mine. I wanted to be in a job where I could make the greatest impact on future generations.” Mac is not a wild-eyed zealot but a methodical man who understands the challenges faced in promoting and delivering quality education. For example, discussing with Silicon Valley Talk the challenges faced with public education in California’s Silicon Valley he said: “Everyone thinks that ALL Silicon Valley kids are high achievers with plenty of access to the best in education because Silicon Valley IS, after all, the center of global innovation and an incubator for awesome technological success. But there’s a great dichotomy here – on one side of the Valley (west of H101) there is a very highly-educated population of mostly white and Asian students. But on the other side (east of H101) is a very poor, largely non-English-speaking population of students who go to underserved schools with lesser resources. These children do not have college-going role models. I’m in this job to work toward eliminating that gap.” Mac is now a prominent voice for education in the Silicon Valley but is known nationally as a champion of educa-
tion. He has been invited to the White House and has been mentioned on the White House website. Stunning success, however, has not altered his downto-earth personality. For the friends who know him as Mac, he still has the same humility with which he started the San Jose-based Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) in 2001 when it had three employees, a $150,000 budget, and a trailer for its headquarters. Today, it is a formidable organization with the mission to “leverage partnerships and resources for public education, so all students can realize their
full potential.” The SVEF Board of Directors includes leaders with impressive accomplishments and credentials. With a history of achievements, SVEF is marching forward to a new objective to “make the Silicon Valley #1 in the percentage of high school graduates academically prepared to complete post-secondary education, measured by A-G requirements completion rate.” Education is an investment and SVEF has been successful is enlisting a star studded list of investors ranging from corporate titans like Chevron, Cisco and Oracle not to mention the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Mac serves as the CEO of SVEF. According to his official bio, his goal is to help prepare every student in Silicon Valley for completion of post-secondary education. Under his leadership, SVEF has become the leading education foundation serving Silicon Valley to support students, teachers and the community. The foundation achieves this through forging strong relationships with industry and the education community to develop traditional and non-traditional programs to support education. SVEF’s latest initiative is STEM - a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math initiative targeted to significantly increase the number of students completing algebra 1 and 2 as gateway subjects to academic success. Prior to SVEF, Muhammed held management positions in brand marketing with The Clorox Company and Dazzle Multimedia. He serves as Vice President of MKA USA, which is a youth development organization. He is a Board Member of the California Consortium of Education Foundation, the Hispanic Foundation Silicon Valley, Humanity First USA and an active member of San Jose Rotary Club. His personal interests include golf, long distance running, and volunteering with various philanthropic causes. Mac holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Leadership Program. He resides in San Jose with his wife, Rabia, who is chief of staff for Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese. Together, they are a dynamic duo championing the cause of public education.
‘Spy Princess’: Noor Inayat Khan n By Dr Rizwana Rahim
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Chicago, IL
icture a young Indian Muslim woman born in Moscow, brought up mostly in France where she studied music at Paris Conservatory and child psychology at Sorbonne, wrote children’s books (‘Twenty Jataka Tales’ published in 1939; still in print) and worked with Radio Paris till Hitler invaded and occupied France.
Then, picture her escape under fire to England, joining British Royal Air Force’s highly secret Special Operations Executive (SOE), dropped in the German-occupied France to secretly transmit messages back to London, getting caught red-handed by the Gestapo, kept in solitary confinement, taken to Dachau concentration camp, brutally beaten, shot and incinerated in an oven. That was on 14 September 1944, and she was Noor-un-nisa Inayat Khan, a greatgreat-great-granddaughter of Tipu Sultan. Her last words were ‘Liberte`’ (French for ‘liberty’). In April, 1949, she was given Britain’s highest civilian award for bravery (George Cross or GC; civilian equivalent of the highest military award, Victoria Cross); France did the same with its Croix de Guerre (CdG). Only two or three other British women have received similar honors, posthumously. London Sunday Express had a big write-up on her on 5 June, 1949. Not long after that, her friend Jean Overton Fuller published her biography, ‘Madeleine’ (1952) -- her SOE code-name. This book was reprinted in 1971 as “Noorun-nisa Inayat Khan, GC, MBE, CdG” (ISBN: 0214653056). Noor’s father, Pir Inayat Khan -- the grandson and pupil of Moula Baksh (both of Baroda) -- was a Sufi, mystic and musician who had traveled in the US and Europe during 1910-1926, and developed quite a following. While on a musical recital tour in San Francisco, he met the 23-year-old Ora Ray Baker (originally of Albuquerque,
