Pakistan News And Discussion-10

utepian · 03-01-2007, 03:01 AM

A very nice blog.

http://politicalpakistan.blogspot.com/

Naresh · 03-01-2007, 03:24 AM

[center]Good governance? <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /> [/center]

WITH 53 prostitution and gambling dens in the city of Lahore alone running under the patronage of prominent ruling party politicians and policemen, as identified by the Presidentâs Secretariat, the claim that the province enjoys the distinction of good governance falls rather flat. If Punjab is rated as the best of the four provinces in governance, one hates to imagine the state of affairs in the rest of the other three, which, it is learnt, are shortly to receive similar missives from Islamabad. While the police might be busy protecting their wards, the thoroughly disgraceful situation with what it entails for the inhabitants of areas where the dens are located has been common knowledge. Strangely, the Capital City Police Officer says that the campaign against these rackets has been stepped up, as if it had been already on before the Punjab received the presidential warning. The ugly reality, as anyone familiar with it would know, is that no such activity could flourish in the country without the police being in the picture and, indeed, on the payroll of the den masters.

Opposition parties have severely criticised the provincial government for turning a blind eye to these reprehensible activities by its supporters and rightly maintained that the exposÃ© has served to show the real face of governance as well as the much-touted enlightened moderation.

Reportedly, the provincial administration has moved into action, arrested over 100 gamblers and raided a small number of dens, but not before the information had been leaked out to give influential persons involved enough time to go underground. Under the circumstances it seems hardly likely that the police will take the President Secretariatâs warning seriously and follow the CCPOâs orders not to yield to pressure, exposing all those who are at the back of these anti-social acts, irrespective of their standing in society or the government would unhesitatingly take action against them.

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Naresh · 03-01-2007, 05:17 AM

[center]Scarred for life <!--emo& Confused

tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' />[/center]

The government, according to the minister of state for information, intends to implement a national plan of action that will focus on eradicating sexual exploitation of children. According to the minister all available resources are being utilised for the provision of healthcare, free education and food to children, besides financial and technical support to the provincial governments. Child sexual abuse involving girls and boys includes numerous heinous crimes such as abduction, molestation, rape and/or sodomy, gang rape and murder. These details, that are most disturbing to say the least, are important because we tend to overlook the magnitude of the problem and the various ways in which innocent children are traumatised, and in most cases scarred for life. Further, empirical evidence suggests that those who are abused are likely to become child molesters themselves.

The issue remains neglected and is not comprehensively documented. However, some NGOs are doing good work in the field and figures collected by two -- the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) and Sahil â can be quoted to highlight the alarming prevalence of child abuse. According to them, nearly 2000 incidents of child abuse were reported in 2003. On average this meant that five children were reported to be sexually abused every day -- and it should be kept in mind that these statistics only scratch the surface. social taboos associated with this issue, due to which the child is often afraid and ashamed to even tell his or her parents or close relatives, it would be fair to assume that majority of the abuse and exploitation goes unreported. Also, the figures for, say, 2006 would in all probability be far higher compared to three years ago.

Child abuse is a worldwide phenomenon and is by no means exclusive only to Pakistan. However, what is lacking in this country is acceptance that it is more prevalent than most of us would like to admit â and it is that attitude that hinders the formulation of any policy to check such abuse and punish child molesters. As for where such abuse can happen, again going by published reports, it is not something that happens only in one's home. It has taken place in schools, places of worship, madressahs, parks, shops and even graveyards. The point is that children are susceptible to such abuse across class and economic divisions. Also the abuse does not have to be of a personal nature and sometimes manifests itself in a commercial manner : e.g. prostitution, pornography and child trafficking. One way of combating it could be to use the help of the ulema and by having in a place a support and counselling system so that victims do not hesitate to speak up. Also, and equally importantly, social attitudes need to change so that a society as conservative as ours does not frown on the victims and instead stands up to support them. One can only remain optimistic that the government's efforts will be sincerely sustained and effective even if it cannot cover the expanse of the issue, because any amount of deterrence or some form of penalisation will go a long way in saving our children from this unimaginable terror

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

03-01-2007, 07:26 AM

Pakistan is getting lot of coverage on all channels. Mushy is good or bad etc. It seems US is putting lot of pressure on Pakiies H&D. My guess, we may hear some "B" or "C" category delivered to US on platter or some phonny Pearl type of catch.

Naresh · 03-01-2007, 03:09 PM

QUOTE(Mudy @ Mar 1 2007, 07:26 AM)Pakistan is getting lot of coverage on all channels. Mushy is good or bad etc. It seems US is putting lot of pressure on Pakiies H&D. My guess, we may hear some "B" or "C" category delivered to US on platter or some phonny Pearl type of catch.
[right][snapback]65119[/snapback][/right]

Mudy Ji :

I hope you have read the following Article :

Pakistan makes a deal with the Taliban

Thus, I do not think that Pakistan will hand over even a Remotely Genuine Fake Version of the Repetitive Number Three

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

03-01-2007, 08:56 PM

QUOTEPakistan makes a deal with the Taliban
This is new deal. This dullah is US main concern now, but he is well protected by Mushy.

