Pakistan Link - October 2, 2015

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VOL. 25/40- 18 Dhul-hijjah 1436 H

Friday, October 2, 2015

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VOL. 25/40 - 18 Dhul-hijjah 1436 H PAGE 11

IAEA Chief Praises Pakistan’s Nuclear Safety Record A Smile and a Wave Create a New Kind of Controversy United Nations: The meeting every-

body wanted did not take place. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for home without meeting his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

The two leaders lived in the same hotel --- the Waldorf Astoria --- during the 70th UN General Assembly Session. Twice, they shared a room and used the same podium to address a summit meeting but they did not meet or talk.

Like quarrelsome neighbors forced to acknowledge each other, the two prime ministers, however, did wave and smile at each other.

This happened at the UN peacekeeping summit on Monday afternoon.

But even this half-friendly gesture generated another controversy: who blinked first?

“India wins again. The Pakistani prime minister was the first to wave,” claimed the Indian media while the two leaders were still in the meeting room.

“No, he did not,” shouted a journalist in the Pakistani media room at the nearby Roosevelt

CONTROVERSY, P28

Rivals Accuse Each Other of ‘Running away’ from By-polls Islamabad: Soon after the Supreme

Court stayed the impending byelection in Lodhran, both the PTI and PML-N took to the airwaves to lambast each other. Both PTI chief Imran Khan and Information Minister Pervez Rasheed accused the other party of trying to run away from an election which each side said the other couldn’t win.

Speaking from his Bani Gala residence, the PTI chairman claimed: “The ruling party, day in and day out, has been accusing us of quitting the electoral battlefield. After this stay order, one may ask, who is running away now?”

Mr Khan claimed the moment the government knew it had no chance of winning an election against Mr Tareen, it immediately returned to its time-tested modus operandi: securing a stay order.

In his last term as Punjab chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif remained in office on the basis of a stay order for four-and-a-half years.

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PAGE 18

PAGE 13

Power of Islamic Feminism Demonstrated

Gates, Beckham Meet ‘True Role Model’ Malala

Nawaz Proposes 4-Point Peace Agenda

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addresses the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 30, 2015

United Nations: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while addressing the UN General Assembly’s 70th session in New York, proposed a four point agenda to defuse tension between

Pakistan and India.

“Cooperation, not confrontation, should define our relationship with India,” said Nawaz.

Yet today ceasefire violations

along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary are intensifying, causing civilian deaths including women and children, he added.

NAWAZ, P28

PTI Announces Rally in Lahore on October 9 Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its October 4 sit-in Islamabad’s DChowk, party’s central organizing committee told media on Tuesday.

The announcement came after local administration on Wednesday reminded the PTI that gatherings and processions in the Red Zone are prohibited.

The party leadership said it will decide about holding the sit-in in the capital after the October 11 by-polls.

Imran confirms development: The PTI chief confirmed the development in a press conference adding that the party will decide about holding the sit-in at D-Chowk after the by-polls in NA-122 scheduled for October 11.

For news, updated round the clock, visit

www.PakistanLink.com PM Meets World Leaders on the Sidelines of UN Session Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz

Sharif, who is in the US to attend the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, held meetings with the head of different countries on Tuesday, said a statement issued here.

The premier met Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu in New York, a day before his address at the UN General Assembly.

Talking to his Italian counterpart Renzi, Nawaz said overseas Pakistanis living in Italy are playing an important role in their country’s development.

He urged the Italian companies to take benefit of the investmentfriendly environment by investing in Pakistan.

They also agreed to strengthen trade and economic relations between the two countries. The Italian premier said that a trade delegation of Italy will soon visit Pakistan.

During his meeting with PM Nawaz Sharif, Turkey’s prime minister commended Pakistan’s successful fight against terrorism.

Lawyers Demand Cancellation of Asma Jahangir’s License Lahore: Lawyers protesting in

PTI Chairman Imran Khan with party stalwarts Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Jahangir Tareen. File photo

“I myself will give a protest call to PTI supporters after October 11,” said Khan.

He took the Election Commission of Pakistan

to task again saying that the body responsible for holding elections wants the PTI to lose the bypolls adding that no official was punished despite

proven rigging in May 2013 general elections in a number of constituencies.

Khan maintained that he fears PML-N

RALLY, P28

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the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday called for the immediate suspension of the license of former Supreme Court Bar Association president Asma Jahangir for representing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in a case relating to media blackout against party chief Altaf Hussain.

The protests organized by advocate Aftab Virk and others alleged that the MQM was involved in the murders of lawyers during the 2007 movement for the restoration of judiciary.

The protesters called for the cancellation of Jahangir’s membership of the Pakistan Bar Council and other legal bodies.

Earlier last month, the LHC ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) to ensure a complete blackout of all activities of the MQM supremo in both electronic and print media.

OPINION

P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015

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n By Mowahid Hussain Shah

N

ation-building is a field not to be trifled with. It has to be above tribal, provincial, sectarian, and ethno-national barriers.

Cricket is a field where Pakistan retains a significant international presence. It exemplifies the aspirations of so many. It also serves as an extension of national identity and amity. Strife-torn Peshawar was an emblem of hope and renewal when its cricket team, against all odds, won the Twenty20 national title. All the more reason that cricket not be used as a parking space to accommodate favorites.

Look at hockey, now in shambles.

Fresh from its Ashes triumph, England is all set for its Emirates exposition where it contests Pakistan for a long 2-month tussle.

At issue here is the question of rehabilitating the brilliant young left-arm fast bowler, Mohammad Amer, who has already paid his dues and punished for his transgressions whilst a misguided teenager. Now, we are told by vested quarters that he should not be allowed in. In effect, double jeopardy. That decision must be guided solely by what is in the paramount interests of Pakistan cricket.

It is pertinent to juxtapose here examples from elsewhere on similar challenges on the question of second chances.

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Acclaimed quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons professional football team, Michael Vick, was convicted and served 19 months in prison for running an illegal

a second chance, observing that “it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail”, that he was happy with the team’s “giving someone a second chance

Michael Vick, was convicted and served 19 months in prison for running an illegal gambling ring. President Obama called to congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles team for deciding to rehabilitate Vick by giving him a second chance, observing that “it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail” gambling ring. President Obama called to congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles team for deciding to rehabilitate Vick by giving him

after such a major downfall”, and concluding that “individuals who have paid for their crimes should have an opportunity to contribute

to society again.”

There is a sub-text: the question of merit or its lack thereof.

At stake are vested interests who would not like their lucrative slots and berths jeopardized because of a better player whose talent and performance would outshine their own non-performance.

The cricket team’s coaching staff is itself tainted by implication in match-fixing, vide the Justice Qayyum report. Who will guard the guards? And, as Shakespeare said, Caesar’s wife should be beyond reproach and suspicion. Is it in this case?

Looking at the bigger picture, this is also an issue of double standards. After all the hallagulla, the bureaucratic-military complex had no shame in absorbing Zardari as head of state and saluting him as supreme commander.

Likewise, the Pakistan Embassy in Washington then had no qualms in prominently displaying the picture of Zardari alongside that of the Quaid for all visitors to see as an example of ‘Jumhuriet ka Husn.’

Not giving Amer a chance to redeem himself sends a message of a cruel and unforgiving culture.

Cruel to whom? To the small-fry.

There has been a cultural pattern of netting small fish while letting big fish go free. By not giving a second chance to this repentant kid, particularly one who has not been convicted of felony murder or armed robbery or rape, is in flagrant violation of the Islamic concept of Tauba.

Impact of Hinduization of India on Pakistan and the World

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Second Chances

n By Riaz Haq

T

CA

here have been serious questions raised about India’s secularism since its independence in 1947. Such questions have gained new urgency with the rapid rise of Hindu nationalists and the election of BJP leader Narendra Modi in 2014.

Serious doubts about India’s claim of secularism were articulated well by Indian journalist Kapil Komireddy in an Op Ed piece he wrote for the UK’s Guardian newspaper a few years ago. Here’s an excerpt from it: “Indian Muslims in particular have rarely known a life uninterrupted by communal conflict or unimpaired by poverty and prejudice.

Their grievances are legion, and the list of atrocities committed against them by the Indian state is long. In 2002 at least 1,000 Muslims were slaughtered by Hindu mobs in the western state of Gujarat in what was the second state-sponsored pogrom in India (Sikhs were the object of the first, in 1984). Gujarat’s chief minister, Narendra Modi, explained away the riots by quoting Newton’s third law. “Every action,” he said on television, “has an equal and opposite reaction.” The “action” that invited the reaction of the mobs was the torching of a Gujarat-bound train in which 59 Hindu pilgrims, most of them saffron-clad bigots who were returning home from a trip to the site of the Babri Mosque that they had helped demolish a decade earlier, perished. The “equal and opposite reaction” was the slaughter of 1,000

innocent Muslims for the alleged crime of their coreligionists.”

Komireddy goes on to describe how India’s “liberal” elite rationalize sectarianism in “secular” India: “The novelist Shashi Tharoor tried to burnish this certifiably sectarian phenomenon with a facile analogy: Indian Muslims, he wrote, accept Hindu rituals at state ceremonies in the same spirit as teetotallers accept champagne in Western celebrations. This self-affirming explanation is characteristic of someone who belongs to the majority community. Muslims I interviewed took a different view, but understandably, they were unwilling to protest for the fear of being labelled as ‘angry Muslims’ in a country famous for its tolerant Hindus.”

The Sangh Parivar’s project to Hinduize India has accelerated with the landslide victory of BJP leader Narendra Modi and his inauguration as Prime Minister of India in 2014. Some of the manifestations of this phenomenon as reported by the Washington Post are: 1.The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (or the World Hindu Council)

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launched a program called “Gharwapsi” (or Homecoming) to urge India’s Muslims and Christians to convert to Hinduism, which they said was the religion of their ancestors. It has resulted in many reported instances of forced mass conversions of Christians and Muslims to Hinduism.

2. Beef sales have been banned in several Indian states. The most egregious of such laws is the Maharashtra state law that criminalizes possession or consumption of beef.

3. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has said the Hindu scripture Bhagwad Gita must be declared a “national scripture.” Another BJP politician, Manohar Lal Khattar, the chief minister of the northern Haryana state, has said Bhagwad Gita is considered more important than India’s secular Constitution.

The above changes are just the tip of a much larger iceberg of Hindu transformation of India with major appointments of Hindu ideologues by the ruling party to key positions in education and media posts at the center and the provinces.

It’s not just in India that the Hindu nationalists are gaining strength. Their programs receive significant funding and support from non-resident Indians (NRIs).

A report entitled “Hindu Nationalism in the United States: A Report on Non-Profit Groups” makes the following assertions regarding the strength and nature of the Hindu nationalist movement in the United States: a. Over the last three decades, a movement toward Hinduizing India -- advancing the status of Hindus toward political and social primacy in India -- has continued to gain ground in South Asia and diasporic

communities. The Sangh Parivar (the Sangh “family”), the network of groups at the forefront of this Hindu nationalist movement, has an estimated membership numbering in the millions, making the Sangh one of the largest voluntary associations in India. The major organizations in the Sangh include the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). b. Hindu nationalism has intensified and multiplied forms of discrimination, exclusion, and gendered and sexualized violence against Muslims, Christians, other minorities, and those who oppose Sangh violations, as documented by Indian citizens and international tribunals, fact-finding groups, international human rights organizations, and US governmental bodies. c. India-based Sangh affiliates receive social and financial support from its US-based wings, the latter of which exist largely as tax-exempt non-profit organizations HINDUIZATION, P28

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OPINION

P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015 n By Dr Syed Amir

T

Bethesda, MD

India’s Partition Seven Decades Later

he great majority of Pakistanis alive today was either born after or was too young to remember the carnage and bloodshed that occurred in the wake of India’s independence and its transition in 1947 to two sovereign states. A number of books have been written about the tumultuous events occurring during the twilight of the Raj which led to an unprecedented mass migration of people across the new border.

Some of the earliest books on the subject were authored by the British officers, who had observed the events firsthand, being close to the epicenter of power.

Alan Campbell-Johnson, who served as Lord Mountbatten’s press attaché, meticulously kept a diary of the daily developments from 1946 to 1948, until Mountbatten left India after serving as its last viceroy, and first Governor General after independence. Published in 1951, the book entitled, Mission with Mountbatten, records Campbell-Johnson’s reminiscences and is considered one of the best sources of reliable information about that period.

Besides Campbell-Johnson, two other British officers whose work has received much attention are General Hastings Lionel Ismay, who served as Mountbatten’s chief of staff, and Lt. General Francis Tucker, who was the commander of the Eastern Command during the final two years of the British rule. Ismay devoted a section of his lengthy autobiography to his experiences during the transition period in India. Tucker authored a much-cited book, While Memory Serves, recounting the developments from the perspective of an army commander.

Later books have drawn to varying degrees upon the earlier accounts by the British writers. Unfortunately, in a number of cases, their narratives have been colored by the author’s ideological and religious biases. Recently, Nasid Hajari, Asian editor of the Bloomberg News (New York) and a former editor of

Newsweek International has authored a book, Midnight’s Furies, Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition, based on his painstaking new research.

In his first book, Hajari has attempted to explore the historic background and genesis of the legacy of hatred between India and Pakistan that has lasted for nearly seven decades.

The title of the book is reminiscent of an earlier book by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, Freedom at Midnight. While both cover the same historic events in South Asia, their narrative styles are markedly different.

The latter written exactly 40 years ago, follows a popular journalistic style, while the tenor of Hajari’s book is more serious and less sensational.

What is the rationale for adding yet another book to a crowded field and on a subject that has already been extensively explored?

The author’s explanation is that his information is drawn from new sources not available

to previous authors, citing his access to “sort of demi-official record of the period: notes, letters and diaries of politicians and military commanders, the reports of informants and freelance spies.” In the prologue, Hajari explains that he has no desire to reprise the question of “why the subcontinent was split or who was to blame for the massacres, questions that have been well explored.” Instead, his focus is on another mystery: why has the traumatic experience of partition that happened nearly seventy years ago left a legacy of lasting and indelible bitterness between the two nations who on the face of it have so much in common— a shared history, culture, and traditions. The author’s presumption however, may be a trifle overstated. The people of both countries remain captives of their unhappy past. Some of the same shared values he applauds are not fully embraced by many on both sides of the boarder. The zealots, newly empowered in India, consider the era of Muslim rule as a mil-

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lennium-long alien occupation. Similarly, in Pakistan, some believe that the nation’s history started only after the invasion by Mohammad bin Qasim early in the eighth century. The magnificent Indus Valley and majestic Gandhara civilizations evoke no feeling of pride and affinity in Pakistan.

Midnight’s Fury covers the two-year period, starting from the waning days of Lord Wavell’s viceroyalty, progressing through his r e p l a c e -ment with Lord Mountbatten, and ending with the Kashmir ceasefire in January 1949. The chapter on “Jinnah and Jawaharlal” is particularly interesting and traces the early political career of Jinnah, his leadership position in the Congress Party, when “Jinnah, not Jawaharlal, had looked like India’s man of destiny.” Jinnah is often portrayed simply as cold and unemotional, as compared to Alan Campbell-Johnson’s depiction in Mission with Mountbatten as, “If Jinnah’s personality is cold and remote, it also has a magnetic quality, the sense of leadership is almost overpowering.”

The account in the book reveals some uncanny similarities in the personal lives of Jinnah and Nehru. Jinnah married Rattanbai (Ruttie) in 1918, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Parsi businessman, Sir Dinshaw Petit, against the wishes of her father. The age difference between them was significant--she was eighteen and he was 32; the marriage soon unraveled. They had one daughter. Ruttie Jinnah suffered from some unspecified illness at age 29, was unsuccessfully treated at Paris, and died at Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay. There were rumors that she committed suicide, but these have never been substantiated. There is no doubt that Jinnah loved her dearly. With a cold, undemonstrative disposition, he reportedly was seen crying in public only twice.

Once at Ruttie’s funeral, and then when he visited her grave to say goodbye before leaving India for the last time in August 1947.

Jawaharlal Nehru’s marriage to Kamala, a sixteen-year-old Kashmir girl, was arranged in the traditional way. Nehru was twenty-five FURIES, P24

OPINION n By Dr Mohammad Taqi

T

Florida

he Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base at Badaber, outside Peshawar, came under a predawn terrorist attack this past Friday. The security detail comprising of airmen and buttressed quite effectively by the army’s rapid response force were quick to confine, contain and eliminate the 13 or so attackers.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the brazen attack in which about 30 people — half of them offering or getting ready for the morning prayers — perished. Several airmen and an army officer, Captain Asfandyar Bokhari, were killed in the line of duty. By all accounts the fallen officer and men fought selflessly to defend the Badaber facility. Hats off to them; they almost certainly averted a much larger loss of life, which the terrorists most likely aimed for. Unlike the PAF bases in Peshawar and Kamra, which were attacked by the TTP in 2012, there is hardly any tactical or strategic value attached to the Badaber base anymore.