NM), who was a relative of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science. They were married in 1913 in Paris, after which she took the name of Sharada Ameena Begum. Noor was born a year later (1-2 January 1914) in Czarist Moscow, while her parents were there at the invitation of Gregory Rasputin, who wanted to see the court of Nicholas II explore Sufism. Before the Revolution, Noor and her parents went to Britain, and from there later to settle in France. Their house ‘Fazal Manzil’ in the Paris suburb Suresnes, is still in the family: Noor’s younger brother, Vilayet InayatKhan, lived there till his death at 87 in June 2004. Near its gate, there is a memorial plaque for Noor, and in front of the house, French military still honors her memory on July 14 every year. Her latest biography, “Spy Princess: The life of Noor Inayat Khan” by Shrabani Basu, a London-based journalist, was recently published in the UK and is to be released in the US in March 2006 (ISBN: 0750939656; Sutton Publishing, UK; 256 pages). Apart from her own research and personal interviews with friends and fam-
ily of Noor (including with her brother Vilayet, a year before his death) and those who knew her in France, Germany and England (including some SOE officers and even former Nazis), Basu got to see quite a bit of material recently declassified by SOE. Even though a lot is still shrouded in mystery, what has been cobbled together in ‘Spy Princess’ adds some more details to the previously known facts. Before this, Noor has been a subject of novels and at least one movie, but interesting as they are, facts need to be teased out from fiction in these romanticized biographies: Laurent Joffrin’s “La princesse oubliée” (2002); Shauna Singh Baldwin’s “Tiger Claw” (2004); and Warner Br others movie, “Charlotte Gray” (2001), based on a composite character (a Scottish rather than an Indian woman). Noor’s life in France was run-of-themill, she did what girls of her age normally did. Her father died on his trip to India, when she was 13. Her mother never recovered from the shock, so Noor took charge of her three siblings and ran the household. She completed her studies (music
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and psychology), became a writer, worked, and fell in love with a Jewish musician, Armand Rivkin. When Hitler invaded France in June 1940, she and her brother Vilayet (despite their Sufi pacifist beliefs) were determined to fight the Nazis, but the French army collapsed which forced her family to escape to England, never to see Armand again. In England, she and Vilayet “volunteered” to join the British War effort, as Vilayet writes in ‘Memories of My Sister’: she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and he, the RAF to be trained as fighter pilot/bomber. Because Noor’s fluency in French was considered an asset, she was trained as a radio operator, prepared to be an underground intelligence-gatherer within occupied France. She wanted to fight for the British Empire but was also passionate about India’s independence. During the night of 16 June 1943, she and two other women were secretly dropped off in the LeMans area of France, each complete with a new identity (Noor was Anne-Marie Régnier, a woman caring for her sick aunt, separate from her codename, ‘Madeleine’). She was there to join the physician network (‘Prosper’) led by Francis Suttill, which she did. Unfortunately, within weeks, the Gestapo were able to break up ‘Prosper, and arrest a number of agents. The Germans were hearing more about ‘Madeleine’ transmissions, but she eluded them and their direction-finding trucks. She had a couple of close shaves, but she talked her way out of it. Because of the growing risk, she was ordered to return and not to transmit anymore but she didn’t want to desert her colleagues, continued to file reports on the run, and stayed on, often living and operating under the Gestapo nose. In fact, she was perhaps the only active radio-operator when the Allied troops landed on Normandy. Finally, someone (probably Renee PRINCESS, P24
COMMENTARY
P24 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
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 NAWAZ FROM P7
Armageddon. A nuclear device, no matter how low its yield, deployed at brigade level is the surefire way of moving crisis to catastrophe on the futurist Herman Kahn’s proverbial escalatory ladder. What Mr Obama may wish to consider when listening to the Pakistani perspective on tactical nukes, which abundantly cites the NATO deployment of such weapons, is that both NATO and the communist Warsaw Pact forces may have been ready to kill for their beliefs but neither was quite ready to die for them. NATO and the Warsaw Pact were not imbued with the jihadist martyrdom wish, which is the wild card that can skew the best of algorithms. The civil nuclear deal if and when it comes up in the future has to be tied to curtailing the jihadist head count, not just nuclear warheads. (The writer can be reached at mazdaki@me.com and he tweets @ mazdaki) SUBMISSION FROM P6
act but a real one that transformed them to become the trailblazers of history. It is impossible not to see them marching victorious into the courtyard of Kaaba, in full battle gear, after having suffered for years the atrocities of their neighbors, now willing to fight and die so others could live in peace without the oppression of fellow man. How far have we come from that glorious moment in time and how far have we moved away from those earliest believers in our faith. Sharab-E-Kuhan Phir Pila Saqiya Wohi Jaam Gardish Mein La Saqiya! O Saaki, serve us that old wine again, Let that old cup go round once more. Jawanon Ko Soz-E-Jigar Bakhs De Mera Ishq, Meri Nazar Bakhs De Endow the young with fervent souls; Grant them my passion and my vi-
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. 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 paysion. Tarapne Pharakne Ki Toufeeq De Dil-E-Murtaza(R.A.), Souz-ESiddique(R.A.) De Give them the capacity to feel the pain (of others) and to struggle; Give them the heart of Murtaza (Ali RA), the fervor of Siddiq (Abu Bakr RA). Iqbal May Allah inspire us once more as He inspired those early ones, that have gone before us. CRICKET FROM P4