Naresh · 03-02-2007, 07:25 AM

A Lesson for India. A wire Fence is useless on the India-Pakistan or India-Bangladesh Borders.

They should have a Re-enforced Concrete Walled Fence. The Wall should be 10 Feet Deep and 20 Feet High.

[center]Good fences make good neighbours : Iran[/center]

TAFTAN : Iran has started building a 700 kilometre-long concrete wall along its border with Pakistan. Pakisatnâs neighbour to the west has also increased patrols along the border with Pakistan and has stepped up checks on pilgrims crossing the international border.

In addition, the borderâs zero point had not been opened for 17 hours causing a severe shortage of food and other essential items in the colonies alongside the border.

This stringent security comes in the wake of a bomb blast in Zahidan on February 17, which killed thirteen people, including nine Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials, and another incident in which four people were killed, and two kidnapped from along the Pak-Iran border. The construction of the 3-foot thick and 10-foot high wall entails the use of extra strength steel rods. Online

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Naresh · 03-02-2007, 07:27 AM

Sharp drop in Pakistanâs rice exports feared <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

03-02-2007, 11:18 AM

QUOTENuggets from the Urdu press 
Iran to play nuclear symphony
As reported in daily Express, Iranian artists will play a nuclear symphony on the eve of the anniversary of the Iranian revolution. The assistant minister for culture said that an orchestra of 100 musicians will perform the nuclear symphony on Freedom chowk on the 28th anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

Culprits of encroachment
In daily Express, the famous columnist Abdul Qadir Hassan wrote that mosques have become dangerous for our rulers. There is no difference between the demolition of the Babri mosque in secular India and the demolition of the Amir Hamza mosque in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. A Hindu who was involved in the demolition of the Babri mosque urinated on the bricks and became mad and had to convert to Islam to become normal again. But no Muslim became crazy after the demolition of Amir Hamza mosque, and had he become mad he would have had to become a Hindu to be normal. 
Â
Artificial intellect of the West
Lyrical columnist Irfan Siddique wrote in Nawa-i-Waqt that enlightenment wants to remove the surma (kohl) of the soil of Medina and Najf from our eyes so that we are blinded by the artificial shine of Western intellect. Pakistan is the vanguard of the army of terrorism and fundamentalism and also the flag bearer of the army of different colours which is fighting terrorism.

Basant culture is dog culture
Sarerahe wrote in daily Nawa-i-Waqt, that a private channel arranged a gathering of children who raised the slogans that basant is our culture. Is this a private channel or a pirate channel that wants to steal our culture and bring the sun bathing culture of America to Pakistan? The culture of basant is kaf kuttay wala culture and the rest is lachar (lewdness).

Aishwarya married to holy trees
As reported in daily Express, a human rights organisation filed a petition in the high court in Patna against the marriage of manglaik (under bad influence of stars) Aishwarya Rai with peepal and banana trees as against the Indian Constitutionâs Article 17. She was married to a peepal tree in a Banaras temple, a banana tree in Bangalore and to a god in Ayodhaya so that she would not be unlucky for Abhishek Bachan. The plaintiff asked the Bachan family to apologise for forcing Aishwarya Rai into this act.Â

Pakistanâs 20 year-old whiskey
As reported in daily Nawa-i-Waqt, an old company in the Islamic republic of Pakistan has now got the distinction of producing 20 year-old whiskey. The general manager told Reuters that malt whiskey is being sold to non-Muslims in Pakistan as the export of liquor is banned in Pakistan. Earlier, only 8 to 12 year-old whiskey was available in Pakistan.

Hindus deceiving their gods
As reported in daily Express, Indian Hindus have now started to defraud their gods. In the Indian city of Tarumala, Hindus offer fifty thousand fake rupees to Bhagwan Wanika Taishora. According to the Indian Reserve Bank, the majority of lottery tickets, registration files of property and Indian currency offered to the gods are fake . Two fake demand drafts of Rs one crore and Rs 116 lacs were also received.

Rapist maulvi nabbed by villagers
According to daily Khabrain, in a village near Pir di Hatti, Mohammad Hayat Kamboh built a house cum madrassa on illegally occupied government land and was teaching the Quran to 300 students. The maulvi is married. He was alone in the madrassa when a 12 year old girl brought a dish for him. He dragged her inside another room and raped her. On her screaming the villagers gathered around the madrassa and handed him over to the police. He had also raped an eight year old girl, who was a relative of his daughter in law. He was appealing to the press that the news would destroy his career as mudaras (teacher) of Quran.

Behind the veil
In a column for daily Jang, Fazl Haq wrote that ferangi jamhoriat (western democracy) is a lovely but dangerous rakasa (dancer). When the ill-fated commercial dome of the Jews fell in New York this dancer danced hand in hand with the western emperor Bush. Now this dancer is dancing to the tune of globalisation.