The Badaber base was originally founded as a listening outpost for the US air force and was the takeoff site of the CIA’s notorious U-2 high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance plane, which was shot down over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960, within roughly a year of the base’s inauguration. The Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev is said to have encircled Peshawar in red on the map after the U-2 was brought down and its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, captured. The PAF camp, called

OCTOBER 2, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7

Badaber and Beyond the ‘scheme’ by locals, has been a nonflying base since perhaps the mid1960s but was a lively oasis of peaceful life for the PAF personnel and their families. US-built housing, movie theater, sports complex and a school were all part of the Badaber charm. A game of cricket and ice cream socials at the base were always great fun. It started wilting after the air headquarters, once located five miles away, was moved out of Peshawar in the mid-1980s but even the rump facility has administrative offices and residential quarters. It is one of the two PAF facilities closest to the tribal areas, the other being the Kohat base to its south. The base sits a hop away from Kohat Road, Peshawar, without much of a land cushion, making it an attractive soft target for the terrorists, even without any strategic assets there. The TTP, however, remains on the run and was neither looking for nor perhaps capable of scoring any tactical or strategic victories. The attack was terrorism in its crudest form, with the aim to inflict maximum casualties, grab headlines, energize a jihadist base and perhaps take advantage of the souring ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While stopping short of blaming the Afghan government, Pakistani officials were swift to claim that Afghan territory was used for the attack. The assertion seemed based on the intercepts of voice communication, i.e. mobile phone exchange between the attackers and their handlers. It is, however, well known that several Afghan mobile services also work for dozens of miles east of the Durand Line in the tribal areas. Chances are that the GPS coordinates of the handlers are either

not known to the Pakistani authorities or do not lead to Afghanistan. The media reports that five terrorists were confirmed to be of Pakistani origin while the others might be foreigners took the wind out of the Pakistani claim’s sails. Regardless of the origins and location of the handlers, over a dozen attackers, clad in Frontier Constabulary (FC) uniforms, could not have made their way to Badaber from Kunar or Nuristan, Afghanistan or, for that matter, from Darra Adam Khel in Khyber Agency next door, on the morning of the attack. Just like the attacks on the PAF bases in Kamra and Peshawar and the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar, the terrorists had to have had local sanctuary and logistical support for days prior and indeed a mole inside the targeted base.

The media has reported the Badaber base authorities had been warned twice recently by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa counterterrorism department about an imminent attack.

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Whether that warning was heeded and, if so, in what way, is not known.

What is well known though is that almost all TTP honchos had escaped unscathed from first the Swat operation and then Zarb-e-Azb. Barring a couple of TTP men like Muslim Khan, who was arrested way after the Swat operation and allegedly died in custody, none of the jihadist linchpins are known to have been arrested or killed by the Pakistani forces. The TTP’s former emir, Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed in a US drone strike — an event memorialized by certain Pakistani leaders virtually wailing at his death — while his successor, Fazlullah, was able to escape from the Swat operation. Some of the jihadists were alleged to have set up shop across the border in Kunar and/or Nuristan, Afghanistan, in the exact same areas that have been a Pakistan-friendly jihadist hotbed for decades. The US and ISAF forces pulling out of those border regions in 2011 did not help the situa-

tion and the possibility of a pocket or two of the TTP types having survived there cannot be ruled out conclusively.

Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani’s categorical statement that his country “has never nor will it ever allow its territory to be used against other states” followed by a phone call to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offering condolences is a welcome sign. Dr Ghani has previously taken action in the border regions, including drone use, to flush out any terrorists that could potentially threaten Pakistan.

More due diligence followed by action to smoke out any lingering elements may be in order. Afghanistan stands to gain little from a tit-for-tat use of jihadist proxies but has a world to lose, including the moral high ground it has held all along. Thankfully, Dr Ashraf Ghani’s policy and practice of zero tolerance for terrorism of all shades has been abundantly clear not only to the outside world but also to any potential adventurist inside Afghanistan.

The Afghan president’s calls to Pakistan “to jointly fight alongside Afghanistan all terrorist groups without discrimination so that peace and stability are ensured” will unfortunately fall on deaf ears again. Pakistan has spurned such requests in the past and indeed has willfully squandered opportunities to become the anvil to the hammer of Afghan and US forces in the past decade and a half. It is also unlikely that, going forward, Pakistan will quit picking and choosing between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban.

For assorted expediencies, the kidglove treatment to the known jihadistinfested religious seminaries, the Afghan Taliban and the India-oriented jihadists did not change even after the APS attack and are likely to remain BADABER, P28

OPINION

P8 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015 n By Syed Kamran Hashmi

L

Westfield, IN

ike an expert predator, the terrorists swooped down on Badebar Airbase in Peshawar last week, killing thirty people including an Army officer and wounding many more. Without counting the numerous smaller attacks which afflict two to three individuals every time, the jihadists have carried out their third successful major strike in the last one month. Put another way, we have lost three time against the extremists within a month.

A few days ago on August 16th, Lashkar e Jhangvi (LeJ) sent two suicide bombers in retaliation to the killing of its leader, Malik Ishaq, in police custody. Their target was the Interior Minister of Punjab, Shuja Khanzada, a vocal critic of banned sectarian organizations. According to reports, the suspects entered the facility without going through any security check points, and zoomed in on the victim in the meeting place, moving closer, stealthily avoiding attention. Once they had ascertained the former military officer stood in their range, they detonated the explosives. The ensuing blast was huge causing the entire building to collapse. The roof gave way too, entrapping dozens of people, most of whom died under the rubble.

What makes the situation

Peshawar Attacked again worse is that the Minister was warned before the assault to take appropriate precautions. I am not sure if he beefed up his security to prevent such a tragedy; even if he did, those measures failed as he went to meet his maker in the attack.

After targeting Attock, the Northern district of Punjab which borders Khyber PakhtunKhwa (KPK), the terrorists jumped over to Multan, a southern dist r ic t, slaughtering more than thirty people in a bomb explosion. We were still recovering from its shock that they pounced on Peshawar, again, like a master planner who pays attention to every detail and ties all the loose ends before the event.

The question is if we in response are tackling this war as skillfully as it should be tackled. Or are we playing ‘The Hulk’ who gets angry and starts destroying everything which comes in front of him, shoots indiscreetly and bombs the areas on jet planes without a specific target? I am not sure. What I am sure about is that the enemy eludes us and stays way below the radar, underground, well connected and well organized yet we fly thousands of feet above the ground in the air, aloof and oblivious. For us to win though, we have to change that culture. We need to penetrate its organization from within before we can destroy them through an overt military operation, a strategy that they already are working on and we may have ignored.

Our strategy till now is to

belittle the jihadi groups and consider them imbeciles, lunatics with no agenda, criminals without any moral conviction. That policy of course has not yielded good results. Sometimes, trivializing the enemy to boost up the morale of the people and to ward off fear from their minds, works, I agree.

On the downside though, underestimating the enemy can induce laziness and inculcate overconfidence, an attitude that we come across everywhere. Allover Pakistan, people believe it’s a matter of days - not even weeks - that we can uproot every terrorist hideout once the establishment has made up its mind. And since no one knows what the establishment in fact wants, the failure which mocks us through these killings, is either attributed to the involuntary complicity of the agencies or is because of the involvement of foreign

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hands. In other words, we refuse to consider these attacks as our genuine inability to handle the situation, a capacity issue more than the issue of intent. Why is it so hard to admit that the enemy, no matter how insane and ignorant, has outsmarted us?

Don’t you think it’s time that we recognize the strengths of our adversary who keeps on making such assaults; the resilience of its network which stays unscathed after one year of nationwide military operation; its determination to fight back even in the most unfavorable circumstances, and its outreach from one corner of the country to another? We must focus on the pluckiness of these gangs, rather than deriding their weaknesses; and appreciate their commitment rather than scoffing at their beards and outfits. That, in turn can help us to launch a better, smarter and

more vigorous counter insurgency campaign and prepare us for a war which will be stretched over years, not days or months as we expect. It may also pull us out of a looming defeat while we dream of a victory.

Remember last year too, after the Peshawar school massacre, we thought the capital of KPK would be converted into a fortress that cannot be penetrated - heavily guarded and religiously protected.

We were committed to turn it from being one of the most vulnerable cities in the world to the safest; united to send a message to the world that we know how to defend ourselves. That we were a country with a large professional army consisting of brave soldiers and talented officers. That we have the most powerful spy agency in the world, its significance recognized internationally. And that the time to show patience is over and even though it took us a long time to conclude how to respond to these offenses but we are now determined to fight back and we will do whatever it takes to eradicate violence in the name of religion. Anyone from that day, it must be known to every organization who plans or tries to attack the city, will be dealt with an ‘iron fist.’ Both the military and the civilian administration seemed to be on one page in their resolve.

Then, how come a year later, more than dozen people disguised as soldiers in the paramilitary uniforms storm a mosque located within the airbase and mow down tens of worshippers? Where is our iron fist? Has it softened up after targeting the wrong spots for so long?

OPINION n By Dr Basheer Ahmed Khan

A

Garden Grove, CA

llama Iqbal has made some interesting comments about the chasm between material progress and the moral and social decline in the West in his preface to another collection of his Persian poems, Payam e Mashriq.

Payam e Mashriq (Message from East) was written in the early part of the 20th Century as a posthumous tribute and an address to the German poet Goethe.

The chasm between the material progress and the moral decay had pushed Europe into wars and destruction which had adversely affected people in the West and stirred its writers and poets. Goethe and Herder were impressed with Persian poets like Hafiz Shirazi, Sh Saadi, Firdosi, etc., and tried to lift the moods of the Europeans by imitating this style in their poetry and started an Eastern Literary Movement in the West.

This movement was not particularly impressed with anything in the Persian society other than what was needed: the message of hope and love.

Through his poems in Payam e Mashriq Allama Iqbal suggests the correct national, moral and religious attitude that is essential for nations to progress and live in peace with other nations. Allama Iqbal tries to give this message through his poems in Payam e Mashriq to his fellow poets in Europe that love and hope is not enough to come out of the morass that the mankind is in after the destruction wreaked by wars; it needs good religious and sound moral principles.

Allama Iqbal says the problem which the West faces is occasioned because its intellectuals are bestowed with watchful eyes but do not have a heart that is motivated by spirituality. He says: Dil e Bedaar Nadadand Ba Dana- e- Farang Ein Khadar hast ke Chashm e Nig-rane Darad He further says in the following couplet that the peripatetic, sophists and illuminati have polluted the fountainhead of knowledge and consciousness of Europe and darkened the whole world.

Mukad-dar Kard Maghrib Chashma Haae Ilm o Irfaan Ra Jahan Ra Theera thar Sazad che Mash-shai che Ishraqi.

In his preface to Payam e Mashriq, Allama Iqbal makes an interesting observation: Europe did not pay heed to its poets like Goethe, scientists like Einstein and philosophers like Bergeson because of their pride in the antiquity of their civilization. He pins hope with America which has no baggage of the past to care about in accepting new thoughts. It is pertinent to remember here that even though America was discovered by chance by the Spaniards in search of gold, it was built by those who left Europe after persecution by the inquisition of the church and by the anarchy of the renaissance to build a nation of hope for the suffering people under God. It is now up to us Americans to show whether we are one nation under God or an attempt to revive the old Roman Empire of intrigues and intrusions. Our standing in the world and its future depends upon this.

It is indeed difficult for the world to follow the rules of God when Muslims with their lofty claims about their religion are an object of pity.

When Shaikh Obaidullah Sindhi met Stalin to propose Islam as a way for the emerging Soviet Empire, Stalin is supposed to have retorted that when none of the Muslim country had adopted Islam as its way how could you expect us to do so (Mohammad Mian in Reshmi Roomal Tahreek).

By ignoring the realities that were revealed through Prophet Muhammad SA more than 1400 years ago, and what was laid bare by Shaikh Munairi RA 700 years ago, and what Allama Iqbal tried to inspire in us through his inspirational poetry, the decline of Muslims continues while Islam is being blamed for it wrongly. We seem to love some misguided people who have been successful in fooling us in the name of religion more than the true religion given to us by true prophets of God and the honest Islamic scholars.

On the other hand what was inferred by Descartes only four hundred years ago was accepted whole-heartedly by the Western civilization and has taken it to its zenith of material progress. By giving morality and religion a lesser place because of the psyche developed by the in-

OCTOBER 2, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9

Fikr-e-Iqbal - 3 quisition of Church, and to placate all the other civilizations to participate in our way of material success, we might be enjoying the material success in the West but are suffering different kinds of serious problems. On the other hand, the Muslim world is suffering in poverty and Muslims are led to believe that their religion and their loyalty to outdated morality is the real impediment to their progress. Iqbal is calling Muslims to wake up to material realities and calling the West to moral imperatives necessary to make their lifestyle a model for the world through his poetry.

Iqbal is neither for the distorted religion nor for irresponsible free thinking. He wants to correct both through correct thinking. He understood the errors which we made in religion through free and irresponsible thinking to suit the need of our rulers, and invited them back to the source and not its misguided interpreters. He corrected the malady of free thinkers through scripture and common sense values. Qur’an was his only reference which he showed to a British journalist who came to interview him and requested him to show his library. The following couplets show his reverence and respect for the Qur’an and his dismay at the way it is being neglected and abused.

Faash Goyam Aanche Dar Dil Muzmar Asth Ein Kitab e Neest Cheez e Deegar Asth The unequivocal conviction of my heart is that Qur’an is not a book but something more, something different.

Bar Khor Az Qur’an Gar Khwahi Sabaath Dar Zameerash Deeda Am Aab e Hayaath.

Benefit from Qur’an if you want eternity, Qur’an will enrich your spirit with elixir of life.

Choon Ba-Jaan Dar Rafth, Jaan Digar Shawad Jaan Choon Digar Shood Jahan Digar Shawad If you imbibe the message of Qur’an your life will change, it is not just life, the world around you will change, says Allama Iqbal in the above couplet.

Khwar Az Mahjoori e Qur’an Shudi Shikwa Sanj e Gardish e Dawraan Shudi The despicable state we are in is because we have neglected Qur’an and we are blaming everyone, everything else for it.

Blaming the correct reason for Muslims’ failure, Allama says in the following couplet: The misguided Muslim jurists are ever ready to change the interpretation of Qur’an to suit their interest instead of changing themselves according to its true spirit.

Khud Badalthe Nahin Qur’an Qur’an Ko Badal Dethe Hain Kis Khadar Hain Ye Fakhihan e Haram Be Taufeekh.

Some of these misinterpretations stem from an attitude of expediency. One of the major mistakes which we have made with regard to understanding the religion is: we think that all the cultural baggage with which we came into the fold of Islam is also a part of religion. The second mistake we have not been able to overcome is that we did not discard the distortions that were made in the religion of God to suit the needs of the rulers by some selfish scholars even though many a true scholar and mujtahid have pointed them out to us. These distortions have now become a part of religion under the patronage of successive rulers and centuries of practice on them. All the suffering we undergo because of this waywardness is conveniently explained as a test from God which is inevitable for every “True Believer”. Without convincing masses on such baseless justifications for their pitiful conditions it would not have been possible for our rulers then and our politicians now to make the devout religious people a fodder for their campaigns to gain power and holding onto it.

As the followers of all the prophets before Muhammad SA had justified their wrong actions by attributing them to their ancestors (Ch2 V170), Allah sent His final messenger Muhammad SA with this caution for his followers: They (people before you) were a people who lived their life earning their due, you will not be asked about their deeds, but you are answerable to your own deeds (Ch2 V141). To reinforce this concept of individual responsibility Allah further said: You will all be accounted individually for your actions

(Ch19 V95). The same way Nations are also held accountable for their collective consciousness over which they join under their leaders with their flags (Ch11 V98). By ignoring these important injunctions of personal responsibility and hoping that by justifying our misdeeds by attributing them to our predecessors, we can carry the baggage of antiquity without slipping deeper into the morass is a deception we are willfully inflicting on ourselves. Man is bound to err as to err is human but by repeating same mistakes again and again knowingly we are not only playing into the hands of devil but have become devils. There is redemption through repentance (Ch4 V17-18) but repentance is not a passport to more of the same mistakes but a tool to find the way from wilderness to civility, from confusion to serenity.

In response to a question as to who has got the right to be in peace and guided, Allah says in the Qur’an: The one who believes and does not corrupt his belief in what He has revealed to mankind through His prophets and do not make transgressions in it are the ones who have the right to be in peace and be guided (Ch6 V81-82).

If those of us who claim to have belief in what was revealed by Allah through His prophets, but do not have peace should check the correctness of our beliefs and actions. Unfortunately by interpreting Zulm (Darkness) in this verse as Shirk (attributing partners to Allah) we have kept the believers complacent about the other types of Zulm (corruption) which we have allowed into our faith and our actions. This is despite the fact that Nabi SA in a hadith has explicitly said: He SA is not worried that his follower will be involved in Shirk e Jali (attributing partners to Allah and worshipping idols) but he is worried about their involvement in Shirk e Khafi (Hidden Shirk) which he said is Riyaa, that is hypocrisy (Musnad Ahmed and Shuab Al Iman). He SA further said while Noor (the light and guidance from Allah) is one, Zulm (Darkness) is many (Muttafiq un Alai). And to think that shirk alone is the darkness about which Allah cautions us in the above verse has allowed us to lose sight of the other mistakes we are immersed in in matters of our religion.

Indeed Allah tests (Ch67 V2), but only those who work to promote virtues and oppose evil to the best of their capacity irrespective of if you are a Muslim or not. We have seen this in the example of the county clerk M/S Davis who refused to sign Homosexual marriage license and was put into jail. The chaos that we have created in our attempt to replace the corrupt and inept regimes does not appear to be a test from Allah but our own ineptitude and our own error in understanding the letter and spirit of Islam in relation to such matters. The warning by Qur’an to the heedless and irresponsible is that Allah does not test them but allows them to be destroyed by their self-righteous hubris (Ch43 V36-39).

With subjectivity in philosophy, anarchism in politics goes hand in hand, says Dr Russell (HOWP). Matters of religion and philosophy are kept subjective even today for politics to reign over an anarchic world. Allama Iqbal has elaborated on this notion in his philosophy and poetry and has made strong political foes. The following

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couplet summarizes his philosophy when he says: I have exposed the myth of the so called “Free Thinkers” (Khalandars) so that the universities and seminaries are free from the shackles of these misguided individuals.