coin, I bet, PCB would be able to recruit without much ado at least a thousand Indians who would gladly explode crackers for a pittance in the spectators’ galleries during an encounter between a foreign team and Dhoni’s side in India. The horrific stampedes caused by these crackers in just two or three matches would be enough to force the end of foreign teams playing in India. I leave it to the imagination of the PCB to contemplate the fate of cricket in India. “Na khedaan gay na khedan dian gay”!! BCCI FROM P8
of a meaningless short series with India, or a tri- series with the inclusion of the BD team, to keep PCB subservient to its grand scheme and to ensure that it does get off the hook. PRINCESS FROM P23
Garry, a sister of one of her contacts) reported her to the Gestapo for about a 1,000 Francs. Noor was promptly arrested, red-handed, with all her secret codes, notes, contacts (she was surprisingly lax about security). She was not only non-cooperative as a prisoner, but also tried, but failed, twice to escape. From Paris, she was moved to Germany, first to Karlsruhe prison, then to Pforzheim for solitary confinement and then to Dachau, where one night she was “kicked for hours into
rolls. 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 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.(To be continued…) (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.) a bloody mess,” then taken out, forced to kneel and shot to death along with three other female SOE operators, and thrown in a crematorium oven. At a memorial service in Paris, General de Gaulle’s niece said this about Noor: “Nothing, neither her nationality, nor the traditions of her family, none of these obliged her to take her position in the war. However, she chose it. It is our fight that she chose, that she pursued with an admirable, an invincible courage.” Referring to a plaque on the St. Paul’s Church of Knightsbridge, London, that honored the war dead, including Noor, the Newsweek’s George Will, wrote a touching column about her, ‘The Price of Quiet’ in August, 2001: “Noor’s was just one life sacrificed in the last century so that we could live in this one, oblivious of such sacrifices…. The [wall plaque] records a small portion of the pain that purchased this quiet.” (Repeated) GEMS FROM P25
Creator. The concept of the “even number” implies the existence of more than one of the same kind: in other words, it signifies everything that has a counterpart or counterparts and hence, a definite relation -ship with other things. As against this the term “al-watr” primarily denotes “that which is single” or “one” and is, hence, one of the designations given to God – since “there is nothing that could be compared with Him” (Ch. 112, Verse 4) and “nothing like unto Him” (Ch. 42, Verse 11). [ 3 ] An allusion to the night of spiritual darkness which is bound to “run its course” – i.e., to disappear – as soon as man becomes truly conscious of God. [ 4 ] Literally, “a [more] solid affirmation” : i.e., a convincing evidence of the existence and oneness of God.
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RELIGION
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P25
Woman Imam Leading Men and Women in Salat
Gems from the Holy Qur’an
n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi
I
slam places no restrictions on women to teach, preach and guide both women and men. “Men and women are supporters of each other. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong… (Al-Tawbah 9:71)
There are many women today who are fully qualified to be jurists (faqihah) and give religious opinions (fatawa). They do issue fatwa and teach Qur’an and Hadith in schools, colleges and universities all over the world. Many Islamic organizations, Islamic centers and mosques in America also have very learned and knowledgeable sisters who participate in their Masajid’s boards and involve themselves in administration, teaching, preaching and counseling. Muslims should give them more opportunities, allow them and encourage them to become full partners in Islamic work. Leading Salat, however, is restricted to male Imams only when the congregation consists of men and women both, whether the prayer is performed in the mosques or outside mosques, whether they are daily Salat or Friday and Eid Salat. Women are not allowed to lead such prayers. This has also been the practice of Muslims all over the world since the time of the Prophet - peace be upon him. This Shar’i ruling is not because of any notion of spiritual deficiency among women. Men and women both are equal in the sight of Allah and both of them must be fully respected and honored. Women are allowed to lead the Salat when the congregation is all female. They are also allowed to lead the Salat in their homes among their family members, if they are more knowledgeable of the Qur’an and Islamic rules. Recently, some people have started a controversy about this matter of Shari’ah. Questions are being asked about the Islamic reasons why women are barred from leading the prayers of men and women both. In order to understand the rules and wisdom of Shari’ah in this matter, following points are in order: There is a difference between Salat and Du’a in Islam. Salat is a fixed