Is a suicide bomber a shaheed?
Columnist Hameed Akhtar wrote in daily Express, that the ulema-e-karam and religious leaders are responsible for suicide bombing because they are silent on it. The youth are trained and brainwashed that by suicide bombing they will go to paradise. It is the duty of ulema-e-karam to tell people openly if they think suicide bombing is according to Islam and these bombers are shaheed (martyrs). If they think otherwise then they should also publicly denounce it as un-Islamic. Therefore, was the guard of the five star hotel who saved the lives of innocent Muslims a shaheed or was the suicide bomber who killed him a shaheed?

03-02-2007, 11:19 AM

QUOTEThe construction of the 3-foot thick and 10-foot high wall entails the use of extra strength steel rods. Online
Paki are like rats they will dig tunnels as they are doing on Indian border.

03-02-2007, 11:20 AM

QUOTEAl-Qaedaâs last laugh?
Najam Sethi's
FT E d i t o r i a lÂ
For many months the American administration, backed by the American media and think tanks, has been demanding that Pakistan should âdo moreâ to eliminate the Taliban-Al Qaeda threat to Kabul. Now the demand is also echoing in the select committees of Congress. Indeed, a bill is afloat in Congress which, if passed, would link further American economic and military assistance to Pakistan to a yearly certification by the American president that Pakistan was actively engaged in helping the US fight the war against the Taliban-Al Qaeda. Potentially, if Pakistan doesnât play ball, this could have the same negative impact on it as the Pressler amendment did in the 1990s when all American aid was cut off following a refusal by Pakistan to freeze, cap and roll back its nuclear programme. In the last five years since 9/11, as a reward for waging the war against terror, Pakistan has received nearly US$10 billion from the US, and another US$1 billion is earmarked for the current year.

Mr Dick Cheney, the US vice president, was the latest in a line of international bigwigs to descend on Islamabad last week and press the same demand. In the last two months, the CIA chief, Robert Gates, and the US Secretary of State, Condi Rice, came to Islamabad with the same message. As if to confirm Americaâs worst fears, the Taliban left their latest calling card â a suicide bomber â at the gate of the mighty US air force base at Bagram near Kabul shortly after Mr Cheney arrived. Over 20 people were killed, including an American and two foreigners.

Understandably, President Bush is a deeply worried man. His Iraq strategy is in tatters and Afghanistan is unraveling the same way. Britain and his other NATO partners have got cold feet. And the American people want him to âbring the boys home, asapâ. Therefore everyone knows that the Bush administrationâs bluster of sending more troops into the two theatres of war is running on empty, that it is only a matter of time. Under the circumstances, all the old and new players are already conscious of making adjustments to protect their national interests. And these include Pakistan. Some critical questions arise.

Why has the situation in Afghanistan deteriorated to such an extent? Who is to blame and in what measure? What can be done by each of the players to salvage it now?

Following the rout of the Taliban in Afghanistan by American forces in 2002, and the courageous steps taken by President Musharraf to uproot Al-Qaeda from the urban areas of Pakistan from 2002-03, the situation was ripe for both players to press the advantage home. But America and its NATO allies shirked from injecting the pledged financial resources for nation-building in Afghanistan. Worse, they made opportunist payoffs to the warlords instead of disarming them and building a multi-ethnic Afghan national army. The straw that broke Pakistanâs back was US dependence for state building in Kabul on Tajik and Uzbek elements of the Northern Alliance (NA) that had been in bed with India throughout the 1990s. Tensions between Kabul and Islamabad exacerbated in 2005 when Islamabad began to suspect that India and Afghan intelligence might be involved in fueling the insurgency in Balochistan. That is the time when Pakistanâs military establishment began to have second thoughts about how to deal with Kabul. That is when the strategy of confronting and eliminating rebellious Pakhtun-Taliban elements in FATA was changed into one of trying to making peace âdealsâ with them and limiting Pakistani casualties. Unfortunately, this âreprieveâ has enabled the Taliban to regroup and stage a comeback, and in the process threaten both Kabul and Islamabad. If Washington and Kabul had been more sensitive to long-held Pakistani geo-strategic concerns relating to India and the Pakhtuns, this situation could have been avoided. So where do we go from here?

First, we need to address the question that if America, Europe and India can be legitimate long distance players in Kabul, why not Pakistan which is directly in the firing line of the blowback from Afghanistan? This will require greater Pakistani input into how to cobble a new Afghan political system and state that is adequately represented ethnically and is friendly to Pakistan without being a Talibanised state. Second, America and NATO will have to expend resources in nation-building and on creating stake holders not just in Afghanistan but also in the tribal areas of Pakistan to woo people away from radicalism and extremism. Third, America and the international community will have to actively support the revival of democracy and mainstream politics in Pakistan urgently so that a greater national consensus can be developed on integrating it with the global economy and stopping it from sliding into widespread anti-Americanism, religious extremism and consequent isolation.