Kiye hain Faash Rumooz e Khalandari Main ne Ke Fikre Madrasah o Khan-khah Ho Aa’zaad.

In the following couplet Allama calls the conscientious and conscious people to action sighting the example of Moses; communicating with God was not enough for Moses, Moses had to use the staff, which was a symbol of effort and power, to secure the release of the suffering people from the exploitation of Pharaoh.

Rishi ke Faakhon se Toota na Brahman ka Tilism A’asa na ho tho Kaleemi hai Kaar e be buniyad.

Allama is not against free thinking. He wants responsible thinking where people develop the skill to understand the right from wrong and are ready to forego self-interest for greater good.

He is not against democracy; he wants people to become aware of the ploy of the politicians who want to have their way through the vote of misinformed public misguided through mass media controlled by vested interests. He is against those free thinkers who invoke the mantra of freedom of thought and expression to give a feeling of empowerment to the disenfranchised only to advance their heinous agenda, and to make the intellectual and spiritual man a base social animal. He says: Aa’zaadi e Afkar se hai unki Tabahi Rakh-the Nahin Jo Fikr o Tadabbur Ka Salkiha Ho Fikr Agar Khaam To Aa’zaadi e Afkar Insaan ko Haiwan banana Ka Tareekha.

The test for all of us is whether we show courage to accept the truth, or continue to portray truth and reality as relative so that we can have our way through propagation of false ideas and ideologies and blame them on others, be it religion, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sunnis, Shias, Wahhabi, Salafi, or West and Machiavelli. This deceit is the ploy of those who do not have the moral courage to own their mistakes and are always on the lookout for scapegoats to pass on the onus of their irresponsibility.

We can’t exhibit the moral courage to accept and amend our mistakes if we make intellect alone as our guide, because intellect always thinks of our material benefit. We should make our hearts filled with the love for humanity to be our guide to come out of the morass. Love is the quality of God. It is His pure love that is sustaining all of us despite our blunders. It is His love which is feeding the sinner and the pious alike in the hope that sinners will one day come out of darkness after experiencing His love and their own callousness. Allama Iqbal says in the following verse: I am a free thinker because I have allowed the love in my heart to reign over my intellect.

Man Banda e Aazadam Ishq asth Imam e Man Ishq Asth Imam e Man, Aa’khl asth Ghulam e Man. Allama Iqbal is not against the value of intellect but he wants us to understand its limitations. Allama considers both love and intellect as partners in an enterprise to understand the truth and build a better world based on it. But he values love more because of its spontaneity and selflessness. Intellect is like love and is aware of the suffering of mankind but love is willing to take risk while intellect is cautious in its action. The following couplet confirms this view: Aa’khl Hum Ishq Asth, wa- az Zau’khe Nigah Be-gana Neesth Wa-le Ein Be-chara Ra Aan Jur-ra’athe Rindana Neesth.

Allama further says in the following couplet: Love and intellect both lead us in the path of life.

While love leads us to our destination instantaneously, intellect responds to the problem in a measured way.

Har Do Ba Manzile Ra-waan Har Do Amir Kar-waan Aa’khl Ba Heela Me Burad, Ishq Burad Kashan Ka-shan Intelligence is quick to act when it serves our interest even at the risk of putting the whole world into danger. It procrastinates and IQBAL, P21

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Sharif Calls for Implementation of UN Resolutions on Kashmir

Pakistan Conveys Concern over Indian Ceasefire Violations

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to play his due role in getting the UN resolutions on Kashmir implemented to bring an end to Pakistan-India tensions

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry in New York

New York: Prime Minister Nawaz

New York: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has conveyed Pakistan’s concerns regarding ceasefire violations

by India on the Line of Control to the United States, Radio Pakistan reported.

According to a statement released by Pakistan’s mission to the US, these reservations were expressed by the premier during a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly session in New York. The prime minister also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue.

Highlighting the achievements gained against militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) through Operation Zarb-eAzb, which has now entered in its concluding phase, the premier said these successes have improved the security situation in Pakistan.

Kerry lauded Pakistan’s counter terrorism efforts and the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb and expressed condolences over the terrorist attack on a PAF base in Bada-

Sharif raised the Kashmir plebiscite issue with United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon on Sunday and wanted the UN Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) strengthened, Pakistani media reported.

The prime minister urged the UN chief to play a role in defusing tensions between Pakistan and India and help end the violations of the Line of Control for promoting peace in the region.

He also called for the implementation of UN Security Council’s resolutions on the Kashmir dispute, and holding of a plebiscite to determine the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

In a statement, Ban’s spokesman said that during their meeting “the secretary-general stressed the necessity for Pakistan and India to continue their peaceful dialogue”.

The statement said that they also discussed “the fight against terrorism and violent extremism” and that Ban also asked Pakistan “to continue engaging Afghanistan in order to help stabilize the country”.

India insists that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue and opposes any international involvement. Pakistan is of the view that Indian policy of bilateralism has failed as the Kashmir issue remains unresolved even after more than 60 years. Speaking at the UN Summit on sustainable development goals,

Pakistan’s Proposal for Plebiscite in Kashmir Irks India New Delhi: The Indian govern-

ment has dismissed Pakistan’s suggestion for holding a plebiscite in Jammu Kashmir, saying the disputed territory was an ‘integral part’ of India, The Hindustan Times newspaper reported on Monday.

“Kashmir is an ‘internal’ issue. It is an ‘integral part’ of India,” India’s State Minister for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told reporters. It may be mentioned here that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon before his speech to the UN Sus-

tainable Development Goals in the United Nations on Sunday.

According to the Pakistan mission, Nawaz Sharif urged the US secretary general to play a role in defusing tension between Pakistan and India and to help end violations at the Line of Control.

Nawaz called for implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu Kashmir and holding of plebiscite to determine the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Ban stressed on the need for a dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve tension between them.

Meetings with World Leaders Were Positive: PM

New York:

Terming his meetings with the heads of government and state on the fringes of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly positive and productive, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said these provided an opportunity to talk on all issues, including economy, politics, extremism and regional peace.

Talking to journalists, he said the meetings also provided an opportunity to know one another’s point of view on various issues.

To a question about his meeting with UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon, the prime minister said he

reiterated Pakistan’s stand on the Kashmir dispute, which needed to be resolved on the basis of the Security Council resolutions and in keeping with the aspirations of the Kashmiris.

He urged the UN secretary general to get the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir implemented, as it was the duty of the UNSC to get its resolutions implemented. To another question, the prime minister said he was deeply saddened over the loss of lives in the Mina tragedy and expressed his condolences with the bereaved families.

Sharif focused on development. He said that “development strategies remain first and foremost national undertakings”.

While most of the speakers stuck to development themes, a few like Presidents Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Nicolas Maduro Moros of Venezuela and Rafael Correa made anti-West statements.

Sharif will have another opportunity during the annual general debate of the General Assembly to raise the Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Azaz Ahmed Chaudhary has said that India violated ceasefire on Working Boundary and Line of Control more than 400 times so far in 2015.

Pakistan to Facilitate Afghan-Taliban Talks

New York: Adviser to the Prime

Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz while attending a high level event on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly said the peace and prosperity of Afghanistan was essential for Pakistan’s own security.

Aziz reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the Afghan people and hoped that the Afghan peace process would be resumed soon, as this was an important pre-requisite for peace and stability in the country. He said Pakistan was ready to facilitate peace talks, if the Afghan government so desired. He said that Pakistan’s efforts to persuade the Afghan Taleban to participate in peace talks should not, however, be interpreted as an indirect endorsement of the current surge of violence in Afghanistan.

The event “Afghanistan’s Peaceful Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation” co-hosted by Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and United States Secretary of State John Kerry was held on Saturday.

Participants of the event included Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cevdet Yilmaz and the foreign ministers of

TALKS, P28

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ber.

Kerry said US President Barack Obama is looking forward to Prime Minister Nawaz’s visit to Washington in October.

During the meeting, matters relating to peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, as well as the overall security situation in the region, also came up for discussion.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Acting Representative of United States for Pakistan and Afghanistan Laurell Miller said the US urges both Pakistan and India to engage in a dialogue and take steps to de-escalate tension on the borders.

Responding to a question about the heavy cost Pakistan is paying in the war against terrorism, Miller said the US recognizes Pakistan’s sacrifices.

Commenting on the on-going reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, Miller said her government “absolutely and strongly” supports the peace process in Afghanistan, adding, “We appreciate the efforts Pakistan government has taken to that end.”

IAEA Chief Praises Pakistan’s ‘Impressive’ Nuclear Safety Record

New York: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukia Amano praised on Sunday Pakistan’s ‘impressive’ nuclear security record.

In a meeting with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry on the sidelines of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the IAEA chief said the agency is ready to help Pakistan and other countries achieve sustainable development goals.

“The IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Program with Pakistan was one of its largest in the world,” Amano said, while appreciating the country’s excellent cooperation with the agency.

Amano expressed his complete satisfaction on the implementation of the IAEA safeguard measures in Pakistan.

Thanking the IAEA chief for mutually beneficial cooperation which Pakistan has enjoyed with the authority as one of its founding members since 1957, the foreign secretary said, “Pakistan deeply values the role played by IAEA in the development of peaceful use of nuclear technology.”

“Pakistan attaches the highest priority to nuclear safety and security as a national responsibility,” Chaudhry added. Further, he said the country’s nuclear power plants and research reactors were under the IAEA safeguards and Pakistan was abiding by the necessary obligations in this regard.

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Death Toll of Pakistani Pilgrims in Mina Stampede Rises to 42

62 Pakistani pilgrims were still missing and all-out efforts were being made to trace them

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf has confirmed that at least 42 Pakistanis lost their lives in Mina stampede.

Speaking to the state-run PTV on phone from Saudi Arabia, the minister said 62 Pakistani pilgrims were still missing and all-out efforts were being made to trace them.

Earlier, Prime Minister’s Focal Person Dr Tariq Fazal said the number of Pakistani pilgrims killed in the incident was 40.

The pilgrims were killed in a crush at Mina, outside the holy city of Makkah, where over two million people were performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Fazal said 40 bodies of

Pakistani pilgrims had been identified, adding the total death toll stood at 1100.

He reiterated that all-out efforts were being made to locate the missing Pakistani pilgrims, saying Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia was personally visiting all hospitals and mortuaries to find out about them.

“PM’s secretariat has the list of all missing people, which will contact their families and keep them updated,” he said. “Pakistani embassy has also uploaded pictures of all the pilgrims who lost their lives in the incident.”

Fazal said two helplines had been established by the government to facilitate the families and relatives

Eurobond Gets Lukewarm Response

of the victims, i.e. 042-111-725-425 for local and 800-116-622 for international callers.

According to a list published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the deceased include Hafsa Shoaib, Zarin Naseem, Syeda Narjis Shahnaz, Bibi Zainab, Mahmood Arshad, Rasheedan Bibi, Zahid Gul, Dr. Ameer Ali Lashari and Makhdoomzada Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani, Abdul Rehman, Shehnaz Qamar, Islam Ahmad, Bushra Bibi, Muhammad Hasrat, Azeem Khan, Muhammad Idrees, Aamir Muhammad Malook and Gul Shahnaz.

Pakistan’s Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Manzoorul Haq said 135 missing Pakistani pilgrims have been traced.

Bill Gates, Beckham Meet ‘True Role Model’ Malala

“I was fortunate again to meet the incredible and inspirational Malala. A true role model to so many people,” said Beckham

New York: Nobel laureate Malala

Yousafzai seems to be having a lasting effect on everyone, from world leaders to celebrities.

Almost two years after meeting for the first time, the 18-yeat-old was reunited with football superstar David Beckham, who gushed about her in an Instagram post.

Beckham shared a picture with Malala on his Instagram account on Monday, with the caption: “I was fortunate again to meet the incredible and inspirational Malala. A true role model to so many people.”

The two first met in October 2013 when the sporting icon presented her with the Pride of Britain Award.

Earlier on Sunday, billionaire philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates shared a photo with Malala, praising her work for the women and girls.

“We’re lucky to have such a passionate advocate for women & girls,” said Gates, adding that his daughters would be jealous of his photo with Malala.

Malala was in New York for the adoption of a new UN development agenda, which aims to end extreme poverty in 15 years. On Sunday, she also attended the Global Citizen Festival to show support to the United Nations’ Global Poverty Project – aimed to end extreme poverty in the world by 2030.

India and Pakistan at War in Cyberspace!

Delhi: India and Pakistan have long

Islamabad: Pakistan’s third attempt

in the last year and a half to raise debt by floating a dollar-denominated Eurobond has received a lukewarm response from international investors, restricting its option to borrow only $500 million at a very high interest rate of 8.25%.

On Friday, the finance ministry said it had issued a $500 million Eurobond with a maturity of ten years in the international market at a coupon rate of 8.25%. “Under the circumstances, the finance minister decided that it would be prudent to restrict the issue to the announced level of $500 million in order to cover the forthcoming maturity in March 2016 of a bond issued in 2006,” the ministry had said in its statement.

The country, however, appears to be in a debt trap; it is borrowing to retire borrowing. The government paid 6.12% over and above the US treasury rate for ten-year bond – a cost that highlights investors’ senti-

ments about the health of the country’s economy.

The 8.25% interest rate was equal to the one the country paid in March last year when it had raised $1 billion for ten years, highlighting that international investors did not see any improvement in economic conditions of the country.

Despite the distressing economic situation and low credit ratings by international credit agencies, the March 2014 bond issue somehow had gotten a better response when the investors offered almost $6 billion to Pakistan.

The 8.25% rate was in dollar terms, which is even higher than the Pakistan discount rate – a rate at which central bank lends money to commercial banks. The March 2014 Eurobond interest rate was less than the discount rate of that time.

The finance ministry said BONDS, P28

been known to be at war with each other. Either at the borders, or a game of cricket. And today, the war has gone digital.

Late Saturday night, the official website of the Kerala Government: kerala.gov.in, was hacked by a person identifying himself as Faisal Afzal aka ‘Faisal 1337’ for reasons unknown.

The text on the homepage at that moment was reportedly, “Official website of the RC Office,Govt of Kerala- New Delhi Hacked! Pakistan Zindabad.” Also mentioned below was, “We Are Team Pak Cyber Attacker. Security is just an illusion.” In an attempt to spread the word faster about his ‘so-called achievements’, the hacker also mentioned about his attack on his Facebook page.

Without a doubt, the news spread like wild fire all over social media. It was no longer about a government website or an Indian website being hacked. It had now blown into being an attack on India – by a Pakistani hacker!

How did India react: Within a few hours of the attack, an Indian hacking group returned the favor.

Going by the name, “The Mallu Cyber Soldiers” the group claimed responsibility of the retaliation. It announced that over 100 Pakistani websites were hacked, as payback to the Pakistani hack of the Kerala Government’s website.

They also posted a message on their Facebook page, “!!Message to Script Kiddies of Pakistan ….Do not touch Indian Websites !!! Now your 46 Pakistan government web-

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sites got crashed and 4 educational websites got defaced. This is a small payback for hacking kerala.gov.in.

Faisal 1337 go home kiddo, you are .….d.”

The group went on to share the list of the websites hacked, at that time as well. Few included Pakistan’s government website Pakistan. gov.pk, president.gov.pk and cabinet.gov.pk. But the ‘cyber-war’ did not stop there. In the same Pastebin message, the group ‘Hell Shield Hackers’ stated that the motive behind this attack was to retaliate against the attack on the Kerala government website.

“Indian Hackers haven’t hacked a single Pakistani site after 15th August 2015. But Faisal Afzal hacked kerala.gov.in .. Dude? We are not sleeping. If you even touch an Indian site, we will crush you up.. :3.

Now feel the heat pakistan.gov.pk hacked,” the group said.

Reaction by the others: The

Government from both nations have nothing to do with it. According to reports, the unofficial ‘cyber war’ between the two countries had actually begun in 2010, and is waged by patriotic hackers on both sides, every day.

According to a report by The Times of India, State IT mission director K Mohammed Y Safirulla said the government was worried over a possible backlash following the afternoon’s developments. “I met the principal secretary and discussed the issue. Officials concerned have been asked to stay vigilant,” he said. The framework of many government websites were not updated for the past five years. “Hence, an immediate overall upgradation is not possible,” he said.

Cyber security expert Benild Joseph said, “Cracking of the Kerala Government website exposes the vulnerability of our official

CYBERWAR, P28

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More than 20 PML-N, PPP Members Join Pakistan Tehrik e Insaaf

Army, Rangers to Be Deployed for Punjab By-Polls: ECP

Those who joined the PTI in Lahore included Mian Ikhlaq Ahmed Guddu from the PML-Q. They made the announcement at a ceremony attended by PTI Punjab organizer Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and candidate for NA-122 Aleem Khan

Army and Rangers personnel will be deployed in the constituencies of NA-122 Lahore, NA-144 Okara, NA-154 Lodhran, PP-147 Lahore and PP-16 Attock

Lahore: The Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) has intensified its campaign for NA-122 (Lahore) and NA154 (Lodharan) by-polls and local government elections. More than 20 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid (PML-Q) supporters joined the PTI on Sunday.

Those who joined the party in Lahore included Mian Ikhlaq Ahmed Guddu from the PML-Q. They made the announcement at a ceremony attended by PTI Punjab organizer Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and candidate for NA-122 Aleem Khan. Nazir Mughal, candidate for vice chairman in UC 121, withdrew his candidacy in favor of PTI’s Mehr Abdul Waheed.

Sarwar said that people from other parties joining the PTI indicated that support for the PTI was rising. He said the PTI had welcomed the 20 political workers af-

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided on Monday to deploy Pakistan Army soldiers and Punjab Rangers officials during the upcoming by-polls in Punjab.