From the translation by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) About the translator: Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam travelled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far east as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. After years of devoted study he became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age. His translation of the Holy Qur’an is one of the most lucid and wellreferenced works in this category, dedicated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (For people who think). and formalized form of prayer. Its timings, positions, posture, style including the wording and recitations, are all fixed by the Prophet - peace be upon him. It is not permissible to introduce any new style or liturgy in Salat. Du’a, however, is another form of Islamic prayer that is informal and there is no restriction as to who performs it and how and when it is performed. It can be performed in any language. It can be done individually or collectively. It can be led by males or females. In Salat we are supposed to follow the Sunnah. We cannot add or delete anything from the Salat if we want our Salat to be valid and acceptable to Allah. About Du’a one can say that since we are not forbidden to do our Du’a in a particular manner we are allowed to do it the way we want it; but in Salat every thing is forbidden unless it is allowed. For example the Prophet - peace be upon him - did not say that Salat cannot be performed in English. He did not say that you cannot have Salat in congregation six times a day. Now based on this argu-
ment we cannot start having our Salat in English or six times every day. In our Salat we stand very close to each other or as we say “shoulder to shoulder and ankle to ankle” almost touching each other. We stand in straight lines. We make ruku’ and sujud. We are supposed to pray with
Women are allowed to lead the Salat when the congregation is all female. They are also allowed to lead the Salat in their homes among their family members, if they are more knowledgeable of the Qur’an and Islamic rule sincerity and devotion concentrating our heart and mind towards the prayer. For this reason the Prophet - peace be upon him - told us that men and women should have separate lines. The lines of men should be in the front area, then the lines of children and then women. The Imam should stand in front of the congregation and should make ruku’ and sajdah before the congregation and they should follow the Imam. The ideal way in this structure of prayer service is to separate men from women
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and not allow a woman to be ahead of all men and bow and prostrate in front of them. Haya’ is a special character of Islam. It is emphasized that men and women both must observe Haya’ (modesty) always and especially in their places of worship. Prophet’s wife ‘Aishah and his Companion Ibn ‘Abbas are reported to have said that a woman leading other women in prayer should not stand in front of them like a male Imam, but in their midst. Some people refer to the Hadith of Um Warqah who was allowed by the Prophet - peace be upon him - to lead the Salat. According to the Sunan of Abu Da’ud, the Hadith says: “Umm Waraqah wanted to accompany the Prophet - peace be upon him- to the battle of Badr, but the Prophet told her to stay in her home.” Further, in this Hadith it is said that the Prophet - peace be upon him - used to visit her in her home. He appointed a person to give Adhan for her and he told her to lead the prayer for the people of her house (Ahl dariha). Abdur Rahman ibn Khallad (the reporter of this Hadith) said, “I saw her mu’adhin who was a very old man.” (Abu Da’ud 500). In another reports of this Hadith it is said that the Prophet told her to lead the prayers of the women of her house (nisa’ dariha). (Reported by Dar Qutni). This Hadith does not give permission to women to lead the Salat of men in the Masjid, it is restricted to home and according to some version only for the women of the home. Most of the scholars of Hadith and Fiqh did not use this as a general permission of the Prophet for women to be Imams of the Masajid and lead men and women in prayers. If this would have been the general case then many other very able and qualified women in the time of the Prophet and after him would have been leading Salat in the Masajid. We pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala that we sincerely follow His Din without any innovation or exaggeration. Ameen. (Repeated)
Chapter 89, Al-Fajr (The Daybreak), Verses 1-5 Consider the daybreak and the ten nights! [ 1 ] Consider the multiple and the one. [ 2 ] Consider the night as it runs its course! [ 3 ] Considering all this – could there be, to anyone endowed with reason, a [more] solemn evidence of the truth? [ 4 ] Chapter 89, Al-Fajr (The Daybreak), Verses 15-21 But as for man, whenever his Sustainer tries him by His generosity and by letting him enjoy a life of ease, he says, “My Sustainer has been [justly] generous towards me”; whereas, whenever He tries him by straitening his means of livelihood, he says, “My Sustainer had disgraced me!” But nay, nay, [O men, consider all that you do and fail to do:] you are not generous towards the orphan, and you do not urge one another to feed the needy, and you devour the inheritance [of others] with devouring greed, and you love wealth with boundless love! Nay, but [ how will you fare on Judgment Day,] when the earth is crushed with crushing upon crushing, and [the majesty of] thy Sustainer stands revealed, as well as [the true nature of] the angels, rank upon rank? ______________________ Translator’s Notes [ 1 ] The “daybreak” (fajr) apparently symbolizes man’s spiritual awakening; hence, the “ten nights” is an allusion to the last third of the month of Ramadan, in the year 13 before the hijrah, during which the Prophet received his first revelation and was thus enabled to contribute to mankind’s spiritual awakening. [ 2 ] Literally, “the even and the odd” i.e., the multiplicity of creation as contrasted with the oneness and uniqueness of the GEMS, P24
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P26 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
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SPORTS
OCTOBER 30, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK
SPORTS
Pakistan Finally Break Epic Rearguard
Yasir Shah is mobbed by celebrating Pakistan fielders as he claims victory.