If this democratization isnât accomplished in Pakistan while the moderate and mainstream parties still have roots in the masses, extremist religious groups will fill the vacuum of opposition politics. Should that happen, Pakistan will degenerate like much of the Muslim world, ruled by military-monarchial oligarchies in which the fundamentalists are constantly trying to break down the gates of the failing state. In the event, Al-Qaeda will have the last laugh.

03-02-2007, 11:24 AM

QUOTENo, yes, perhapsâ¦ it dependsâ¦ 
Given the rising tide of suicide bombings and other terror attacks in Pakistan, TFT decided to ascertain the views of scholars and religious leaders from various denominations. TFT asked them about suicidal bombing, its justification and possible remedies. They were also asked if they considered the trend Islamic or otherwise. And if they think it is permissible, how, why and when. Also, who determines the circumstances in which such an action might be permissible or justified? Is it acceptable to justify killing Muslims from other sects?

While some condemned the attacks without any qualifications, most hedged their words. In the second category, while some denounced such attacks inside Pakistan, they found justification for them in times of war against the infidels or in circumstances (like Palestine) where Muslims are being suppressed and do not have any other means to retaliate. Still others, while condemning attacks inside Pakistan chose to point out that the trend must be seen in light of the governmentâs policy to ally the country with the United States and, as part of that policy, to resort to military operations in the tribal areas. There are also significant differences as is indicated by the views of Prof Ghafoor of Jamaâat-e Islami and Syed Munawwar Hasan of the same party.

Similarly, while some Barelvi clerics have been more vocal in support of the trend, some Deobandi ulema, as also Ahle- Hadith, have generally condemned the trend. Interestingly, while all the scholars condemned the killing of other Muslims, no one really commented or wanted to on the issue of who is doing this and why. Even the defunct SSP leader said that such killings were un-Islamic!

TFT is reproducing below these views as expressed by the scholars and leaders. Imtiaz Gul, Ali Waqar and Hasan Sheharyar have reported them from Peshawar/Lahore and Karachi
Â Â
Is suicide bombing permissible in Islam?

TFT contacted various clerics and leaders of religio-political parties to get their take on the phenomenon of suicide bombing. Several attempts to contact Maulana Fazlur Rehman failed because the JUI-F chief remained elusive; Qazi Hussein Ahmed, the mercurial JI chief, too was reluctant because of the âtechnicality of the issueâ. Below are the views of those TFT could contact and prevail upon to speak on the issue:

Maulana Samilul Haq, the chief of Darul Uloom Haqqani, Akora Khattak, known as a Taliban mentor :
âThey will kill me if I dare issue a decree against suicide bombings,â he said, referring to some unknown threat and then went on to repeat the usual mantra: âThis [suicide bombing] is a reaction to what is going on worldwide. An international coalition is conspiring to suppress those who are fighting for their identity and freedom. Suicide bombers are a party to the war and in war no one distributes sweets.â

Sajid Ali Naqvi, the mysterious head of the defunct Tehreeke Jafria Pakistan, suspected of promoting and protecting the Iranian brand of militant Islam:

âGenerally, killing oneself is prohibited in Islam but in particular circumstances, you canât reject it. Attacks being carried out on a sectarian basis or against innocent people are completely un-Islamic, though and Islam doesnât permit them. But if these are carried out to achieve major goals, for instance, to defeat evil powers or their puppets then one canât oppose such acts straight away.â

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, who has fallen out with Fazlur Rehman for the latterâs âpragmatic and business-like politicsâ
âNo doubt, such strikes are not allowed in any religion. But instead of debating their legitimacy, we ought to look into the causes which force somebody, particularly a young man, to give up his life.The world scenario, the situation in Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan and Iraq do not allow us to issue a decree against such actions. We have been saying that Pakistanâs coalition with US-led war on terror brought this menace in the country and thatâs why the government must review its policies.â

Hanif Jalandhri, chief of the Multan-based Wifaqul-Madaris (Deobandi school of though), who lords over about 7,500 madaris across the country
âIslam doesnât permit any Muslim to attack another Muslim or non-Muslims living in a Muslim country. Recent suicide bombings in Pakistan are unlawful. The killing of a Muslim is a sin. It is an un-Islamic act and according to Islamic scholars, such a man is not a Muslim.â

Allama Javid Ahmed Ghamidi, noted Muslim scholar and member of Council of Islamic Ideology (III), Pakistan, who claims himself neither Shia nor Sunni, told TFT that suicide bombing was totally un-Islamic. âThe Quran and Hadith have denounced the killing of humanity in clear words. It is allowed in no condition, under no circumstances either by the state or the religious leadership. Even those who claim that it is permitted in a war-like situation are wrong. There is need to tighten security, have stricter vigilance, and identify the reasons behind these attacks. The religious leadership has the most important role in resolving this issue by creating awareness and denouncing those who are indulging in this activity in the name of Islam.