Army and Rangers personnel will be deployed in the constituencies of NA-122 Lahore, NA-144 Okara, NA-154 Lodhran, PP-147 Lahore and PP-16 Attock, a press release stated.

The country’s top electoral body has written letters to secretary interior and secretary defense asking them to issue necessary directions for the deployment of sufficient strength of the army and

ter consultation with its leaders and workers.

Sarwar demanded that the army be deployed at polling stations to ensure fair elections. “Otherwise, it will be difficult for us to accept bypoll results.”

Two former MNAs and two former ticket holders also announced that they would support PTI’s Jahangir Tareen in the NA-154 elections.

They were former PML-N MNAs Akhtar Kanju and Zawar Warraich, former ticket holder Ahmad Nawaz Joiya, former MPA Qasim Khan Malaizai and former secretary to parliament Tahir Malaizai.

Akhtar Kanju had been elected MNA from NA-155 twice. Zawar Warraich had lost the 2013 general elections. The PML-(N) has given its ticket to Umair Khan Baloch, son of Siddiq Khan Baloch, who has been declared ineligible by an election tribunal. The Kanju group, led by MNA Abdur Rehman Kanju, has great in-

PTI, Government Lock Horns over Venue of October 4 Rally Islamabad: The capital administra-

tion has offered Parade Ground near Faizabad as the venue for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s October 4 rally.

Talking to Dawn, senior police and administration officers on condition of anonymity said the government had categorically refused to allow the PTI to hold its rally at D-Chowk in the Red Zone.

The capital administration and the PTI leaders have held several meetings and the last one was held on Wednesday.

“We told them to choose any other venue outside the Red Zone,” said a district administration officer. He said the PTI had yet to come up with a reply about the Parade Ground.

The officer said the capital administration had directions from the authorities concerned to refuse the request of PTI for holding the rally at D-Chowk.

The officer said there were three to four other options for the venue, including Zero Point, Kashmir Highway adjacent to Aabpara or Constitution Avenue and F-9 Park.

Similarly, Jinnah Avenue will also not be given to the PTI for holding the gathering.

“It is feared that the partici-

pants of the procession may damage the multi-billion metro bus project at Jinnah Avenue.”

“We are expecting that in the next meeting with the capital administration, the PTI will choose a venue outside the Red Zone,” he added.

Last year, the PTI and PAT were allowed to hold their sit-ins on Kashmir Highway near Aabpara.

But later the two parties moved to the Red Zone after removing the barricades and staged their sit-ins at D-Chowk.

The officer said the local administration did not want a repeat of last year’s incident.

But both the police and administration officers also said it was yet to be decided as to how to intercept PTI workers and leaders if they tried to enter the Red Zone.

“Obviously, the Red Zone will be sealed by placing containers on the roads leading towards the area and with the deployment of law enforcement agencies.”

When contacted, the head of the PTI media section and central deputy information secretary, Chaudhry Rizwan, said the capital administration during the last meeting verbally offered them a

HORNS, P28

fluence in Lodhran. Abdur Rehman Kanju is the son of slain minister Siddiq Khan Kanju.

The group had won six provincial assembly and two national assembly seats in the 2013 general elections in Lodhran. By-election in NA-154 will held on October 12.

Separately, Lahore organizing committee’s Farrukh Javed Moon said PTI chief Imran Khan would join the election campaign this week. “Khan is expected to arrive in Lahore on September 30,” he said.

The party has planned a twoday campaign after Lahore High Court suspended an Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification banning MNAs and MPAs from campaigning.

Abdul Aleem Khan had announced on Saturday night that Imran Khan would lead the final round of the campaign. The PTI chief is also expected to inaugurate party offices in the constituency.

Rabbani Wants Govt. to Brief Senate on Mina Tragedy

Islamabad: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has asked the government to brief the house on the Mina tragedy in which at least 40 Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives.

“In view of the state of anxiety among families whose loved ones are performing Haj this year and they haven’t heard from them, Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has asked the government ministers to clear the air,” says an official handout issued by the Senate Secretariat here on Monday.

“The unfortunate tragedy at Mina has become a source of concern and anxiety for the affected families in Pakistan,” Mr Rabbani said in separate letters sent to Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf.

“The Senate will be in session on Monday (Oct 5) at 3pm and it will be appreciated if a comprehensive statement on the said situation is made…”, reads the letter.

Interestingly, Mr Rabbani has written the letters at a time when both Mr Aziz and Mr Yousuf are away from the country.

Mr Aziz is accompanying PM Sharif during his visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly session and the religious affairs minister is currently supervising the relief and rescue operation in Saudi Arabia.

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Rangers personnel for the by-polls.

The ECP also asked parliamentarians to submit their yearly statements of assets by the end of the current month.

The coveted NA-122, Lahore, seat fell vacant after an election tribunal found irregularities in the 2013 general elections, ultimately forcing Speaker Sadiq of the National Assembly to step down.

Similarly, the NA-154, Lodhran seat was vacated after the disqualification of PML-N’s MNA Siddique Baloch on a petition filed

by PTI’s Jehangir Tareen over alleged rigging in the general elections.

Senate Committee Mock Drill for Voting Passes NUMS Bill by Overseas Pakistanis Islamabad: The Senate Defense Committee on Monday passed the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) bill giving sweeping powers to the army-run medical university.

The bill makes NUMS an autonomous body in setting standards of medical education bypassing the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the federal watch dog and regulatory body of medical education throughout the country.

The committee meeting was presided over by chairman Mushahid Hussain Syed and was attended by secretary defense, deputy surgeon general of the Pakistan Army and other senior officers of defense ministry and proposed NUMS board other than committee members senator Farhatullah Babar, Maulana Ataur Rehman, Lieutenant General (retired) Abdul Qayyum, Lt Gen (retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi and Brigadier (retd) John Kenneth Williams.

Dissenting note by PPP’s Farhatullah Babar: Objecting to the Bill in its present form, committee member and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar suggested that a clause be added making it mandatory for NUMS to follow PMDC laws and regulations in matters of prescribing a uniform, minimum standards of courses and minimum qualifications and experience required for medical professors and teachers.

“NUMS may become a world class medical university but it cannot be allowed to become its NUMS, P28

Islamabad: Officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan will brief a sub-committee of the parliamentary body on poll reforms about arrangements made for a mock exercise for voting by overseas Pakistanis on Tuesday.

According to the agenda of the meeting, the sub-committee headed by former law minister Zahid Hamid will also review the “final draft” of unified election laws.

Talking to Dawn on Sunday, Mr Hamid said the sub-committee had asked the ECP about two weeks ago to hold the mock exercise by fielding fictitious candidates and allowing overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes and submit a report to it.

He said the ECP officials would brief the sub-committee about the mock exercise.

In reply to a question, he said the sub-committee and the ECP had discussed a number of proposals such as use of postal ballots, voting through internet and in-person voting to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis.

Mr Hamid said members of the sub-committee wanted the ECP to carry out the mock exercise after seeing results of the experiment of using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the recent by-election held on a National Assembly seat in Haripur.

A lot of issues related to EVMs had surfaced in some polling stations, he added.

He claimed that the sub-committee would soon complete its task, but refused to give a deadline.

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Community Link Friday, October 2, 2015

VOL. 25/40 PAGE 18

PAGE PAGE 22 17

egum PAGE 21

Prominent Islamic Scholar from Pakistan Dies

18 Dhul-hijjah 1436 H

Women in Islam: Exploring New Paradigms

For news, updated round the clock, visit

Comments at Odds with Principles

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Sir Syed Day & AEEF Benefit Dinner in the San Francisco Bay Area

One finds that the situation of parts of the worldwide Muslim community is not unlike their decline in India after 1857 and that the second option that Sir Syed chose – to acquire knowledge to become competitive in the modern world - is the only way forward

T

n By Ras H. Siddiqui

he Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Northern California (AMUAA) held its 19th Sir Syed Day event at the ICC in Milpitas on Saturday, September 19, 2015 with a wonderful night of good food, charity and Urdu poetry, to honor and remember not only the founder of the esteemed university but also in a way to continue his mission.

Born on October 17, 1817 in Delhi, Syed Ahmad was bestowed with two titles, “Khan” from the Indian viewpoint and “Sir” from the British Empire. Today he is most commonly known as Sir Syed the educationist, modernizer, reformist and eventually leader of India’s once myopic Muslim community which after the final defeat of the Mughal Dynasty in 1857 had gone into a rapid decline. And due to the determination that Sir Syed showed in setting up the MAO College in 1875 (which later became AMU in 1920) a people were lifted out of their slumber, and his imprint survives to this day as he is honored by doctors, engineers, scientists and tech-

nologists around the world, people who got the opportunity to enter their professions through the doors of Aligarh Muslim University.

The intellect inspired by an AMU education or association to it is reflected in the annual bilingual (English-Urdu) publication of the Sir Syed Day Aligarh Magazine which was distributed at this event. As an indicator of the diversity of ideas presented in it, the obituary section alone is a trip through history and memory lane.

It was also a delight to see that the Sir Syed Day Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 went to actor, director, producer, author and living legend, Zia Mohyeddin Sahib.

The evening started off with food in the Mughlai tradition and a long social segment. This annual gathering brings people from all over Northern California as the alumni bring their spouses or, in some cases, both husband and wife are Aligarians. In any case, this is a meeting of friends and classmates too or for some (like this writer) for a time for a nostalgic look back to the generation of their parents. And non-Aligarins/ AMU well-wishers are always welcome and are

drawn here by their love of Urdu and a wish to support education.

Black Sherwani attire is a signature of AMU and remained quite visible here. Sir Syed Day formalities here were once again conducted in two parts, the first focusing on AMU and Sir Syed along with a fundraiser for the Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (WWW.AEEF.US).

The second part was once again the International Mushaira where Urdu poetry is recited by guest poets both locally and as far away as Canada, India and Pakistan.

The formalities began with the traditional recitation from the Holy Qur’an by M.A. Sarodi. This was followed by an introduction of the evening activities by AMU luminary Mrs Amtul Suhail who also took the opportunity to thank all the event sponsors Kamil and Talat Hasan, Ashraf Habibullah, Syed Sarwat, Jamal Qureishi, Ms Reshma Hyder and Mifam Team, Satish Dardal and Zaheed Kajani who made this grand evening possible.

Dr Shaheer Khan, a long-time AMU Alumni leader and activist, next elaborated on the

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Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (AEEF) with the help of a documentary which helped to educate those who might have not been already familiar with the mission that this educational effort undertakes. He said that our generosity will be tested after we had the opportunity to view the video. To educate a child through the AEEF costs just $10/month and 100% of the funds raised here are spent directly on educating those in need. A breakdown of expenditures on various projects (Aligarh Modern School, Hamara School etc.) undertaken in the year 2014 and thus far in 2015 were detailed. Shaheer also mentioned that the annual budget for this effort was approximately $100,000 and that $50,000 had already been raised so the target for the evening was the remainder. The goal was to provide education, vocational training, coaching, mentorship and support of students at premier institutions of higher education. To help in the fundraiser Mrs Shahla Khan came up to the stage and expressed her sentiments on the AEEF impact as she had recently visited DAY, P20

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Prominent Muslim Women Demonstrate Power of Islamic Feminism to American University Students

The guest speakers were Madam Ambassador Shaista Jilani of Pakistan, Dr Amineh Hoti, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Center for Dialogue and Action, and Ambereen Shaffie, a Pakistani-American environmental attorney

n By Brianna Curran American University Washington, DC

A

mbassador Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University (AU) and the former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK, convened his class on the World of Islam on Sept. 18 to discuss Women in Islam. Introducing the session he explained that while he could talk of the subject the best speakers are women themselves.

His guest speakers were Madam Ambassador Shaista Jilani of Pakistan, Dr Amineh Hoti, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Center for Dialogue and Action, and Ambereen Shaffie, a Pakistani-American environmental attorney, who all shed light on their experiences as Muslim women and discussed the importance of interfaith dialogue and educational development for women in Pakistan and elsewhere.

Each of the speakers are distinguished Muslim women who have made significant contributions in spreading religious tolerance and women’s rights. Dr Amineh Hoti is the co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Rela-

tions (CMJR) at the University of Cambridge, as well as the Executive Director of the Society for Dialogue and Action, the first center in Pakistan to offer courses on diversity at the university level. She discussed the vitality of facilitating interfaith dialogue as a means of spreading tolerance and equality between men and women, in Pakistan in particular. She emphasized the importance of education as a means of understanding the “other,” as it is society’s only way to achieve peace. Dr Hoti closed by saying, “It is a real privilege for us as speakers to be here, but also for this platform to be here where people of different faiths can come together. Dr Ahmed is playing a key role, because one of the biggest misunderstandings is women in Islam.”

Madam Ambassador Shaista Jilani, wife of Pakistani Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani, emphasized the strength and respect that is given to women in Islam, which receives little attention in the media.

She discussed the Pakistani community’s drive to increase educational access for women and girls in rural societies following the attack on Malala Yousafzai, and the ever-important role of women in Pakistan. Jilani

also noted the emphasis placed on education in Islam, and the Qur’anic duty of all Muslims to seek knowledge in the world. After graciously thanking the class, Madam Ambassador shared her experiences of the visit, saying, “I loved the class. This was my first time visiting a class to speak, and I truly enjoyed interacting with such brilliant students.”

International environmental attorney and Fellow at the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute Ambereen Shaffie took care to explain the intrinsic feminism that exists within the Qur’an, highlighting the value of women’s work in the home, women’s right to inherit property, and the significance of the family of the Prophet Muhammed in the development of Islam. For example, Ms Shaffie discussed Khadija, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife and the first Muslim in Islam, who was a prominent businesswoman in her own right. That the Qur’an explicitly grants equality and rights to women is a concept often overlooked by Western media outlets, Shaffie explained. However, Shaffie noted that it is important to change the existing paradigms surrounding women in Islam, so female Islamic scholars can continue to educate people on the

rights to women granted through the religion’s doctrine.

Following the speakers’ opening statements, Ambassador Ahmed opened the discussion to questions from the students. A lively discussion ensued, with students inquiring about the difference between tribal customs and the laws set forth in the Qur’an. The importance of separating the two, Shaffie said, is imperative. The fusion of tribal law with Islam has created a new identity, in both positive and negative ways. On the one hand, this relationship has led to an immense and beautiful diversity within Islam. On the other, many tribal customs, such as honor killings and female genital mutilation, have become falsely equated with Islam, a connection which has led to the spread of Islamaphobia and the impression that Islam treats women poorly. Madam Ambassador Jilani added that education plays a key role in differentiating between tribal law and Islamic law. It is important for Muslims to read the Qur’an and become educated on the religion itself, so that they can recognize the role of tribal culture on their local customs.

As a young American woman focusing on peace and conflict reso-

lution strategies in the Middle East, it was incredibly enlightening for me to hear the speakers talk about their experiences as Muslim women.

In the US today, we are constantly bombarded with misinformation about women in Islam, and there is very little emphasis placed on differentiating tribal law from the religion itself. However, the strong and successful women on this panel taught me that if we take the time to look at the foundations of Islam, we will find examples of feminism and equality everywhere.

In the wake of several examples of Islamaphobia in the US, like the arrest of 14-year old Ahmed Mohammed in Texas and recent antiMuslim sentiments expressed by several Republican presidential candidates, it was inspiring to see the enthusiasm of young American students extending a hand to the Muslim community and seeking to understand the foundations of Islam.

The panel discussion revealed to Ambassador Ahmed’s students that only through interfaith dialogue and through productive discourse about Islam and society can we spread tolerance and peace, and seek answers to the problems of today’s greatest religious and political challenges.

Rest in Peace, Shahab Ahmed, Prominent Islamic Scholar from Pakistan n By Beena Sarwar

A

beautiful sunny day… and Shahab Ahmed’s funeral. His friends, including prominent scholars some of whom had known him for decades and traveled long distances to be there, like Kamran Ali Asdar and Shahnaz Rouse; many from Harvard like Homi Bhabha, Parimal Patil, Asad Ali Ahmed, Martha Minnow, Asim Khwaja; students and former students now themselves teachers; family members; all devastated and in shock. We were together in this panel at Harvard on the ‘blasphemy’ issue a few years back. I had last heard from him in July when his then fiancé Nora replied on his behalf to an email I’d sent. That’s when I learnt he was ill in hospital. My report today, basically just getting the facts out for now. Thanks to Nora for sharing his biographical details and photo at her time of grief. (NOTE: Updated below with comments from Michael Cook, his dissertation advisor, and others):

Prominent Islamic scholar Shahab Ahmed, originally from Pakistan, was laid to rest on Saturday morning at the historic Mt. Auburn cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his adopted home. Born in Singapore on

Dec 11, 1966, he passed away on Sept 17, 2015 in Boston.

Dr. Ahmed’s former student Suheil Laher, currently a lecturer on Arabic at Harvard University, led the final prayers at the graveside. The scholars and students who participated in his final rites included men and women, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jews, and atheists — appropriate, given Dr. Ahmed’s inter-faith work and inclusive outlook.

Diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia in June, doctors had planned a transplant for him that his sister Dr. Shahla Ahmed, a gynecologist in London flew in as a potential donor for. However, the transplant option had to be ruled out as his condition deteriorated.

Dr. Ahmed’s parents, Razia and Mohammed Mumtazuddin Ahmed, both doctors, had been with him for some days. They returned to Pakistan a week ago, hoping for a miracle.

Also bereaved is his wife Nora Lessersohn, a Ph.D. candidate in History and Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University. The couple tied the knot on Aug. 1 this year.

“I am dumbfounded,” said Prof.

Shahla Haeri, an anthropologist at Boston University who has lived and worked in Pakistan. “How could a young intelligent energetic and excit-

ing man like Shahab be dead? I am so sorry to hear that and want to extend my deepest sympathy to his wife, his family, and his friends.”