DUBAI: Nobody expected it to be cut this fine. England produced one of the finest stonewalling efforts in their history only to concede the second Test in Dubai to Pakistan with only 6.3 overs remaining on the final day. Six wickets down at lunch, eight well before tea, they were indebted to more than four hours of defiance by Adil Rashid before he became the last wicket to fall. Rashid's maiden fifty in his second Test was a redoubtable effort as Pakistan's spinners tired on a surface that gradually lost its zip as the day progressed but, when least expected, Yasir Shah's legspin finally drew him into a drive through a curtain of close fielders and Zulfiqar Babar scooped up
a catch at short cover. The tension was unclamped in an instant as Pakistan completed a victory by 178 runs to go 1-0 up with one to play. It was an appropriate finale as Pakistan's two spin bowlers combined for the final wicket. They sent down 88.3 overs between them, sharing a return of 7 for 140 on a slow pitch that gave them plentiful encouragement, but no largesse. Pakistan have never bowled so many overs in the fourth innings of a Test, as both slow bowlers will be able to testify when they wake up with aching limbs in the morning. Twice, it looked as if England's defeat would be a formality, firstly when Joe Root fell in the first hour of play and again, merely a confirmation
of their plight, when Stuart Broad, silenced by a superb yorker from Wahab Riaz, became the eighth wicket to fall with 41 overs still left to bowl, the day barely past its mid-point. Should Pakistan go on to win the series 2-0, they would go second in the ICC Test rankings, quite an achievement for a side unable to play Tests in their own country because of an unstable political situation. Their presence in World T20 is threatened by Indian extremists and, as if all that was not enough, even as the presentation ceremony took place their priority was to discover more news about an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude, centred upon Afghanistan, which had shaken Pakistan's major cities. J
BCCI Tarnishing Indian Cricket's Reputation LAHORE: Isn't it annoying when those irritable environmentalists show up at every damned conference where the important men in suits and ties are discussing the lucrative prospects of building pipelines and drilling for oil? How tiresome is it to listen to those feminists spinning every story about gender discrimination into an opportunity to push their murky agenda of equal rights for women? Relentlessly striving for particular causes and rais-
ing awareness about certain issues, does run the risk of making one appear rather boring and predictable. But, and this is a key point, simply dismissing such people as "monotonous" or "agenda-driven" does not in itself actually constitute an argument against the agenda that is supposedly being driven. So when the world's most powerful cricket board treats its neighbouring counterpart with the disdain and disregard, the BCCI has reserved for
the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the last few days, it is not unreasonable to wonder whether its selfassurance is a function of said influence. When it heads an odious organisation alongside the old guard of England and Australia, all but reducing cricket to a private club and ensuring the finances keep streaming into coffers already overflowing, rewarding the others on a Pavlovian basis, one isn't left with much doubt. J
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P27
Herath and Siriwardana Seal 2-0 Series Win
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka had come into the series against West Indies in a state of flux, after having lost two home Test series in a year for only the second time. Kumar Sangakkara had retired after the second Test against India, and coach Marvan Atapattu had resigned. However, they rallied to sweep West Indies 2-0, after a 72-run win before tea on the final day of the second Test at the P Sara Oval, despite four sessions getting washed out. Milinda Siriwardana, whose 68 in the first innings turned out to the top score in the match, picked up three wickets in the final innings to trigger the slide. Sri Lanka's lead spinner Rangana Herath claimed four wickets to skittle the visitors, who began the
day at 20 for 1, for 171. West Indies' innings followed a similar pattern with one batsman making a fifty - Darren Bravo in this case and the others deflating like cheap party balloons. Siriwardana struck in his first over for the third innings in a row, having Shai Hope stumped for 35. He followed that with the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood 20 minutes before the lunch. In between, offspinner Dilruwan Perera also chipped in to prolong Marlon Samuels' lean patch against Sri Lanka. Samuels was dismissed for his ninth single-digit score against the hosts in 17 innings, when he feebly poked and nicked to slip where Angelo Mathews completed a sharp, low catch. J
Root Test Cricket's No 1 Batsman CAPE TOWN: England batsman Joe Root has regained the No 1 batting ranking, while Pakistan's wrist spinner Yasir Shah has become the second highest-ranked bowler in the world in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings released recently. Root scored 88 and 71 against Pakistan in Dubai, which has helped him reclaim the top spot from Australia captain Steven Smith. Root, who entered the Test trailing Smith by 13 points, now leads the Australian by just three points. This means the Yorkshire batsman will have to perform strongly in the third Test, starting in Sharjah from Sunday, to retain the position he first achieved following the Trent Bridge Test against Australia in August. Younus Khan, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq have also reaped the rewards of good performances in the Dubai Test, which went down to the wire. Younus has returned to the top five in fifth position following knocks of 56
and 118, Misbah has moved up five places to 11th following his scores of 102 and 87, and Asad Shafiq has achieved a career-high ranking of 12th after he scored 83 and 87. For this performance, Asad has earned 43 points, which, in turn, has put him ahead of Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brendon McCullum and Faf du Plessis. J