Munawar Hassan, JI general secretaryâThe surging trend of suicide bombings boils down to the US and government policies. Pakistan supported infidels who carried out bombings in Bajaur and elsewhere. General Musharraf and the infidels are allies and thatâs why they are facing a similar reaction. Why is the government supporting the infidels? Why are they providing logistic support to them against the Taliban?

Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, Naib Amir, Jamaâat-e Islami
Suicide bombing is completely against the teachings of Islam. No matter how bad the policies of a government, there is no justification for anyone to resort to such a brutal action. Those who are masterminding this trend and those who are being used to carry out such attacks cannot be regarded as Muslims. These terrorists are defaming Pakistan around the world. They are not Muslims and their only goal is to spread terror and anxiety. We cannot call this protest; we believe in protesting against the governmentâs policies inside and outside the parliament in a peaceful manner.

Qari Shafiqur Rehman, Spokesman, Ahle Sunnat-wal-Jamaâat, reincarnated version of banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP)
We are completely against suicide bombings in Pakistan and our party (SSP) doesnât believe in such terror acts. We neither prepare suicide bombers nor support any such action. We believe in peaceful protests, which is evident from the fact that we have not gone violent despite the governmentâs disinterest in arresting the killers of Maulana Azam Tariq and other martyrs of our party. But this phenomenon is certainly a product of the governmentâs wrong polices such as military action in Wana etc. The government should take action against those involved in such acts and also tackle conflicts peacefully so that terrorists canât use the governmentâs follies to their own interests.

Mufti Munibur Rehman, chief of Barelvi Darul Uloom Naeemia and head of moon-sighting committee

I have already issued a fatwa in which the killing of innocent Muslims in public gatherings and mosques through suicide bombings, bomb blasts and indiscriminate firing has been declared haram (forbidden). If a person engages in such activities and considers them lawful and righteous, then he is a kafir (pagan). Also, if he kills a Muslim or a non-Muslim as a result of some personal enmity, or in a state of sudden provocation, that act is a major sin. Pakistan is constitutionally a Muslim country. So when suicide attacks on worship places and public gatherings happen, the impression is that they are religiously motivated. It is said that the religious leaders and organisations persuade their followers and workers to kill people as an act of virtue which may open for them the gates of Paradise. This is wrong and defames Islam.

Those who say these are reaction to Waziristan, can they tell us what was sin of those clerics and people who were killed in a congregation in Nishtar Park? Did they order the military operation in tribal areas?

Having said this, we believe that the countries which are under the occupation of foreign, oppressive forces and where people are unable to combat the usurpers due to lack of material resources and arms, or the lands where Muslims have been deprived of their recognised human rights, and are forced to live as a slave nation â such countries and people may have a different attitude. The reason is that international law recognises the right of such nations to struggle for their national freedom and fight against occupation forces. The freedom movements in Africa and the sub-continent are a proof of this fact. It would not be right to confuse the situation in Pakistan to that in Palestine, Kashmir and other occupied territories, since the ruling for each is different from the other.

Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, Senator and Secretary-General of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Sindh
We strongly condemn such suicide bombings and believe that anti-state and anti-Islam elements are behind these attacks. Suicide attacks in NWFP and Balochistan are aimed at weakening the MMA governments in the two provinces and disturbing peace. Anti-Islamic forces are not happy with the MMA government, particularly in the NWFP and are hatching conspiracies to destabilise it. But we believe that people will foil all such conspiracies.

Mufti Mohammad Naeem, Chief of Deobandi Jamia Binoria SITE Town, a major seminary of Pakistan
Suicide and suicide attacks, in all their forms and manifestations are forbidden (haram) in Islam; these acts are not permitted by Shariah, law or ethics. Suicide bombers and their masterminds are killing innocent people and destroying families and individuals. To counter this phenomenon, ulema have to create awareness through their sermons. The government should go for a mass awareness campaign with the help of religious scholars and representatives. We must nullify the dangerous and growing impression that such attacks are in accordance with Islam. We have to tell people that this act is haram in Islam. In addition to this, the government should also refrain from creating circumstances which act as a catalyst for people to commit acts of terror. The government, instead of opting for violent action against people in the tribal areas and other parts of the country, should go for a reconciliatory strategy.

Mirza Yousuf Hussain, Chief Organiser, All Pakistan Shia Action Committee
Suicide attacks are haram whether they kill Muslims or people belonging to other faiths. This phenomenon has become so violent and ruthless that neither its victims nor the bombers know why they are killed or why they are killing. Islam has a clear take on this: the murder of an innocent man or woman is the murder of entire humanity. These people have their own interpretation of Islam and declare those with different interpretations as infidels or liable to be killed. They are defaming Pakistan around the world and get off easily because they know that the weak judicial system in the country will not punish them. What is needed is ruthless action against those involved in such acts and the strengthening of the judicial system.