Shahab Ahmed was considered one of the world’s most promising and exciting new scholars in Islamic studies. Growing up in different countries, he attended primary school in Singapore, and did his GCE “A” and “O” Levels in Surrey, UK. After obtaining a law degree from the International Islamic University, Malaysia he obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Arabic Studies, both from American University in Cairo. He also taught there for a couple of years, 1998-2000.

In 1999, the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University, awarded him Ph.D. He was a Junior Fellow, Society of Fellows at Harvard University (2000-2003) then returned to Princeton as a Visiting Lecturer and Research Fellow (2004-2005).

In 2005, he returned to Harvard as Associate Professor of Islamic Studies. He also served on the University’s Committee on the Study of Religion.

His last academic appointment at Harvard was at the Law School, where he was a Lecturer on Law, and Research Fellow in Islamic Legal Studies (2014-15).

Shahab Ahmed also taught in

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Shahab Ahmed in Pakistan. Photo by Rehan Lashari, courtesy Nora Lessersohn

Pakistan at the Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University in 2007-2008, on leave from Harvard, and planned to return to Pakistan to teach again.

A recipient of several awards, distinctions and fellowships, Prof.

Ahmed was looking forward to rejoining Princeton University in the coming academic year.

His much anticipated first book What is ‘Islam’? The Importance of Being Islamic (Princeton University Press) to be published in December this year, has garnered critical acclaim

from respected scholars in the fields of law and Islamic scholarship and history.

It offers “a new way of looking at Islam,” says Prof. Muhammad Qasim Zaman, Princeton University. Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman terms the book as “not merely field changing, but the boldest and best thing I have read in any field in years.”

Engseng Ho, Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Professor of History, Duke University has called the work “Strikingly original, wideranging in its engagement, subtle in its interpretations, and hard-hitting in its conclusions”, predicting that it will “provoke debate for a number of years”.

Sadly, Shahab Ahmed is no longer around to participate in that debate.

Note: I had reached out to some of Shahab’s friends and colleagues for their comments – always hard when people are in a state of shock and mourning to begin with. Some views below.

“He was a brilliant scholar with immense promise, tragically cut short” – Michael Cook, a historian of the Islamic world, and Shahab’s SCHOLAR, P28

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Another Great Night for Pakistani Live Music in Los Angeles

Mekaal’s music has strong underpinnings of rock and acid jazz mixed with South Asian classical style music. They played Pakistani devotional songs with ancient lyrics by Baba Bulleh Shah and other well-known poets, merging the grit and fire of rock with the sweet sound of the bamboo flute

n By Nausheen Khan Pictures by Shayan Farooq, Minah Shoaib and Rahima Shoaib Report Coordinator: Annie Athar

I

t was yet another great night for Pakistani live music in Los Angeles, and another fantastic collaborative effort by The Pakistan Arts Council of the USC Pacific Asia Museum and The Markaz (formerly The Levantine Center).

On September 5, 2015, a diverse crowd of various faiths and ethnicities enjoyed a truly multicultural musical event, with performances by Mekaal Hasan Band, an Indo-Pak Sufi Rock band with members from both Pakistan and India, the Bedouin X band playDAY FROM P17

Hamara School along with her husband Nihal Khan. She explained that she saw both hope and dedication in the eyes of the kids which moved her and should move us as well.

In his official welcome AMUAA President Shachindra Nath thanked everyone. He said that Sir Syed had already given a powerful message on education. He stressed the importance of teachers in the educational mix and that we have all (luckily) been blessed with many good teachers in our lives.

He added that besides students, he would also like to start a program for teachers who could also use our support and respect. Nath also expressed the hope that more AMU Alumni that live in the region would join the association. He also thanked all the volunteers for all the hard work that went into making this evening possible. Shachindra Sahib is always proud

ing Afro-Arab trance music and

by Rosa Rojas presenting folkloric dances of the West, Central and North Africa. The venue (The Pico-Union Project), which was originally a beautiful old church that later became a Jewish temple, is now a multi-faith, multicultural center, that also serves as a women’s mosque on occasion, lent itself perfectly to this Spiritual and Sufi musical performance.

The music of Mekaal Hasan Band is an East-West fusion but in a fashion different from what we have seen by Pakistani bands thus far. Mekaal’s music has strong underpinnings of rock and acid jazz mixed with South Asian classical style music. They played Pakistani devotional songs with ancient lyr-

ics by Baba Bulleh Shah and other well-known poets, merging the grit and fire of rock with the sweet sound of the bamboo flute (bansuri). The sound and style of their music is indeed unique and brings a brand new fan base to the Pakistani music scene.

The event also exemplified the goal and vision of the Pakistan Arts Council, which aims to introduce Pakistani Arts and Culture to mainstream America. It carries out its mission by fostering local community connections and by providing a platform for new and established Pakistani talent to gain recognition and appreciation with a diverse group of Angelinos.

The Pakistan Arts Council is the longest standing Pakistani or-

ganization in Los Angeles. The council is an extension of the USC Pacific Asia Museum and for almost 25 years the two organizations have collaborated to further the Arts and Culture of Pakistan in the contemporary society. Both Ayesha Kamran, President of PAC and Susana Smith Bautista, Director of Public Engagement at USCPAM took the stage, to introduce their respective organizations and their shared vision. Together they have brought many diverse and unique programs to showcase the Arts, Culture and People of Pakistan. The effort of the Pakistan Arts Council has proven that Arts indeed was the best way to introduce the intellectual, artistic and cultural heritage of Pakistan.

This event also supported the purpose and vision of The Markaz: the evening’s grand sponsor and host. The purpose of the Markaz is to provide a central and openminded gathering space for everyone interested in the greater Middle East and all the majority and minority cultures that are an essential aspect of the Islamic world, from Pakistan and Afghanistan in the east to Morocco in the west.

For more information about the sponsoring organizations and for future events go to the following websites: USC Pacific Asia Museum and Pakistan Arts Council - http:// www.pacificasiamuseum.org/ The Markaz - www.levantinecenter.org

of his association with AMU and is a shining example of the pluralistic nature of the university.

The keynote address of the evening was delivered by Aurangabad, India-born and later Pakistani scholar, educator (mostly at the University of Karachi), linguist and leading Urdu poet, Professor Sahar Ansari. He has received two national awards from the government there and listening to him was quite a learning experience.

He said that Sir Syed was a very important part of our history and that he was a practical person, a “doer” or implementer of ideas, and not only a thinker. His importance was such that he was often praised even by his critics. Amongst the many qualities that Sir Syed possessed, he highlighted his sense of humor (a must for dealing with the community). Ansari said that Sir Syed thought about the two ways that the Muslim community

could emerge out of their servitude of India’s new British rulers: 1) On the battlefield which was just not possible anymore or 2) To learn from them and acquire their knowledge to become competitive in the modern world. Sir Syed chose the second path and the light that he spread amongst India’s Muslims is still benefiting us, said Ansari. The Professor stressed that Sir Syed was a man of a secular disposition and took the universalist-humanitarian approach as opposed to any narrow religious or sectarian path to doing his best for his people. Central to that approach was the setting up of the educational institution which later became Aligarh Muslim University whose anthem or Tarana-e-Aligarh was played and sung by many alumni here to close the first part of the formal program.

After a short break, the much anticipated Urdu poetry or Interna-

tional Mushaira segment of the night began to the delight of the audience.

The Nizamat or segment emcee task was carried out by Perwaiz Jafri (from Houston) and the Sadarat or Presiding role was reserved for our keynote speaker, Sahar Ansari. The lineup of poets this evening included local Bay Area wordsmiths Aifra Ahmed, Ahmar Shehwaar and Hamid Narvi, as well as Ishrat Afreen (Houston), plus Rajesh Reddy, Sunil Kumar “Tang” and Tahir Faraz from India. And what a night it turned out to be.

Each and every one of these Urdu language poets was a worthy presenter. Perwaiz and his “Ahista Ahista” and Aifra Ahmed’s “Jugnu” were a great introduction. Ahamar Shehwaar’s “Mausam” and “Dar Jaatey Hain” continued on with the contemplative after which Hamid Narvi and his “Pardey” and “Damisq Me Ishq” built up the momentum which culminated

with Ishrat Afreen and her “Gum ho Jaana” and “Facebook Aur Mein” and another poem which we will revisit below that blew our minds as did Rajesh Reddy who turned out to be a spellbinder with his “Kiyun Nahin” and “Guzar Giya” and “Baqi Hai,” and much more. But we had to be brought back to a comic reality by Sunil Kumar “Tang” who lived up to his reputation and generated a great deal of audience laughter which included topics such as rebuilt “Ghutnas” and shoes thrown at “Siyasat Daans” and Chappals at “Ashiqs”. Tahir Faraz next stole some of the spotlight with his delivery in Tarannum as he transcended borders with “Likhun” and “Dekh Liya” plus his very famous “Maai”. And Sahar Ansari closed on a rather philosophical note with “Mein Nahin Aaya” and “Kaisay Aa Giya” and a poetic “selfie”, a post open heart surgery poem that

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DAY, P28

COMMENTARY Women in Islam: Exploring New Paradigms Author: Moin Qazi Published by Notion Press, Chennai, India Year of publication: 2015 Pages: 141 ISBN: 978-93-84878-03-0

OCTOBER 2, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21

Book Review

Women in Islam: Exploring New Paradigms

n By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

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t is not difficult to see why one would not remain unimpressed by this newly published book on women in Islam. Authored by a renowned academician and author of numerous books on Islam, Dr Moin Qazi and beautifully titled, “Women in Islam: Exploring New Paradigms”, the book came crashing down the prevalent misconceptions about the status of women in Islam. It’s worth mentioning that, a few months ago, I came across a book on the same subject, titled “Denied by Allah” which created doubts in many minds accusing women rights of being lesser in Islam. However, I am certain, one will find no room for any such doubts after glancing through the contents of the book

by Moin Qazi.

Among the many chapters that will captivate an avid reader of Islam are: “The Muslim Feminist Legacy”, “Women in Qur’an and Sunnah”, “The Queens of Islam”, “Selected Traditions on Women” and “20 Eminent Muslim Women in History”. For me, the two most appealing chapters in the book were: “A Need for Fresh Vision” and “Time to Look Inward”. Qazi calls for rediscovering and rejuvenating the lofty status of women enshrined in the Qur’an and Sunnah (Prophetic traditions) and thus reclaiming the authentic Islam.

For this, he asks Muslims to take a note of introspection. He avers, “We have to introspect why Muslim women are not able to model themselves in the secular domain in the molds in which matriarchal icons like Khadija and Aisha were cast. These women played a key role in the mission of the Prophet in spreading Islam. They were the defining emblems of Islamic civilization.”

Qazi makes it clear that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was centuries ahead of the men of his time in his attitudes towards women, and not surprisingly, right after he died, men started rolling back the reforms he began. “The Prophet may have been too advanced for the mindset of 7th century men, but his compassion for women is exactly the model that Muslims in the 21st century need to emulate”, he says.

This anthology also offers an introduction to women’s excellence in knowledge and education in the early centuries of Islam. Extraordinarily talented and immensely qualified female companions of the Prophet taught many great male Islamic scholars. However, the author regrets, the former’s contributions were not recognized or meticulously preserved by the male Muslim historians. It’s indeed a pleasant surprise to know, thanks to the author’s scholarly production, that the Islamic scholars of great stature such as Imam Shafi’ee, Ibn Khilkan, Abu Hayyan and Ibn Asakar, the prominent scholars of hadith and tafseer, studied under female scholars.

The stories of women Islamic scholars who dialogued with men about religious and legal issues or the preferred interpretation of an

Islamic text abounds in the Islamic literature. However, Qazi reproduces very inspiring, moving and unique stories. For instance, a famous incident that took place in the mosque between the Caliph Umar (r.a.) and an unknown woman who cited a passage from the Qur’an in support of her argument against placing a ceiling on the amount of the Meher (dower for women). Hazrat Umar realized his error and said: “The woman is right and the Caliph is wrong”.

Thus, Qazi takes his readers to the conclusion that Islam strongly encourages the education of women both in social and religious domains. Their education and cultural training was regarded integral dimension of social development and there was no priority for men, in relation to the right to education. Both are equally encouraged to acquire education. Indeed, all the Qur’anic verses, which relate to education and knowledge are directed to both men and women alike.

However, the question arises: when the Qur’an accorded women such a lofty status and rights that they could not even imagine in the seventh century Arabia, then why this discrepancy between the actual Qur’anic provisions for women and their sorry state of affairs in the Muslim world today? Reappraising the common Muslim mindset, Qazi attempts to answer the above question with quite a different approach. He says that the answer lies in the deterioration of basic Islamic feminist values that occurred in the Muslim world after the disasters of the Mongol invasions and the Crusades in the eleventh trough thirteenth centuries. He opines that the patrilineal traditions in the Middle East that preceded Islam both improved and curtailed the freedoms of women in its earliest days. Furthermore, Qazi places much of the blame for the most constrictive interpretations of Islam on the Abbasid dynasty, which ruled from the mid-eighth century onward and interpreted Islam in a legalistic and rigid manner designed to serve the political expansionist interests, thereby sacrificing much of the ethical, normative thrust of the religion as practiced in the days of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Qazi also describes the Prophet Muhammad’s revolutionary reforms to elevate the status of women horrifically degraded in the seventh cen-

tury. The reforms regarding women rights introduced by the Prophet, he shows, were completely egalitarian and liberating. However, regrettably, not long after the Prophet’s demise, he opines, several misogynists, retrogressive and patriarchal interpretations of the Islamic law (Shariah) emerged. He dwells upon it: “The reforms that took place in the early years of Islam are clearly progressive changing with the needs of the society. However, the more detailed rules that were laid out by the classical jurists allowed many pre-Islamic customs to continue, and also reflected the needs, customs and expectations of the society in which

Qazi makes it clear that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was centuries ahead of the men of his time in his attitudes towards women, and not surprisingly, right after he died, men started rolling back the reforms he began.

“The Prophet may have been too advanced for the mindset of 7th century men, but his compassion for women is exactly the model that Muslims in the 21st century need to emulate”, he says they lived, instead of continuing the progressive reform that was started during the time of the Prophet.”

The ultimate belief that Qazi wants to imbibe in his readers is that Islam has been incredibly advanced in providing revolutionary rights for women and uplifting women’s status even in the seventh century. Many of the revelations in the Qur’an, he tells us, were by nature reform-oriented, transforming key aspects of pre-Islamic customary laws and practices in progressive ways in order to eliminate injustice and suffering.

At the end of the book, there is

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a unique accumulation of narratives from heroic Muslim women from different ages of history. They are great embodiments of knowledge, classical scholarship, social activism, mystical influence, political empowerment, financial power and bravery. From the first centuries of Islam in Arabia till the late 17th century in India, it gives a closer look at and evaluation of the roles Muslim women have played in multiple lawful pursuits including the humanities, art, literature, law, theology, social sciences and administration.

Inspired by the vision of a better world, this chapter stresses the need to empower the feminine and assure gender balance in all these areas of excellence.

Qazi takes us through an inspiring journey of women empowerment that starts off with the Prophet’s first and most beloved wife Hazrat Khadija bint Khuwaylid, who was a successful business woman and one of the elite figures of Makkah. As the saying goes, “behind every man, there is a woman”, it was to her credit that the Prophet had the vital support in propagating the new faith of Islam. No wonder, Khadija had the distinction of being the first Muslim.

This collection of Muslim women’s stories also point out the paramount role of women in creating a better world for all beings. It beautifully illustrates how women, down the ages, put herculean efforts towards the enhancement of political and social rights, sustainable environments, protection of people from the travesties of war and promotion of religious diversity, pluralism and democracy.

A spotlight on the author of this book is a must at the end. He holds doctorates in Economics and English Literature and has spent more than three decades in the development sector. Previously, a Visiting Fellow at the University of Manchester, he has also served on deputation to the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Rome and Ministry of Rural Development Government of Malaysia. Until the date, Qazi has authored four collections of poems and received an Honorary DLitt at World Congress of Poets held at Istanbul. His recent translation work “Mohammad: The prophet for eternity” in which he rendered Syed Sulaiman Nadvi’s lec-

tures, throws light on the life of the Prophet as an abiding model for all mankind.

IQBAL FROM P9

demonstrates willful evasion under the alibi of its imperfection when it does not serve its interest. This purposeful evasion of responsibility by the cons is to let anarchy reign so that they have opportunity to make their wealth out of human suffering.

These sick minds with this bizarre attitude and selfish motives can’t establish a universal order for universal good but can only plan to destroy the vulnerable. Such distorted intellect acting to fulfill selfish agenda, unmindful of its consequences, is at the root of all maladies which our world faces today.

On the other hand it is love which has labored with deep commitment to make all discoveries with which mankind is benefitting.

Intellect is only making money out of the labor of love of some individuals. Love recognizes the problem and gives us insight into solutions that are in the interest of one and all unmindful of the risks. The poet has pointed out the importance of love in this couplet: Abraham plunged into the well of fire lit by Nimrod because of his commitment and love to his belief in the Omnipotent and Omniscient God and came out of it unscathed; on the other hand the intellectuals of Nimrod court who lit this fire stood dazed in astonishment.

Be-Khatar Kood Pada Aatish e Nimrod mein Ishq Aa’khl hai Mahve Nazara, Sar e Baam Abhi.

The first line of an inspirational Hindi song which I like goes like this: I seek strength from the Giver of all things lest my confidence in myself weakens.