Three Tons Power South Africa to Cricket ODI Series Win Against India MUMBAI: Quinton de Kock, Faf de Plessis and AB de Villiers all scored hundreds as South Africa crushed India's bowling attack to post 4384 and win the deciding one-day international by 214 runs at the Wankhede Stadium. With the five-match series tied at 2-2, de Villiers won the toss and opted to bat in hot and humid conditions and could not have been a happier man at the close of their innings as his team matched their second highest score in the 50-over format. A 58-ball 87 from local boy Ajinkya Rahane and a 60 from out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan brought some cheer for the crowd but it was never going to be enough for the hosts, who folded for 224 inside 36 overs. Kagiso Rabada took four wickets while pace colleague Dale Steyn took three for the touring side to complete a 3-2 series win, their first in ODIs in India. It was only the second time that a team had scored three centuries in an ODI innings after South Africa did it against West Indies in January
this year on their way to their highest total of 439 for two. De Kock (109) continued to make merry against the Indian bowlers, scoring his fifth century in nine innings against the opponents after South Africa had lost Hashim Amla (23) early. The left-hander hit 17 fours and a six on his way to his eighth ODI hundred and laid the perfect platform for de Villiers's onslaught with a 154-run stand with du Plessis (133 retired hurt). India compounded their misery by dropping catches and du Plessis made the most of his good fortune to score his first century against India and his fifth overall after being put down twice, on 45 and 85. The right-handed batsman suffered severe cramps during the later part of his innings and had to retire but had added 164 runs with de Villiers for the third wicket before that. De Villiers, the owner of the record for the fastest hundred in the format, needed no invitation to launch into the Indian bowlers with the stage set perfectly for his pyrotechnics.J
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PAKISTAN
P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015 DEMOCRACY FROM P19
tional relations and the history of the Middle East, my actions were interpreted as engagement in a field that was insulting to the sacrifices of my countrymen. My increased interest in conflict resolution in the Middle East during my high school years earned me no small amount of criticism and the debilitation of a few personal relationships. Yet, at the American University, I am fortunate to have been exposed to both the experience and insight of people like Ambassadors Faily and Ahmed and others interested in changing the ways America involves itself with the Middle East and Islam. I have learned in a short time, through dialogue and perception, that more can be accomplished through patience and peace, than could ever be concluded through war. SALAM FROM P17
also mentioned the important strides that the organization has made in decreasing its debt, its Ramadan Program, Family Picnic and its highly successful Sunday School along with its professional management and continual outreach program. She asked the audience to think about any way that they too could be a part of this effort. ‘Your donations keep us going and your participation motivates us,’ she said. The SALAM Distinguished Award presentation was next. This time the recipients were the husband and wife team of Tariq and Sowaiba Munir who graciously accepted it. Tariq Munir is a very successful local businessman who runs a number of food businesses, including several local IHOP Restaurants, amongst others. In his humble acceptance speech he thanked SALAM for being a part of our lives and for providing Islamic education to their three daughters, two of whom have moved on and one is still attending. SALAM Scholarships announcements followed and were presented to area youth by Dr Ayad Al Qazzaz, professor at Sacramento State University who along with Dr Metwalli Amer has continued to assist area youth for the past four years. Dr Qazzaz reminded us that to date 12 scholarships have been awarded so far and that we don’t have to be famous and rich (not rich and famous) to help our youth with their studies. Three area youth were presented scholarships of $1000 each to help pay for their education at American River College, UC Davis and Sacramento State University. The keynote speech at this event was most interesting. It was delivered by a linguistic anthropologist, Dr Flagg Miller, Professor of Religious Studies at UC Davis who focuses on the culture of modern Muslim reform in the Middle East, especially Yemen which has been in the headlines recently. He is also the author of the recently published book “The Audacious Ascetic- What the Bin Laden Tapes Reveal About Al-Qa’ida”. He is an avid fan and follower of Arabic poetry, which he took the opportunity to recite here. Dr Miller’s work needs close attention, especially since he has had the opportunity to listen to and scrutinize close to 1500 tapes found in the house of someone who was once the world’s most wanted man. Interestingly, his dreaded organization which is now a household word globally is only mentioned in only one of these recordings according to Dr Miller. A full SALAM Financial update was presented next by Waseem
Bawa who highlighted the fact that although the organization has paid off its interest-bearing loan from the Mosque project, there is still an outstanding interest-free debt of approximately $850,000 owed to community members which still has to be paid back. And hence this fundraiser which was conducted this time by Dr Altaf Husain, who is well known in our community for his emphasis on social work and his excellent sense of humo,r which he uses to make sure that attendees at fundraisers part with their money and feel very happy about it! Seriously, it is always a pleasure to attend the fundraising events which he conducts. After dinner, entertainment is where the evening ended as comedian Dean Obeidallah made sure that everyone went home happy! Of Palestinian-Italian (Sicilian) descent, Dean crossed over ethnic boundaries with ease. Just like art, humor too has no borders as his comedy at this event covered a delightfully large canvas. From “Hurricane Osama” to overly spicy Pakistani food, eating pigeons instead of chickens, expensive carpets, learning Spanish and how to “Dress White (to) Make a Flight”, Dean had everyone laughing their hijabs or caps off to bring SALAM’s Fall Banquet to a wonderful and joyous end. ARMY FROM P15