Maulana Muhammad Hussain Akbar (Shia), principal Idara-e-Minhajul Hussain, Lahore, says the attacks are un-Islamic. âNo one is allowed to mount such attacks. It is not permissible whether the targets are Muslims or infidels. However, in an emergency situation like war they could be resorted to but the decision has to be taken by the state. The Holy Quran forbids the killing of humans. The wave of sectarian suicide attacks is well planned and is being provoked by certain intelligence agencies. This situation here and in the Middle East is being created to provoke Iran and this is being done by the United States of America.â

Maulana Yousuf Kasuri, President, Jamiat Ahle Hadith Pakistan, Sindh chapter Islam allows one to kill oneself in the state of war when no other means are available to defeat the enemy, but suicide attacks are against Islamic teachings. Those involved in suicide bombings are enemies of Islam and humanity and though they pretend to do what they do as opposition to US policies and Pakistanâs support to the US, they are only serving the interests of the forces of evil. The government and religious scholars will have to work in tandem to disentangle the nation from the ruthlessness of this menace.

Mufti Ubaidullah Afif (Ahle Hadith) terms suicide attacks un-Islamic. âNo one is allowed to create unrest in the world. According to our school of thought, suicide attacks are not permitted for any reason. Scholars have already issued fatwas terming such attacks un-Islamic. No one can condone these acts in Pakistanâs context. The government must ensure law and order.

Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri (Barelvi), former Punjab religious affairs minister told TFT that there was no permission for suicidal attacks in Islam, except if the commander-in-chief of an Islamic state-army had ordered a resort to it in certain critical conditions while fighting the infidels. âOnly a commander of an Islamic state-army can impose this suicidal bombing condition,â he said, adding, âBut this is justified only when war is declared by infidels against an Islamic state, the Muslim army is facing a critical situation and the army chief has to defend the state.â Qadri added that in such circumstances there was no need for ijtihad and the commander could take the decision on his own.

Apart from such an emergency, all suicide attacks against anyone, including such attacks on sectarian basis were un-Islamic. He called for awareness through media and other communication tools and stressed that the government should get ulema of al denominations to sit together and devise a proper strategy to stop this trend.

Mufti Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi (Barelvi) has a slightly different opinion. While he also favours suicide attacks in certain conditions while fighting against infidels â or when infidels impose war on the Muslims â he is of the view that only a council of senior and reputed clerics has the right to decide about and give permission for such attacks. âThe Muslims have begun resorting to this trend but it is totally un-Islamic in all other conditions [except war] and reasons must be identified before approving these attacks.â He also told TFT that Islam bars Muslims from killing other Muslims and there was no justification for sectarian suicide attacks.

About how to stop this trend, he said only justice could stop this trend. âWhen the infidels or the governments become unjust, people have to take these steps,â he said, adding, âCondemnation cannot stop this trend unless effective measures are taken and the governments realise that they need to make a proper policy on the issue.â

Maulana Abdur Rehman Ashrafi (Jamia Ashrafia, Sunni (Deoband) totally dismissed the concept of suicide attacks. âThe Holy Quran has clearly forbidden from killing people like this.â He said if there was any emergency situation, only the state could decide whether there was need to resort to suicide attacks. âNo one else has the right or authority to do so,â he said. He also said that suicide attacks were un-Islamic even against the infidels.

Maulana Fazle Raheem (Sunni-Deobandi/Jamia Ashrafia) told TFT that Islam did not approve of suicide-attacks strategy. âThis is completely unlawful and against our religion under any circumstances, at any time, against anybody and everywhere in the world.â He said the government would have to get up and evolve a positive strategy to counter this kind of brutal trend.

Maulana Ghulam Abbas Sherazi (Shia/ Pakistan-Jamatul Muntazar) told TFT that such attacks were un-Islamic. No regime has or can approve these attacks and this is completely forbidden (Haram). âThe Holy Quran and Sunnah do not permit killing humanity this way under any circumstance,â he said, adding, âThis was the trend originally introduced by the Japanese. Now the Muslims have resorted to it, but it is unlawful.â He said that Islamic scholars should come up with an effective strategy to stop this trend whether such attacks are directed towards the infidels or against other Muslims.

Mufti Salahuddin Yousaf (Ahle Hadith) also rejected any justification for suicide attacks. âSome scholars justify such attacks in certain circumstances and refer to situations like the one prevailing in Palestine where Muslims are being crushed by Israeli forces. But we believe that all kinds of suicide attacks, under any circumstances, are un-Islamic.â He quoted the Holy Quran as stipulating: âDo not kill you yourself.â âParticularly in Pakistan, such attacks are totally un-Islamic and unacceptable.â

It merits mention that the late Mufti Nizamdin Shamzai, the spiritual mentor of the Binori Mosque in Karachi, in 1998 decreed that killing Americans was justified. At a private TV discussion on February 24th, ex-LT chief Hafiz Saeed said killing innocent people was not permissible in Islam, which appeared to be a departure from what he had announced at the height of the LT campaign in Kashmir. It is a welcome change indeed.