Ithni Shakti Hamin Dena Da’atha Khud pe Wishwas Kamzor Ho Na This is a genuine wish and the sincere desire of every person, and Allama Iqbal through his philosophy and poetry has shown us the way to obtain and nurture this spiritual strength. If Allama Iqbal has used some jargons some idioms and some anecdotes related to Islam or any other religion or philosophy, it is because he has reached his conclusions through it. By dismissing him as a partisan thinker because of this, we may serve our partisan inclinations but will keep ourselves away from the realities of life for our own harm. If there are some contradictions in his thought then it is because of the way human beings evolve intellectually by accepting and rejecting things in light of new experiences and new disclosures about them. It is for us to pick the best and leave the rest.

Confidence in self (Khud Eitamadi) and trust in God (Khuda Eitamadi) are the two wheels which are essential for a person to progress in his journey on the path of life.

Without both these wheels we will not just be stuck in our journey of life but will lose the very purpose of life itself. With abundant self-confidence and no belief and trust in God and accountability before Him we will either become tyrants pillaging the rights of others to serve our interest, or become junkies after we face failures in our foolish adventures to serve our selfish interests.

Working for our spiritual growth through rituals without IQBAL, P28

COMMENTARY

P22 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015 n By Paul Waldman

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lot of people are expressing shock today that presidential candidate Ben Carson said over the weekend that no Muslim should be elected president. But anyone who has been following conservative politics in recent years, or who knows much about Carson, wouldn’t have been shocked at all. The truth is that Carson is immersed in a part of the conservative movement that rejects some fundamental American values.

It’s not a small part of that movement, and it’s worth understanding.

To be clear, I’m not talking about all conservatives or all Republicans. There is a significant split within the movement and the party, which one can see in the reaction to Carson’s comments, just as we did in reaction to Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis’ efforts to prevent gay people from being legally married in her county. In both cases, one group of people, including some presidential candidates, arrived at their position through their understanding of essential American principles, while the other group believes that Christians in particular should occupy a privileged place in law and society (granting that a few years ago they started citing “Judeo-Christian” values, making Jews sort of the equipment manager for the Christian spiritual varsity squad).

It may sound like an unfair criticism to say they’ve rejected foundational principles, but stay with me while I explain. To begin, let’s look at what Carson said on “Meet the Press” yesterday when Chuck Todd asked him whether a president’s faith should matter: CARSON: Well, I guess it depends on what that faith is. If it’s inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter. But if it fits within the realm of America and consistent with the constitution, no problem.

TODD: So do you believe that Islam is consistent with the constitution?

CARSON: No, I don’t, I do not.

TODD: So you — CARSON: I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.

Given the chance to clarify later, Carson didn’t back off a bit: In an interview with The Hill, Carson opened up about why he believes a Muslim would be unfit to serve as commander in chief.

“I do not believe Sharia is consistent with the Constitution of this country,” Carson said.

“Muslims feel that their religion is very much a part of your public life and what you do as a public official, and that’s inconsistent with our principles and our Constitution.”

A

lthough often anxious about the economic sturdiness of their retirement plans, many people remain in the dark about just how sound – or unsound – their financial futures might be.

“Too many people try to go it alone, without professional assistance,” says Travis Chance, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (www.chancefinancialgroup.com).

“Most people have worries about their retirement and whether they will have enough money, but a Society of Actuaries study showed that just 52 percent of pre-retirees and 44 percent of retirees consult a planner.”

Chance is a big proponent of testing a retirement plan to make sure it’s sound. To do it right, though, means being thorough, he says. Often, testing is based on just projected income, but that doesn’t go far enough because it doesn’t take into account real-world fluctuations that affect investment returns or the amount of money needed to live.

“You will never have static returns and static withdrawals,” Chance says.

He said one thing he likes to do is look for pressure points, gauging how

Ben Carson’s Anti-Muslim Comments Are at Odds with Traditional American Principles Carson said that the only exception he’d make would be if the Muslim running for office “publicly rejected all the tenants of Sharia and lived a life consistent with that.”

“Then I wouldn’t have any problem,” he said.

For the record, the word “sharia” simply means “law” in Arabic. But Carson’s dime-store understanding of Islam probably comes from the likes of Glenn Beck, who regularly tells his listeners that sharia is coming to America, I suppose because the Taliban are going to take over your local city council and replace existing law with somebody’s interpretation of Islam.

All over the country, but particularly in the South, there are public officials who try to pass laws to fight the imaginary threat of “creeping sharia.”

Carson’s understanding of the Constitution seems strikingly weak, particularly Article 6, which states that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Carson would institute a religious test for the presidency — but only for Muslims, who would be required to “publicly reject” some imagined “tenets of sharia.” Of course, Carson does not say that Christians should have to make a public declaration that they would not impose their sectarian beliefs on the country in order to serve as president.

The point here isn’t just that Ben Carson’s views are extreme and unsettling, though they most certainly are (and not only on this question). They also bring together two strains running through conservatism in recent years: an often vitriolic Islamophobia, and the belief that the United States is and always has been of, by, and for Christians, with everyone else accorded a kind of ever-so-slightly inferior status.

These ideas are commonplace in conservative media and in evangelical circles, and the most prominent pseudo-historian of that movement, David Barton, regularly advises prominent Republican politicians on the exalted place of Christianity in American history.

The idea of Christian supremacy in America is also fed by a campaign in which virtually all Republicans have participated in the last few years, the one that says that Christians are increasingly oppressed as America becomes more inclusive. In its most comical version, it’s manifested in Fox News’ annual “War on Christmas” extravaganza, where the fact that many department stores put up signs reading “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” is pre-

sented as a ghastly act of anti-Christian brutality (I’m not exaggerating — that’s actually what they say).

There’s a straight line between the War on Christmas and Ben Carson’s belief that Muslims should be excluded from the presidency, and it has to do with the decline of Christian hegemony in America. Fifty years ago, nobody worried about what department store signs said and nobody asked whether a Muslim could be president. The fact that Christmas was a national holiday, not a sectarian one, was so obvious almost no one would think to question it, any more than anyone would question the idea that of course every president would be a Christian. But over time, as American diversity has grown, a lot of unquestioned ideas like those have been brought into question. So department stores decide to be inclusive, putting up signs that send a friendly message to everybody, not just Christians. And though we haven’t had our first Jewish or Muslim or Hindu or non-theist president, we’ve reached the point where we can at least acknowledge it as a possibility.

But if you’re part of the group whose beliefs, traditions, and ideas were for so long taken as the default under which everyone had to live, that inclusiveness feels like a loss of privilege, which can easily be turned into the feeling that you’re under attack.

To repeat, there is a split within the Republican Party over this question. When the Kim Davis story broke, a number of GOP can-

didates — including Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, and yes, Ben Carson — took Davis’ side, agreeing that because she’s a Christian, she has the right to impose her views of marriage on an entire county, no matter what the Supreme Court says. Just try to imagine what they would have said if she were a Muslim refusing to grant a marriage license to any couple if the woman refused to wear a hijab.

On the other hand, other candidates — including Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, and Carly Fiorina — said that as a public official, Davis had to follow the law. A similar divide can be seen when it come to the growing IslamicAmerican population. George W. Bush repeatedly took pains to emphasize that America was not at war with Islam, and his former speechwriter Michael Gerson has spoken out emphatically against Islamophobia in their party.

Perhaps Ben Carson had never thought until recently about the possibility of a Muslim president, a thought he obviously finds disturbing. But he and those who agree with him are making increasingly clear that no matter how often they praise the Constitution and “American values,” their particular views of that document and those values are not what you might think.

The whole point of the Bill of Rights is that it says everyone who is accused of a crime deserves a fair trial, even if the government thinks they’re guilty. It said that everyone gets to practice their religion, even if it’s not the religion of the government or the majority. It said that everyone has the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures, no matter who they are.

Of course, there were limits on the way those noble principles were put into practice, particularly when it came to those who were enslaved, but also to women, members of minority religions, and those with unpopular ideas. But America’s evolution in the time since is in large part a story of the widening of the circle of freedom to include more and more people. But to some, freedom’s widening circle isn’t an inspiration, it’s a problem.

Your devotion to ideas like liberty is tested when you have to apply them not just to yourself and people you think are like you, but to everyone — when you have to ask whether you believe in freedom of speech enough to allow books you disagree with, or whether you believe in freedom of religion enough to give all the same rights you have to people whose religious beliefs are different from yours. That’s a test that Ben Carson, and a troublingly large number of people in his party, continue to fail.

(Paul Waldman is a contributor to The Plum Line blog, and a senior writer at The American Prospect. – Courtesy The Washington Post)

Putting Retirement Plans to the Test well a retirement plan will stand up to the scenarios it might face over time.

“It’s almost like the way an engineer or an architect will look for pressure points for an office building or a bridge,” Chance says. “You want to make sure that the plan you choose should have the ability to withstand the forces it might encounter.”

Plenty of factors can knock a dent in retirement plans, such as health care costs, inflation and longterm care. And one of the reasons retirement planning leaves so many people fretting is that predicting the future is an iffy proposition.

Here are three basic dynamics that impact everyone’s retirement planning: • Available money. This is the base to start with. A monthly pension is one source of income, though fewer people have those these days. Social Security remains a significant portion of retirement funding for many people, although Social Security alone won’t meet too many people’s needs, Chance says. Savings is the other factor, and could be the crucial one. “The more you have been able to stash away

over the years in an IRA, a 401k or another retirement account, the better your financial picture will look,” Chance says.

• The income you require. Theoretically, retirement opens up lots of possibilities for how to spend that extra free time. But not all retirements are equal. Do you want to maintain your current lifestyle? Do you hope to travel? Likely, you won’t be content sitting home, relegated to watching sit-com reruns because you barely

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have enough money to pay bills and buy groceries.

The question retirees must face is whether the combination of a pension, Social Security and savings withdrawals will give them what they need.

That’s where the help of a financial advisor comes in handy, Chance says.

For example, a common mistake is to make decisions about Social Security planning and nest-egg withdrawals independently of each other. “That can cause issues,” Chance says. “But if

you take them into account together and make decisions accordingly, you can maximize how much you have to spend on a monthly basis.”

• How long will you live? This is the retirement-planning wild card. It’s an unknowable factor, but one that plays a major role. “One thing we do know is that life expectancies have been growing, and many people underestimate how long they will live,” Chance says. “People need to expect they could live 20 years, 30 years or even longer in retirement, and plan accordingly.”

Travis Chance (www.chancefinancialgroup.com) is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and has been awarded the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation through the American College. His financial planning practice, CFG Wealth Management, LLC, has become a leading resource for south Georgia, and South Carolina low country residents over age 50. Chance specializes in the Retirement Income Planning area, and speaks regularly to groups on this topic. He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from Georgia Southern University, and a Financial Planning degree from Kaplan University.

COMMENTARY

OCTOBER 2, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

Istanbul, an Outstanding Example of a “Cultural Blend” n By Dr Amineh Hoti The Centre for Dialogue and Action Pakistan

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or those who have never been to the romantic and historical city of Istanbul dating back over 2,600 years, you cannot imagine the true spirit and vastness of this cosmopolitan city.

Istanbul will capture your imagination; amongst many reasons, one, because you may find out that Romeo and Juliet may be based on the love story penned by Urva bin Hizam in the 7th century which was translated into Farsi in the 12th century by Ayyuqi. It can be reasonably surmised that the literary masterpiece produced by William Shakespeare in the 16th century was influenced by this very play.

Words are not enough to describe the pleasures of its sites and the array of buildings aligned alongside the glittering Bosphorus. It is the cultural, economic and historical center that harmoniously brings East and West, Europe and Asia together across a diverse topography of mountains, buildings and an abundance of flowing water. It is the largest city of Europe with a population of 14 million people and millions of visitors flow into the city as one of Europe’s most popular destinations.

There is no alternative, you must visit!

For me, personally, I appreciated learning more about the history of co-existence between people of different communities and cultures. It was not as if one community came to replace the other, rather the present denizens characterize the layers of history that form the crux of this remarkable city. They were fully aware of their multi-layered history of co-existence and prided themselves on it.

Turkish people kept telling me, “It’s a cultural blend of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman”. I saw Americans, the British, and an array of Muslims from the Arab world, Pakistanis, and many others who seemed to feel at ease here.

No one was looking or picking at anyone else for over- or under-dressing. You could wear a hijab, don an abaya, put on trousers – whatever suited you. It was OK to be you. It felt like no one had to – or was expected to – conform in this city. Why and how was it possible to feel so comfortable with diversity?

Perhaps the answer lies in the city’s rich and diverse history. Once called “Lygos”, the city was founded as “Byzantium” by the Greeks in 657 BC. In 330 AD, Emperor Constantine made it the capital of the Roman/Byzantine Empire and named it “Constantinople” after himself. It is said to play a significant role in the spread of Christianity. With the Ottoman Empire, it metamorphosed into Islambul and later “Istanbul”, meaning, “the city of Islam”. The first Muslim to come to this area was Eyup Sultan or Hazrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Khalid ibn Zayd), named after the Biblical

n By Ferya Ilyas

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Karachi

s Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump calls Pakistan “the most dangerous country” and suggests partnering with India as a counter-force, political analysts in Pakistan say the American businessman-turnedpolitician has poor understanding of foreign policy and South Asian dynamics.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United Nations Masood Khan said Trump was in need of a crash course in Pakistan-India politics and diplomatic skills.

Khan, who is also the Director General of Islamabad’s Institute of Strategic Studies, said Trump should develop a better understanding of nuclear issues and the concept of deter-

Prophet Job; he was a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When we visited the mausoleum of Ayup Sultan, the locals told me that he was a man of great character and people were charmed by him but he failed to convert Constantinople. However, in the process he fell in love with the city and asked to be buried there. Today his grave and the adjoining mosque are both sites that cannot be missed. Visitors come to pray to God with bowed heads and hands raised in supplication, as they stand in the cool shadows of blue, green and red Turkish tiles that adorn the walls with their beauty, inscribed with praise of the Creator on all sides.

When the Muslim empire fell in Spain, Spanish Jews under Muslim rule sought refuge

centers of knowledge served as schools, universities, hospitals and places of cleanliness – all in one. Suleyman, known as “the Magnificent” in the West (1494-1566) and as “the Law-giver” or “Kaanuni” in the East, had the longest reign among the Ottoman kings in four centuries. His chief architect Mimar Sinan, was a convert, or, as some Muslims would say, ‘revert’ to Islam. Originally known as Joseph, he built some of the most iconic buildings in Istanbul like the Suleymaniye Mosque – its red color symbolizing movement in life and the white calmness: calmness and movement are the rhythms of human life. His disciple would go on to design Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal in India.

For centuries, Christians, Muslims and

“This image of Turkey totally shatters all global stereotypes of people who perceive Islam as ‘backward, extremist, and non-progressive’, which are being circulated widely in the media. Nothing like this deeply problematic stereotype, Istanbul is unique with its own specific character – it is modern yet traditional; historical yet contemporary; it is religious in that it is Abrahamic while being focused on progress ; it is forward-looking as well as aware of its multi-cultural, multi-faith and multi-ethnic background – it is constantly in motion with Ottoman kings in Istanbul who seemed to appreciate diversity and encouraged people of other faiths to live amongst them – there are famous synagogues and Jewish quarters that still exist.

Sultan Mehmed II particularly seemed to be a man of vision who appreciated diversity.

He called back all the people (who belonged to other faiths) who had left the city and invited people from Europe to settle in Istanbul; creating a cosmopolitan, tolerant and culturally vibrant and economically successful city. The infrastructure of the city was improved, new buildings built and mosques that were built as

Jews have generally lived side by side with the ebb and flow of different powers and kingdoms. Hagia Sophia, translated as “Holy Wisdom” is a symbol of this idea of coexistence. It was a grand church – the hallmark of the Byzantine Empire when the city was named after its king, in Constantinople. During the Ottoman period, it was turned into a mosque without enduring any physical damage. And later, in the time of Ataturk (Father of the Turks), it was converted into a museum so that the followers of all religions would feel comfortable in accessing it. Unlike the Blue Mosque, it has fixed visiting hours and you must pay an en-

trance fee – there are different prices for locals and foreigners of course.

Despite its cosmopolitan and non-orthodox look, there is a subtle play of spirituality in Istanbul. The tulip, with its delicate petals pointing upwards, is a symbol of Turkey. I was told by a local Turkish man that the petals of a tulip are shaped in the Arabesque of the name of the Creator. He was quick to add, to my fascination, that in the 16th century Europeans from Holland were fascinated with the flower and took it back home to cultivate it there in all its array of colors. He added that though it is a symbol of Turkey, it is Holland, however, which is specifically recognized for tulips today. Moreover, just as the word “Ola” in Spanish is derived from “W’Allah” without many Spanish speakers recognizing this, similarly the tulip’s shape is a reminder of the Beloved.

As a Turkish lady emphasized, the Arabic word “Allah” has no gender and no plural – it is a special name for the Creator and Cherisher of the universe: “To God belong the East and the West; whithersoever you turn, there is the Face of God; God is All-embracing, All-knowing”. (Qur’an translated by Arberry 2:115) When you visit, from the standpoint of Istanbul, you will be pleasantly surprised by how modern Turkey seems to a visitor from the East. Fascinated with Istanbul, one of us from Pakistan said to a Turkish man, “We love Turkey!” He warmly replied, “We are like brothers or like a mirror to each other: Pakistan-Turkey friendship zindabad!” It was heartening to receive such positive feedback towards Pakistan from the citizens of a country that is doing so well economically and has such a rich history, and a city which was so famous for its cultural diversity.

In contrast to the sad collapse of its neighbor Greece, Istanbul is one of the fastest growing metropolitan economies in the world. There is also the worrisome growth of anti-immigrant parties in Greece, such as the Golden Dawn, which is known for marginalizing and discriminating against immigrants.