the completion of the exercise each patrol faces a comprehensive debriefing session on their mission and performance. Military skills, stamina and dedication are constantly evaluated during the patrol and marked with a system of points. Teams that successfully complete their mission are awarded a gold, silver or bronze medal or a certificate of merit, depending on the total number of points they have gained. MEDIA FROM P15
“There are some people in Kashmir who want its accession with Pakistan and there are others who want its independence... But no-one supports India...” There was complete unanimity among both the groups about India’s eviction from the disputed region, he said. “Pakistan is the advocate of our cause and it runs in the blood of Kashmiris. Anti-Pakistan sentiments among Kashmiris could be a wish of the Indian government and media but not the reality,” he said. Mr Jamil said Indian media outlets had been tasked to show doctored clips about AJK in order to divert attention from the reign of terror let loose by Indian troops in the held territory. He urged Pakistani media to counter the baseless propaganda by the Indian media on Kashmir. “They show doctored clips, you need to show the reality,” he said. BLASPHEMY FROM P1
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to ensure that no innocent person is compelled or constrained to face an investigation or a trial on the basis of false or trumped-up allegations regarding commission of such an offence,” the ruling continued. In its judgment onTuesday, the court also said that calls for blasphemy law reform “ought not to be mistaken as a call for doing away with that law”. Instead they should be seen as calls for introducing “adequate safeguards” against “malicious application” of the law.
EXPOSURE FROM P1
of those left homeless by the earthquake don’t perish as a result of the cold, UNICEF says. In certain regions of Pakistan, officials have also complained of a lack of clean drinking water. The death toll has climbed to 385 since Monday, and casualty figures will likely increase once rescuers and aid workers access areas that can be reached only by foot or donkey, reports AP. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority has yet to reach many of the most badly hit areas in the country, according to the BBC. The International Rescue Committee said it is particularly worried about getting to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas in the northwest of the country. Even the Afghan Taliban, who some complain is obstructing relief work, have called for aid agencies to make a concerted push to reach victims. Rescuers Struggle to Reach Quake Survivors: Rescuers raced against time Wednesday to reach cold and hungry survivors of an earthquake that left entire communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan marooned in remote mountainous regions, as the death toll climbed to 370. Rugged terrain, severed communication lines and an unstable security situation have impeded relief efforts since Monday’s 7.5 magnitude quake ripped through the region, triggering landslides and flattening buildings. Desperate victims appealed for blankets, warm clothes and food after the quake levelled thousands of homes, forcing many to camp out in the open in freezing weather. “No one came to help us. We are sitting in open area. There was rain yesterday and no one came to help us,” said Jamil Khan, a 24-year-old quake victim in Shangla, one of the worsthit districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. Pakistan’s confirmed death toll stood at 255 with nearly 1,700 people injured, and authorities warn that the number could spike with many isolated regions still cut off. People were reported to be running out of food in many remote areas, with children and the elderly helping to dig through piles of rubble for survivors as they waited for aid to arrive. “We lost everything. We could not save anything,” said another Shangla resident, 60-year-old Hakim Khan, adding that the only thing they had been able to retrieve from the rubble was the body of a boy. Speaking during a trip to KP, which has seen the bulk of the casualties so far, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday pledged compensation for those whose homes have been destroyed. The military has been leading Pakistan’s rescue efforts, sending in medical teams, tents and rations and evacuating some people by helicopter. “Shelter and hygiene will be most likely the main needs, as it is already snowing in some of the more mountainous areas,” said Shelagh Woods, country representative for medical charity MSF in Pakistan. The World Health Organization said it has distributed medical supplies to help thousands of victims and more trauma kits for 1,200 patients would be sent in the coming days. Residents Demand Help to Rebuild Homes: Residents in a northwestern Pakistani town that was among the worst-affected by this week’s massive earthquake were seek-
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ing government help Wednesday to rebuild their damaged homes, after spending the second straight night with relatives. Authorities said Monday’s quake damaged 8,453 homes and 113 schools in Pakistan’s northwest. Rescuers in Afghanistan and Pakistan are struggling to reach regions stricken by the magnitude-7.5 quake. KASHMIRIS FROM P18