Husky · (This post was last modified: 03-02-2007, 02:19 PM by Husky.)

Does the following have to do with Post 65 and/or 66? In any case, it has to do with TSP.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,213...01,00.html
QUOTESenior Taleban leader held in Pakistan - sources
Friday March 02, 2007

ISLAMABAD/KABUL - Pakistani security forces have captured a high-ranking Taleban leader in the southwestern city of Quetta, a senior Pakistani security official and Taleban sources said today.

The capture of Mullah Obaidullah Akhund marked the first time Pakistan had arrested a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001, and thousands of its fighters fled into Pakistan.

The security official, who requested anonymity, and the Taleban sources said Akhund, the third most senior member of the Taleban's 10-member leadership council, was arrested late on Monday, hours after a surprise visit to Pakistan by US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
(What a coincidence, arrested only hours after Cheney told Terroristan off. Is the arrested guy a decoy?)

The head of the Interior Ministry's Crisis Management Unit, retired Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, denied Akhund had been detained when asked by Reuters.

Aside from being on the leadership council, headed by Mullah Mohammad Omar, Akhund was defence minister in the Taleban government before it fell.

The arrest comes at a time when the Bush administration is facing a welter of skepticism from Democrats, the American media and several think-tanks over Pakistan's role as an ally in the war on terrorism.

Cheney had asked Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to "do more" to stop al Qaeda rebuilding its network from safe havens in Pakistani tribal lands, and step up efforts to thwart a spring offensive by the Taleban against Afghan and Nato troops.

The Pakistani security official said Akhund's arrest was the culmination of a planned operation, and was not a result of Cheney's visit. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/liar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='liar.gif' />

- REUTERS

Husky · (This post was last modified: 03-02-2007, 04:58 PM by Husky.)

On the same matter as previous post:

http://nz.news.yahoo.com//070302/5/3sz.html
QUOTEFriday March 2, 07:31 PM
Pakistan arrests one of Taliban's top three

ISLAMABAD/KABUL (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces captured one of the Taliban's three most senior leaders just hours after U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's unannounced visit to Pakistan earlier this week, a senior security official and Taliban sources said.
(Looks more and more like they have people ready to hand-over as 'top terrorist' whenever the situation calls for it. Including having some person on stand-by to please US whenever displeased US representative drops by - this covers even unexpected visits.
But it will mean more moolah for Terroristan as US pays for 'AQ suspects' - who are often actually random people, including Hindus, nabbed by ISI just for this purpose. See Mudy's post 217 of previous Pak -9 thread)

The capture of Mullah Obaidullah Akhund marked the first Pakistan arrest of a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001 when thousands of its fighters fled into Pakistan.

The sources told Reuters that Akhund, the third most senior member of the Taliban's 10-member leadership council, was arrested late on Monday in the southwest city of Quetta.

Government and military spokesmen denied the arrest had been made -- or said they had no knowledge of it -- when asked by Reuters, but the story was also front page news in Dawn, a leading Pakistani daily, on Friday.
(Hmm. The above makes no sense. If they're willing to publish it in an English language Pak paper that even people outside TSP read, then why not in Reuters?
Unless they sold the story as an 'early-exclusive' to Dawn, of course <!--emo& Wink

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /> )

"Mullah Omar's deputy Obaidullah captured" was the headline in a report that was also sourced to an unnamed official.

Aside from being on the leadership council headed by Mullah Mohammad Omar, Akhund was also defence minister in the Taliban government before it fell.

The arrest comes at a time when the Bush administration is facing a welter of scepticism from Democrats, the American media and several think-tanks over Pakistan's role as an ally in the war on terrorism.

Cheney had asked Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to do more to stop al Qaeda rebuilding from safe havens in Pakistani tribal lands and step up efforts to thwart a spring offensive by the Taliban against Afghan and NATO troops.

As defence minister, Akhund he was believed to have liaised closely with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence during the years when the Taliban was in power in Kabul and could count on Pakistani support.

FIERCE CLASHES
Akhund came from Panjwai, a district in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar that saw some of the fiercest clashes between the insurgents and allied forces last year.

The Pakistani security official said Akhund's arrest was the culmination of a planned operation and not a result of Cheney's visit.

Taliban sources, speaking on satellite telephones from undisclosed locations, said Akhund was caught at the home of one of his relatives at the Baluchistan provincial capital.
(Proves Taliban and ISI are buddies. ISI tells Taliban to hop to it, and what'd ya know? Taliban obliges.)

They said two other Taliban leaders had been arrested in Quetta this week, but the Pakistani security official could not confirm this.

"It's quite a move," Ahmed Rashid, a respected Pakistani journalist and author of "Taliban", a seminal study of the Islamist militia, commented.

"He wasn't a commander, but he and Mullah Beradar were key links to commanders in the field. He was in the shura (council) and very important," Rashid said.

While Akhund's capture would represent a major coup, it sits uneasily with Pakistan's past denials of allegations that Taliban leaders were running the Afghan insurgency from Quetta.