Istanbul, in contrast to Athens, seems to welcome foreigners and makes them feel at ease and at home. As one young male visitor to Istanbul told me, “This image of Turkey totally shatters all global stereotypes of people who perceive Islam as ‘backward, extremist, and non-progressive’, which are being circulated widely in the media. Nothing like this deeply problematic stereotype, Istanbul is unique with its own specific character – it is modern yet traditional; historical yet contemporary; it is religious in that it is Abrahamic while being focused on progress; it is forward-looking as well as aware of its multi-cultural, multi-faith and multi-ethnic background – it is constantly in motion, like the red and white colors of the tulip. It symbolizes the constant movement, yet calm, human life. (Dr Amineh Hoti is Executive Director of Markaz-e Ilm, The Center for Dialogue and Action, Pakistan)

Trump Needs Crash Course in Pakistan-India Politics rence by the time he gets nominated as a candidate by the Republican Party.

The Republican front-runner in a recent interview said he would consider using India’s help to deal with Pakistan if it becomes ‘unstable’ in the future. “Pakistan could go rogue and I think you have to get India involved; India’s the check to Pakistan. They have their own nukes; they have a very powerful army. They seem to be the real checkmate,” Trump said.

On Trump’s insistence to stay mum about his foreign policy because of unpredictability, Khan said unpredictability was not recognized as good norm in diplomacy. “Dependability and consistency are recognized as good norm in diplomacy,” he emphasized.

“Nobody can teach Trump how to run his business or foreign policy.

If elected; he is his own master,” said

Khan. “But we hope under the next administration, Pakistan and the United

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States would continue to develop their relations on a mature basis by strengthening institutional linkages and pursuing their multi-pronged strategic dialogue.”

The former ambassador to China suggested Trump to have an orientation session with former secretary of state Hilary Clinton, who is also running for presidency, on diplomacy and nuclear issues.

Khan also criticized the show host for asking troubling foreign policy questions. “Trump seems unschooled in these matters and therefore Hugh Hewitt’s question is unfair; the question itself is worrisome,” he added.

During the radio broadcast, the host had asked Trump if he would be prepared to send American troops to secure Pakistan’s nukes if it became unstable.

“Hewitt could not have asked a dumber teaser,” he said.

Meanwhile, calling foreign policy the weakest area of Trump’s political discourse, political and defense analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi said his views on Pakistan, its nuclear program and terrorism represent a poor understanding of the situation.

“Such views will not be subscribed by the Department of State, Pentagon or the CIA,” he said.

Rizvi explained that to American business and the commercial elite, India is an attractive economic and trade proposition, and hence the inclination towards it. “Trump falls into this category,” he said.

The analyst seems hopeful that Trump would not be able to pursue such ideas if granted the party’s nomination; however, stressed the need of improving Pakistan’s image in the international arena.

COMMENTARY

P24 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015

Savings for Retirement 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) How Optimistic Are Today’s Investors?

If you plan to retire one day, you may be interested in the following facts. A recent national survey found the most investors don’t have a specific retirement goal, nor do they expect to get all the Social Security or Medicare benefits they are re-entitled to when they retire.

How will Americans today and in the future afford retirement? These were among the issues raised in one recent (brain-storming) meeting. Unlike other indices, such as the Consumer Price Index and the Consumer Confidence Index, which reflect consumer actions and opinions on spending and consumption, the Index of Investor Optimism is the first effort to interpret the voice of the American investor. Specifically, the Index found: Nearly ninety percent of investors who haven’t retired believe they will not get all of today’s Social Security benefits in the future. One in four (twenty-six percent) believe they will get no Social Security benefits when they retire.

Give the anticipated shortfall, one would imagine that these investors would be actively planning to replace this income. Yet, ironically, when asked if investors had a specific retirement goal, more than half (fifty-four percent) said they didn’t. According to Index, most said they are just trying to do the best they can.

With Americans living longer, many can expect to spend up to 30 FURIES FROM P6

at the time. Theirs had been an affectionate relationship, but not necessarily of deep love. Tragedy visited them as well. Kamala soon contracted tuberculosis, a common killer at the time, was treated at a sanatorium in Switzerland, but died at the young age of 37. Nehru like Jinnah had one child, Indira Gandhi.

Midnight’s Fury contains no major revelations, except perhaps some insightful details of events already well documented. It has long been suspected that the Boundary Commission headed by the British lawyer, Sir Cyril Redcliff, to delimit the boundaries of the two dominions in 1947 was heavily influenced by Mountbatten’s predilection for India. The book asserts that “Mountbatten pretty clearly appears to have pressured Redcliff to redraw the map to give Ferozepore district to India” although it had a Muslim majority. Similarly, most of the Gurdaspur district, with a slight Muslim majority, was given to India, opening a land route to Kashmir. Jinnah by this time was already a sick man and Hajari writes that at the dinner-reception in Karachi to celebrate the emergence

years in retirement. Hat’s more, beginning in the year 2019, the Social Security trust fund assets will decline as payments to retirees begin to exceed the revenues paid into the system by workers. With revenues only covering three-fourths of benefit costs, the trust fund will be depleted by 2029 if the current system is not changed. Future retirees are realizing today that neither the government nor employers can ensure their financial independence they must take this responsibility for themselves.

So just how much does one need to retire? Studies show that most Americans will need approximately seventy-five percent of their pre-retirement income in order to maintain the lifestyle they’ve grown accustomed to while employed. It is estimated that sixty-two percent of that income needs to come from personal savings. The message is clear: if you haven’t yet begun to save, start now. If you’ve already started by saving, there’s a good chance you’ll need to save more.

Either way, assuring that your assets will provide an income stream that will last through retirement years requires a well thought out plan and wise investments.

you are self-employed, you should consider qualified plans such as simplified employee pension plans (SEP-IRA’s) which offer attractive tax advantages. And don’t forget an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or Roth IRA investigate the difference between IRA and Roth IRA advantages and disadvantages of each. Refer to my article in Pakistan Link. Not only should you make regular contributions to an IRA, you should make sure those assets are wisely invested. Remember, whether you are eligible for an IRA deduction or not, assets within an IRA will grow tax deferred or tax-free in case of Roth IRA. Finally, explore all investment options to find the right mix of safety and earnings potential for your personal goals. Consider stocks, mutual funds, unit investment trusts, reits and others.

Tal All Resources If you haven’t saved at all for retirement, or haven’t saved adequately, there are many resources you can tap to help meet retirement income needs. For example, look at your employer’s retirement plan options. Many companies offer 401 (K) programs that allow money in the program to accumulate taxdeferred. Additionally, some companies will match all or a portion of your 401 (k) contributions. If

Start Early and Seek Advice Of course, the earlier you start a retirement savings program, the better off you are likely to be in your golden years. In today’s complex investment and tax environment, many people turn to their investment executive and tax advisor for help in developing a disciplined, integrated savings and investment plan. An investment executive can help analyze your current financial situation, and determine how much you’ll need to save for retirement. Your tax advisor can counsel you on the tax implications of investment decisions. It is also a wise step to contact the Social Security Administration for a copy of your earning and benefits estimate statement.

Financial professional can work with you to develop a plan today designed to help assure your future financial independence.

(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)

of Pakistan, attended by some 1,500 leading citizens, “Jinnah stood aloof from his guests, almost in a reverie, someone linked him to a “walking, talking corpse.”

Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, who played such a prominent role in the independence movement, received only a cursory mention in the book.

He is quoted to have expressed his unhappiness when a collection of old, rusted knives were put on display that Patel claimed had been confiscated from hapless Muslims of Delhi, who were running in fear for their lives.

In the chapter titled Ad Hoc Jihad, the book recounts in detail the story of Kashmir’s putative accession to India, resulting from vacillations by the Maharaja, errors of the Pakistan Government and Nehru’s emotional attachment to his ancestral homeland.

Informed of an incipient Pakistan inspired incursion in Kashmir by the defense secretary, Iskander Mirza, Jinnah, always scrupulous about legality of his actions, stopped him, “Don’t tell me anything about it. My conscience must be clear.”

As Pakistani tribesmen made their advance towards Srinagar, Ma-

haraja Hari Singh got into a panic and in the words of V.P. Menon “had gone to pieces,” abandoning the capital for Jammu. The formal annexation papers were drafted by Menon in a hurry, and he flew to Jammu to obtain the maharaja’s signature, secured after the Indian forces had already landed. It started the long simmering dispute that has poisoned the relationship of the two neighbors for some seven decades.

Did the author find the answers to his quest for reasons of why hostility between India and Pakistan has proved so enduring? In the epilogue, he cites as one of the reasons, expressed in the cynical remark of an American journalist, Philip Talbot, who visited the subcontinent a year after the Kashmir ceasefire and observed that “hatred of India holds Pakistan together.” The ongoing insidious dispute on Kashmir is another issue that Hajari believes keep the fires of hostility ablaze.

Hajari closes his very readable book with a sage advice, “It is well past time that the heirs to Nehru and Jinnah put 1947 furies to rest.” Indeed, it will free them of the destructive cycle of animosity that holds them back.

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Medical Assistance for the Poor & Neglected

Hidaya Foundation supports patients suffering from contagious diseases as well as various other ailments and provides them access to doctors, lab tests, medicines and follow-up visits. Also, assistance is given to patients who need surgeries in the localities where Hidaya operates. In addition, Hidaya provides medical equipment and supplies, as well as cash to charitable hospitals for patient treatment and medicines.

Donate, and may Allah (SWT) give you good health.

Hidaya Foundation 866.2.HIDAYA | www.hidaya.org Hidaya Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization with Tax ID # 77-0502583

Exchange Rates for Currency Notes* Countries

Buying Rs.

USA

UK S.Arabia Japan Euro UAE

Selling Rs.

104.35 158.00 27.40 0.85 116.50 28.25

104.60 158.70 27.55 0.88 117.00 28.40

(*30 September, 2015) U.S. VISA AVAILABILITY IN OCTOBER, 2015 For Pakistan, Bangladesh & India Compiled by Hasan Chishti FAMILY SPONSORED PREFERENCES

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RELIGION

OCTOBER 2, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P25

Muraqabat Allah – Observing Allah

Gems from the Holy Qur’an

n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

I

n whatever situation you may be and whatever part of the Qur’an you are reciting, whatever work you are doing, We witness you when you are engaged in it. Not even the weight of a speck of dust in the earth or sky escapes your Lord, nor anything lesser or greater: it is all written in a clear record.

(Yunus 10:61)

Luqman said, “My son, if even something of the weight of a mustard seed were hidden in a rock or anywhere in the heavens or earth, Allah will bring it (to light), for He is all subtle and all aware.

(Luqman 31:16) Abdullah ibn Dinar said that he went for a journey to Makkah with ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with both of them. They stopped at some place. They saw a young shepherd with a flock of sheep. He came down from a hill.

‘Umar wanted to test the honesty of this shepherd. He said to him, “Sell me one of your sheep.” The shepherd said, “I am a slave working for someone. These sheep are not mine they belong to my master.” ‘Umar said, “Tell your master that a wolf attacked and ate one of the sheep.” The shepherd replied, “Fa’ayn Allah? So where is Allah or what about Allah?” ‘Umar could not hold his tears when he heard this answer from the shepherd. He kept repeating “Fa’ayn Allah?” When he came back to Madinah, he sent someone to find out who was the master of this shepherd. He purchased the shepherd and freed him. He said to him, “This word freed you in this life and I hope it will free you in the Hereafter.” (Al-Ghazali, Ihya’ vol. 4, p. 396) A believer must always keep in mind this question, “Where is Allah?” Allah is not far away; Allah is not at a distance. Allah is not unaware of what we do. Allah knows everything and He sees everything. The more we have this faith in our hearts and minds, the more we shall do the right things and the more we shall be at peace with us and with others.

The ‘Ulama’ call this “mu-

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 well-referenced works in this category, dedicated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (For people who think).

1-10

raqabatullah.” This means keeping Allah always in mind, actually it means ‘observing Allah.’ To observe Allah does not mean that you see Him physically or Allah appears to you in person. Our belief is that Allah is Infinite, Transcendent. Our eyes cannot catch Him, but He catches the eyes.

(Al-An’am 6:103). Muraqabtullah is basically the same as ‘Ihsan.’ It is the excellence of faith. In a long Hadith known as Hadith Jibril, the Prophet explained about Ihsan: He was asked “What is Ihsan? He said, ‘That you worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, though you see Him not yet He sees you.” (al-Bukhari, Hadith

no. 48) Muraqabatullah or keeping Allah always in mind saves us from lies, hypocrisy and sins. It keeps us aware that whatever we do, whether in public or private, is known to Allah and Allah sees it. When people lose this consciousness then they do not care about what they say and what they do and this leads them to corruption. On the Day of Judgment Allah will say, ….You thought that Allah did not know about much of what you were doing, so it was your thought that you held about your Lord that led to your ruin and you became the losers.

(Fussilat 41:22-23) Muraqabatullah is a beautiful experience.

It fills a person with peace and tranquility; it gives comfort at the time of pain and difficulties. It gives strength and assurance and it makes life beautiful.

It keeps on the right path and saves from a lot of troubles.

Ibn ‘Abbas –may Allah be pleased with him- said that I was riding behind the

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Prophet –peace be upon him- one day. He said to me, “Young man, I am teaching you some important words, ‘Keep Allah in your mind,

A believer must always keep in mind this question, “Where is Allah?” Allah is not far away; Allah is not at a distance. Allah is not unaware of what we do.

Allah knows everything and He sees everything.

The more we have this faith in our hearts and minds, the more we shall do the right things and the more we shall be at peace with us and with others He shall protect you. Keep Allah in your mind, you will find Him in front of you. When you need something, ask Allah. When you need help, seek help from Allah.

Know this that if all the people gather together to benefit you with anything they cannot do that except with what Allah has written for you; and if they gather together to harm you they cannot do that except with what Allah has written for you. The pens are lifted and books are dried.

(Al-Tirmidhi) (Khutbah at ISOC – Jumada al-Ukhra 5, 1430/ May 29, 2009)

Chapter 80, ‘Abasa, Verses

[ 1 ] He frowned and turned away because the blind man approached him.

Yet for all thou didst know, [O Muhammad,] he might perhaps have grown in purity, or have been reminded [of the truth], and helped by this reminder.

Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient [ 2 ] – to him didst thou give thy whole attention, although thou art not accountable for his failure to attain to purity; but as for him who came unto thee full of eagerness and in awe [of God] – him didst thou disregard!

Nay, verily, these [messages] are but a reminder: and so, who is willing may remember Him in [the light of His] revelations blest with dignity, lofty and pure, [borne] by the hands of messengers noble and most virtuous.

Translator’s Notes [ 1 ] One day, as recorded in many well-authenticated Traditions, the Prophet was engrossed in a conversation with some of the most influential chieftains of pagan Mecca, hoping to convince them – and through them, the Meccan community at large – of the truth of his message. At that point, he was approached by one of his followers, the blind ‘Abd Allah ibn Shurayh – known after his grandmother’s name as Ibn Umm Maktuum – with the request for a repetition or elucidation of certain earlier passages of the Qur’an. Annoyed by this interruption of what he momentarily regarded as a more important endeavour, the Prophet “frowned and turned away” from the blind man and was immediately, there and then, reproved by the revelation of the first ten verses of this surah.

In later years he often greeted Ibn Umm Maktuum with these words of humility: “Welcome unto him on whose account my Sustainer has rebuked me (aatabanii)!”

GEMS, P28

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P26 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015

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OCTOBER 2, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK

SPORTS SPORTS

OCTOBER 2, 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAKISTAN LINK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; P27

Pakistan Win T20 Series as Batsmen Struggle Again

HARARE: Umar Akmal's aggressive innings proved crucial in a low-scoring game as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 15 runs to win 2nd Twenty20 International at Harare Sports Club and sweep the twomatch series.

Umar, who was named man-ofthe-match, scored 38 not out from 28 balls and added 24 runs with Imad Wasim in the last two overs of Pakistan's innings to boost the tourists' total to 136 for six, which proved beyond Zimbabwe despite Sean Williams' fighting 40 not out.

Williams shared a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Sikandar Raza - the only half-century stand in the series - but was always playing catch-up after the hosts had slumped to 24 for four at the start of their chase.

Zimbabwe finished on 121 for seven, as left-arm spinner Imad, adjudged man-of-the-series,once again proved the pick of the Pakistani bowlers with figures of one for 14 from four overs.

"Our bowlers were good again," Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said at the post-match presentation.

"Body language is very important and whatever the coach has asked,

the boys have delivered."

With the game being played on the same pitch as Sunday's series opener, low and slow conditions made the going heavy for batsmen throughout.

Although Pakistan made a brighter start after they once again won the toss and opted to bat first, they lost wickets whenever their batsmen attempted to force the pace.

While Sohaib Maqsood anchored the innings with a run-aball 26, only Umar and Imad were able to take the attack to the hosts.

Umar was one of the few batsmen who got to grips with the conditions as he worked the ball around superbly, scoring just 14 of his runs in boundaries.

After struggling to gain any meaningful momentum, the tourists went into the final two overs with just 112 runs on the board and were grateful to the pair for some late blows.

Seamer Luke Jongwe was the pick of the home bowlers with two for 24 from his four overs, including the wicket of experienced opener Mohammad Hafeez (17).

With the same task that had

faced them on Sunday, Zimbabwe's batsmen had an opportunity to show what they had learned but lost their top four with just 24 runs on the board.

That left the middle order with too much to do, and although Williams shared a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket - the only half-century stand of the series with Sikandar he was always playing catch-up.

Once Sikandar had been bowled for 36 by Imran Khan and Elton Chigumbura's brief but entertaining stay at the crease had come to an end, Zimbabwe's hopes vanished.

Despite having wickets in hand going into the final four overs, Zimbabwe found boundaries hard to come by with Imad and paceman Mohammad Irfan (two for 25) especially hard to get away.