We Want Freedom From India Barrister Sultan Mahmood Choudhary indicated that the New York Million-March was the second March. The first successful one took place in England in 2014 where more than fifty thousand people participated. He said Kashmiris want a peaceful settlement but if the youth are pushed to the wall without any hope of escape, they will become disappointed which might lead to frustration. That will not help in establishing peace in the region. He therefore urged the international community to resolve the Kashmir dispute for the sake of peace and stability in South Asia. The Barrister condemned the detention of the leadership in Srinagar who wanted to go to the office of the UN and present a memorandum that was to be sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations. Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of the World Kashmir Awareness thanked the friends of Kashmir for their generosity, compassion and friendship. Fai in particular thanked the youth and women for their participation. He pointed out what President Obama had said that Kashmir KASHMIRIS FROM P18 was the long outstanding dispute between India and Pakistan. That sharply contrasts comments by the Indian foreign minster, Ms. Sushma Suraj, who is repeating the mantra that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Fai said that Ms. Suraj’s statement goes against the very foundation of international agreements which were agreed by both India and Pakistan at the UN. According to those agreements, Kashmir does not belong to any member state of the United Nations. So, if Kashmir does not belong to any member state of the United Nations, then the claim of Ms. Sushma Suraj that Kashmir is an integral part of India does not stand. Dr. Fai reiterated that tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership will help resolve the longstanding dispute over Kashmir. Syed Ali Geelani, Chairman, All Parties Hurriyet Conference, thanked all people who had come
to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Jammu & Kashmir. He said that the issue of Kashmir was about the right of self-determination which was guaranteed under the United Nations Security Council resolutions. In his video message, Mr Geelani termed the latest situation in Kashmir alarming where RSS and its cohorts have a free hand to do whatever they want. Mr. Geelani said that the occupation forces killed more than 100,000 innocent civilians in Kashmir but they could not break the will of the people. Mr Geelani appreciated the demilitarization initiative of Mian Nawaz Sharif; however, he explained that it has to be followed by holding a referendum to give the people of Jammu & Kashmir the right to chose. He also clarified that United Nations has to be mandated to supervise the state once the withdrawal of troops takes place by both India and Pakistan. Yasin Malik, Chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, in his video message expressed his appreciation for the participants in the ‘Million-March.’ He accused the government machinery in Kashmir of not giving any space for a political activity. He said that there is violation of the fundamental right of speech or assembly in Kashmir. Mr Malik said that the dialogue process has been meaningless because there is no intention to resolve the Kashmir dispute. He emphasized that the participation of Kashmiris in the dialogue process is the sine qua non for a durable and lasting resolution of the dispute which will guarantee peace and stability in the region of South Asia. Mr Malik also hit out at Mr Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, for taking a hard-line approach on the issue of Kashmir and demanded an environment where people were free to express their views and ideas. Sardar Sawar Khan, former Adviser to the Azad Kashmir Prime Minister and the emcee of the event, who along with his team spent hundreds of hours mobilizing the ‘March,’ expressed gratitude to the people for their participation. Sardar Sawar said that the United Nations has a moral obligation to respond to the cries of children coming from the streets of Srinagar. A memorandum was presented to the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York which urged him to use his good offices and appoint a person of international standing like President Mary Robinson, Bishop Desmond Tutu or Mr. Kofi Annan, as his special envoy on Kashmir and persuade India and Pakistan to initiate a peace process with the association of the United Nations as well as the genuine leadership of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
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ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
OCTOBER 30, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK
ENTERTAINMENT
A
.fter giving Pakistani cinema serious, thought-provoking films like Afia Nathaniel's Dukhtar and documentaryWithout Shepherds, Crew Films is set to delve into lighter territory with a rom-com
OCTOBER 30, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P31
titled *Ishq 2020.* This film will explore the youth's notion of love, and will star young actors Sanam Chaudhry and Muneeb Butt as the lead couple, revealed a press release. Like Dukhtar, Ishq 2020 will
also put the spotlight on a female protagonist named Rania. Sanam, whose work in TV dramas has racked up her a considerable fan following, will be making her film debut as Rania, and is understandably excited: "This is an elevation in my acting career as it's going to be my first feature film and I am on cloud 9," she said to Images. Her co-star Muneeb Butt is acting in his second film afterHalla Gulla. For Ishq 2020, Muneeb is all set to "transform himself into a muscular hulk". "The entire team of the movie is very promising and I hope that this will be a great support for Pakistan's cinema revival," said the actor about Ishq 2020. In an earlier interview with Images, Butt revealed that the film will be shot in various parts of the country, including Lahore, Bhawalpur, Naraan and Kaghan, to name a few. Butt said, "Since the movie chronicles the journey of the two main characters, in the process, we see lots of different parts of the country." Ishq 2020 will also star Marium Ansari and Furqan Qureshi, and may just even feature a cameo by a Bollywood star, if Crew Films' talks with an Indian production house go as planned. Crew Films will have six other projects in the pipeline next year, according to their press release.
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P32 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 30, 2015
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