Musharraf said last month that he was "500 percent" sure that Mullah Omar was in Afghanistan, though he admits there are Taliban fighters in Pakistan.
(But who believes/eats Poisonous Mushroom anyway?)

The lack of arrests in the past fed speculation that Pakistani intelligence services or rogue agents have allowed Taliban leaders to operate freely.

Having supported the Taliban prior to al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Pakistan has struggled to shake off suspicions that its spies continue to play a double game in case the West's commitment to Afghanistan does not last.

U.S. generals have spoken of Taliban "command and control" centres on Pakistani territory.

Yet NATO officials have thanked Pakistan for its help in several recent counter-insurgency operations, including a U.S. air strike that killed a senior commander, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani, in southern Afghanistan on December 19.Officially: US doesn't trust Pakistan at present.
Unofficially, they're chums (after all, TSP helped in curtailing Soviets in Afghanistan). Terroristan plays its scripted part well.
'Sit. Terrorise. Good dog.'

ramana · 03-02-2007, 09:10 PM

I think this is what was going on.
TSP RAPE willingly decided to be the lapdog for the West to attain dominance in Indian sub-continent. That was the phase of the SEATO, CENTO etc where they acquired free weapons. When the Soviet Union took over Afghanistan, the TSP willingly took up all the footwork and the criminal activities like drugs to finance the ops. They also participated as the off the books lapdog for the US providing plausible deniability. This conduit was also used to gather evidence about those seeking nukes and WMD. Sort of agent provocatuer. OBL came along and created his own group of Pakibains (Gul, Omar et al) who were carrying on under the masterplan. The whole lot in TSP got disaffected as they felt cheated that they were not gaining the dominance promised to them. 911 changed all this when the chor and goonda kotwal fell out. The kotwal immediately tried to placate the chor and isolate the Pakibains and all the money funnelled to TSP is for that (Gul gloats about that to Rediff calling uncle his bank). But the RAPE knows that if the Pakibains is gone they will loose their leverage. Hence this slow release of token Pakibains. The charade will go on.

03-02-2007, 10:04 PM

QUOTEDoes the following have to do with Post 65 and/or 66? In any case, it has to do with TSP.
Yes, I told you. This is a tap dance Pakies and US do. And US still trust Pakies. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

03-02-2007, 10:21 PM

QUOTE But the RAPE knows that if the Pakibains is gone they will loose their leverage. Hence this slow release of token Pakibains. The charade will go on.
Pakibains are goose which lay a golden egg every day. It is providing Green cards and job for kids, free holiday and nice life style. Why Pakis will kill Pakibains. They are not stupid after all once they were Yindoos.

Naresh · 03-03-2007, 01:07 AM

[center]Pakistanâs Cup oâ Terrorism Runs Over <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />[/center]

[center]Iran cleric says Pakistan becoming 'terrorist sanctuary'[/center]

TEHRAN (AFP) â A top Iranian cleric accused Pakistan on Friday of becoming a "terrorist sanctuary," following an upsurge of violence on the two nations' border area that Tehran blames on plots by arch foe the United States and on Pakistan's inability to control its border.

"Though Pakistan is our neighbour, little by little it is losing its neighbourly manners. Pakistan has become a sanctuary of terrorists who kill people in Zahedan," hardline cleric Hojatoleslam Ahmad Khatami told Friday worshippers in Tehran.

Zahedan is the capital of the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which is home to a population of minority Baluch Sunni Muslims. It borders Pakistan to the south and Afghanistan to the north.

Thirteen Revolutionary Guards were killed last month when militants set off a car bomb in Zahedan, and security forces also clashed with militants in the city when a percussion bomb exploded.

And on Tuesday, four policemen were killed, one abducted and another wounded in Sistan-Baluchestan by rebels who then allegedly fled towards Pakistan.

"Pakistan should be careful not to fall into the US trap, since it will be the loser, undoubtedly," Khatami added in a sermon broadcast live on state radio.

"Iran is a strong country. Certainly being Iran's friend is much better than being the US and Israel's friend. There is no benefit in being the US and Israel's friend," he said to the habitual chants of "death to America, and death to Israel."

Iran summoned Pakistan's ambassador after the unrest last month and both sides agreed to reinforce border security.

India should send a copy of this Iranian Declaration to the O I C!

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Naresh · 03-03-2007, 02:50 AM

[center]UK also bans PIA flights <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />[/center]

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

03-03-2007, 11:54 AM

Pakistan tests nuclear capable missile Haft IIQUOTEPakistan on Saturday test fired a short-range surface-to-surface missile, which is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, media reports said.

The Haft-II Abdali missile with a range of 200 km was launched from an unspecified location, military sources were quoted as saying by the official PTV channel.

Paki can't fly PIA but hey they can fly missiles in air.
Now, US is putting too much pressure on Pakis and missile launch helps to restore H&D.
I hope Pakis have kept lot of Green paint.

Login




Remember me Lost Password?