"I can repeat what I said after the last game," said Chigumbura.

"We were disappointing again with the bat, but the bowlers were good.

We need to make sure we up our game for the ODI series."

The two sides have just one day off before the three-match One-day International series gets underway at the same venue on Thursday. J

Pakistan Women Team Beat Bangladesh in First T20 KARACHI: Pakistan Women Cricket team defeated Bangladesh by 29 runs in the first Twenty20 International at the Southend Club ground in Karachi.

In reply to Pakistan's 125-run target, Bangladesh could only score 95 for seven wickets in their 20 overs.

Ayasha Rahman scored 23, Fargana Hoque 23 and Rumana Ahmed 22 runs.

Earlier, Pakistan skipper Sana Mir won the toss and opted to bat.

The team reached their score of 124 runs with the help of Bisma Maroof's 65 and 44 runs by Javeria Khan.

Anam Amin grabbed two wick-

ets for the green-shirts.

The visiting Bangladeshi women team will play their second Twenty20 on October 2, followed by the ODIs on October 4 and 6.

The series in Karachi is a welcome sign for the return of international cricket to Pakistan, where no international cricket matches were played between 2009 and 2015 after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team's bus in Lahore in March 2009.

The country's six-year isolation ended when the Zimbabwe men's side toured Pakistan in May-June this year for two Twenty20 internationals and three one-day matches. J

Simmons Suspended as West Indies Coach BRIDGETOWN: Phil Simmons has been suspended with immediate effect as West Indies coach, two days after he expressed his unhappiness with the ODI squad selected for the Sri Lanka tour. Simmons was caught unawares by the decision, which was communicated to him in an email from WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead, as he was in the UK preparing to join the squad in London on their way to Sri Lanka.

Simmons will now not travel with the team, and former West Indies fast bowler Eldine Baptiste, who is also a national selector, will take up the position of interim coach for the tour of Sri Lanka. The series, which begins on October 14, is the new Test captain Jason Holder's first assignment.

"The West Indies Cricket Board has learnt of the comments from head

coach of the West Indies team Phil Simmons in the print and electronic media which appear to question the legitimacy of the selection process of the one-day international squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. As a result, the management of the WICB has taken action to suspend the head coach, pending an investigation into the issue," the board said in a statement. J

We Have a Plan to Gradually Shift PSL to Pakistan: PCB Chief ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan recently defended the decision to stage the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the UAE, saying the Board chose the foreign venue for the inaugural edition to attract world-class international players.

"If we hold the [first] PSL in Pakistan, we won't be able to attract international players to make the event successful. That's why we opted for the UAE. However, we have a plan to gradually shift the PSL to Pakistan," Shaharyar told reporters.

"In the next PSL edition, we will hold one or two matches in Pakistan."

The PCB chief said this during his visit to the Nomad Art Gallery where a show titled 'Earth in My Bones' by Sara Riaz Khan, his daughter-in-law, was in progress.

"Around 120 players have shown their interest to participate in the PSL, out of which some 24 players will be picked for the league," stated the PCB chief.

The PSL, a Twenty20 league featuring five franchise teams, is

scheduled to be held from Feb 4 to 24 next year in Dubai and Sharjah.

www.PakistanLink.com www.Pakistanlink.com

Commenting on the possibility of international cricket revival in

Pakistan, Shaharyar said he was optimist that international cricket would soon return to the country.

"The military operation [against terrorists] is moving in the right direction, which gives us the hope that the menace of terrorism will be eliminated from our country.

"We are making efforts to revive international cricket in Pakistan. I hope in future the security situation in the country will improve further and [international] cricket will be restored."

Responding to a query on the chances of trio of Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif returning to the field, the PCB chairman said the three players will "have to pass several stages" for re-starting their international career.

Talking about the PakistanIndia bilateral series scheduled for later this year in the UAE, Shaharyar said Pakistan was waiting for India's response in this regard. J

PAKISTAN

P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015 HINDUIZATION FROM P4

in the United States: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), Sewa International USA, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation-USA. The Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party - USA (OFBJP) is active as well, though it is not a tax-exempt group.

Acceleration of “secular” India’s total Hindu-ization under Prime Minister Modi represents a sea change for South Asia region and the world. It could prove to be very destabilizing for India, a much larger and far more diverse country than its neighboring Islamic Pakistan. Such instability could derail India’s economic rise unless its forced Hinduization is checked by the country’s leadership with external pressure from India’s friends. And its effects will be strongly felt far outside the borders of India. It is already causing serious issues between India and Pakistan that could lead to a devastating war in South Asia with severe consequences for the entire world.

A number of delegations reiterated their pledge for long-term support for Afghanistan. They emphasized that “great games” of the past should be converted into the “great gains” for the future of Afghanistan.

CYBERWAR FROM P13

websites. It was just defacement and the officials concerned claim that the server is safe. Yet, the incident calls for a better cyber security mechanism. Since no expert can ensure full security, constant vigil and awareness about the latest vulnerabilities are the key to ensuring security.”

But how do you see this war?

Indian hackers see this retaliation as a sign of ‘winning’ or ‘sweet revenge’. However, we wonder when this digital war would come to an end.

Hackers don’t target individuals or small groups of users, but rather prefer large organizations, governments or communities that store personal information of thousands or millions of users. On the one side, while the Modi government talks about digitizing India, incidents such IQBAL FROM P21 understanding the source of our spirit as these highlight the importance for and the proper way to develop it, we improved cyber security. become hermits. We may believe that we have become lesser gods through BONDS FROM P13 such exercises and rituals but we can’t that despite tight and weak global solve the problems of mankind, and market conditions, and jittery invesin fact add to them by acting gods tors’ sentiments, the issue was twice without being one as we have seen in oversubscribed and investors offered the life history of several such claim- $1 billion. Sources, however, said ants. that most of the investors offered Allama Iqbal is aware of the ar- the money at a rate of 9% or above, duous task of maintaining the bal- which limited the government’s opance between developing spiritual tion to only $500 million. They said prowess to act as vicegerents of God the government did not want to pay and to restrain the self from behaving a price, which would signal that the like God and acting recklessly to de- economic situation was worse than stroy the balance on which Allah has March 2014. created this universe (Ch55 V7-13).

“The borrowing cost should That is why he says in the following have been at least 1.5% to 2% less couplet and I conclude with it: The than the previous bond issue”, said Dr thing that gives life and meaning to Hafeez Pasha, former finance minmy earthly existence is the part of ister. He said the global market has Your soul which You have blown into not yet picked up the fact that Pakime (Ch15 V28-30), but it is difficult stan’s economy was doing better than for me to take care of it and nurture it March 2014. properly to perform my role as your Dr Pasha said the future direcvicegerent without transgressing the tion of the economy also played a role limits. in determining the borrowing cost, as Is Paykar e Khaki mein Ek Shai the investors knew that Pakistan built Hai so Teri Hai foreign currency reserves by borrowMere liye Mushkil Hai Is Shay Ki ing.

Nigahbani The government’s failure to address the structural bottlenecks was actually the reason for offering EuBADABER FROM P7 the sine qua non of the Pakistani at- robond, as the multilateral lending titude to jihadist terror even beyond agencies have withheld approval of a the Badaber attack. $1 billion cheap loan due to delay in (The writer can be reached at energy sector reforms. This affected mazdaki@me.com and he tweets @ the government’s ability to meet tarmazdaki) gets set by the IMF for July-September period.

Just couple of days before the GEMS FROM P25 Indirectly, the sharp Qur’anic fresh issue, Finance Secretary Dr rebuke (stressed, in particular, by Waqar Masood told Reuters that Pakthe use of the third person form in istan was hoping to raise at least $500 verses 1-2) implies, firstly, that what million by selling its debt, but hinted would have been a minor act of dis- that it could sell more. “We are not courtesy on the part of an ordinary fixated on the size. We can definitely human being, assumed the aspect of do more and we are open with regards a major sin, deserving a divine rebuke, to the tenor too,” he said.

The high borrowing cost sugwhen committed by a prophet; and, secondly, it illustrates the objective nature gested that the international investors of the Qur’anic revelation: for, obviously, did not believe in the IMF reports on in conveying God’s reproof of him to health of Pakistan’s economy, said Dr the world at large, the Prophet “does not Ashfaque Hasan Khan, former director general debt of the finance minisspeak out of his own desire”. [ 2 ] I.e., who does not feel the need try. of divine guidance: a reference to the arrogant pagan chieftains with whom the NUMS FROM P15 Prophet was conversing. own regulator just because it is run and operated by military,” said Babar.

Babar’s proposal was not acceptTALKS FROM P11 Australia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, ed on the ground that the amendNorway and European Union High ment would have to be referred back Representative for Foreign Affairs to the National Assembly delaying the passage of the bill. and Security Policy.

The PPP senator then recorded his dissenting note which read in part, “The space of the civilian institutions has already shrunk shockingly and disturbingly. It would be most unfortunate if we fail to arrest this free fall of the civilian institutions and continue to abdicate legitimate civilian space in matters of governance and regulation to the military authorities.”

He added, “It is in the military’s interest that the perception of driving from the back seat but never letting off the control of the wheel is not allowed to strengthen any further. We must raise our voice against this onslaught. Let the NUMS Bill be the litmus test in this regard and hence this note of dissent.”

JIT investigating PAF attack: Secretary Defense, Lt Gen Alam Khattak told the committee that a joint investigation team is investigating the terrorist attack on a PAF camp in Badaber.

The committee members condemned the terrorist attack while eulogizing the services of armed forces personnel who lost their lives in defending the airbase and fighting the terrorists.

HORNS FROM P15

few venues, including Aabpara, Express Chowk and F-9 Park.

“But, except D-Chowk no other venue is acceptable to us. It is our final decision to hold the October 4 rally at D-Chowk.”

“Tomorrow (Tuesday), we will hold a meeting presided over by PTI chairman Imran Khan to finalize the preparations for the gathering. Though the venue for the event will also be discussed, it will not be changed.”

SCHOLAR FROM P18

dissertation adviser at Princeton.

“With a command of numerous Western and Eastern languages, a sharp mind and fine eye for detail, Shahab was a gifted researcher.

He was, moreover, earnest in pursuit of learning and helping others to learn. He was not only wellgrounded in Western academia but also well-acquainted with (and respectful of) the Islamic tradition of scholarship” – Suheil Laher, PhD, Lecturer on Arabic, Harvard University, Dean of Academics and Senior Instructor, Fawakih Institute “Shahab was one of a kind, and we will be learning from his work for years to come.”

— Martha Minow, Morgan and Helen Chu Dean and Professor, Harvard Law School “… the most brilliant and creative scholar of Islam in his generation…”

– Noah Feldman, Professor of Law at Harvard University, in a tribute published in Bloomberg DAY FROM P20

he had carefully crafted.

To conclude let us move Sir Syed’s message to current times. One finds that the situation of parts of the worldwide Muslim community is not unlike their decline in India after 1857 and that the second option that Sir Syed chose is the only way forward. What prompted this reflection here were the lines from the poem “Laal Kamiz”

by Ishrat Afreen which expressed her feelings with hair raising accuracy on seeing a photograph of a dead refugee child by the name of Aylan Kurdi face down on seashore wearing a red shirt (Laal Kamiz).

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NAWAZ FROM P3

“I want to use the opportunity today to propose a new peace initiative with India, starting with measures that are the simplest to implement.”

Nawaz suggested that Pakistan and India should formalize and respect the 2003 understanding for a complete ceasefire on the Line of Control in Kashmir.

For this purpose, he called for UNMOGIP’s expansion to monitor the observance of the ceasefire.

Secondly, the premier urged both the countries to reaffirm their resolve that they will not resort to the use of force under any circumstances. He pointed out that this is a central element of the UN Charter.

Nawaz also proposed that steps should be taken to demilitarize Kashmir.

“Pakistan and India should agree to an unconditional mutual withdrawal from Siachen Glacier — the world’s highest battleground,” he said.

Nawaz said an easing of threat perceptions through such peaceful efforts will make it possible for Pakistan and India to agree on a broad range of measures to address the peril posed by offensive and advanced weapons systems.

“Pakistan neither wants to, nor is it engaged in, an arms race in South Asia,” he asserted.

As a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan will continue to support the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, he added.

Nawaz said South Asia needs strategic stability and this requires serious dialogue to achieve nuclear restraint, conventional balance and conflict resolution.

“Pakistan looks forward to playing its part to build a brighter era of peace and prosperity in South Asia.”

Referring to the menace of terrorism, Nawaz emphasized the need to address the underlying causes of the challenge.

He pointed out that Muslims are suffering across the world: Palestinians and Kashmiris oppressed by foreign occupation; persecuted minorities; and the discrimination against Muslim refugees fleeing persecution or war.

Pak-Afghan relations underwent a positive transformation after the advent of the national unity government in Kabul, said Nawaz.

“Pakistan made strenuous efforts to facilitate the process of Afghan reconciliation. Dialogue did open between the Afghan Government and the Taliban, which was an unprecedented first.

“But it was unfortunate that certain developments stalled the process.

Thereafter, militant attacks intensified, which we unequivocally condemn,” he stressed.

CONTROVERSY FROM P3

Hotel. And then both sides got glued to their TV screens, watching replays in slow motion to claim a point in this game of chicken.

“Does it really matter?” asked Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations, after a half-hour “who-was-the-first” debate at an evening news briefing. “All that matters is that the two leaders waved and smiled at each other,” said Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.

This is how this ‘non-event’ happened at the Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping, hosted jointly by the US, Pakistan and others: Mr Modi walked into the conference hall first and took his seat on the right side of the horseshoe table there. Mr Sharif followed and took his seat right across Mr Modi on the left side of the table.

Both pretended not to have noticed each other.

Just minutes before the program began, Mr Sharif waved at Mr Modi.

Yes, he was the first to show his positive mindset, persuading the Indian leader to respond.

Mr Modi smiled back and waved too. After a brief pause, Mr Modi waved again to Mr Sharif, who smiled back and nodded his head.

Now, who was the winner? Perhaps none or both, but that was not good enough for the media who continued to debate who won. Apparently handicapped by their over-zealous media, the two leaders avoided further display of affection for each other.

They made no attempt to interact.

They entered the room just minutes before the summit began and took their seats. To avoid a face-to-face situation, the two leaders did not walk about to meet or greet others, as some other leaders did.

But they did clap at the end of each other’s speech.

Since Mr Sharif was a co-host, a fact not mentioned by the Indian media, he shared the table with other hosts, US President Barack Obama, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders from Rwanda and Ethiopia.

Mr Modi sat with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and leaders from France and Indonesia.

The Indian and Pakistani prime ministers spent about 90 minutes in the conference room and Mr Modi was the first to leave, immediately after addressing the summit. He did not walk up to any leader to shake hands. Mr Sharif left the room soon after Mr Modi.

Mr Modi flew back to India on Monday night after concluding his twonation tour of Ireland and the US. Prime Minister Sharif is still in New York and was scheduled to return home on Wednesday after addressing the UN General Assembly.—M.H. and A.I. (Dawn) RALLY FROM P3

will also run away from by-polls in NA-122 like it did in the NA-154 adding that he will himself fly to Lahore to campaign for the by-polls.

About the NA-154 case, Khan reminded the media that the election tribunal declared the PML-N candidate ineligible to contest the elections and ordered re-elections but the “PML-N took stay order fearing imminent defeat”.

BYPOLLS FROM P3

The current railways minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique, also took the same route after he was de-seated by an election tribunal some five months ago.

However, from his perch at the Press Information Department, the government’s chief spokesperson claimed that Mr Tareen’s lawyer had failed to argue his case before the apex court and, instead, asked for an adjournment.

“If Mr Tareen’s lawyer was not afraid of Siddique Baloch, why did he refrain from arguing the case, even though Mr Baloch’s counsel was ready to argue and reply to any objection and query from the other side?” he asked.

Referring to the stay order, Mr Rashid said that the courts had also given stay orders in favor of PTI leaders. “Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Rai Hassan Nawaz and Hafeezuddin are some of the PTI leaders who are also [in office] on stay orders,” he said.

Asked why Mr Baloch had moved the apex court, despite the fact that the party had announced it would not go to the Supreme Court to challenge any election tribunal’s decision, the minister said: “We have said from day one that we will not challenge any decision against us and will contest by-elections, but we will move the court to set the record straight.”

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ntil recently, film censorship in Pakistan was mostly limited to Bollywood and Hollywood productions, because, let's be honest, there weren't that many films being produced within Pakistan.

But now, with a sudden uptick in film production, it appears that Pakistani filmmakers are just as likely to face the wrath of the censor board, which claims that certain filmmakers have attempted to explore novel, unchartered, and well, controversial

U

OCTOBER 2, 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAKISTAN LINK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; P31

territories.

The first local film in the recent past to be refused screening by the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) was Resham's much-awaited comeback venture Swaarangi. The board stated the film was "not recommended for screening in its present form", implicitly disapproving of its content and thus banning it.

However, the film sailed through the Punjab and Sindh censor boards without any objections to its content.

Eventually the central board too cleared it for screening only a couple of days before its release nationwide.

There are reports that a second film has faced the wrath of the central censor board (in Islamabad, with the capital and cantonments in its jurisdiction).

The film in question is Hashim Nadeem's Abdullah: The Final Witness.

Abdullah is an upcoming Pakistani film directed, produced and

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written by Hashim Nadeem featuring Imran Abbas and Sadia Khan in the lead. The film also stars Hameed Sheikh and Sajid Hassan in prominent roles.

The film is about the Kharotabad incident of May 2011 that claimed the lives of five foreigners, including two women, one of whom was pregnant.

Frontier Constabulary personnel deputed at the Kharotabad checkpost in Quetta claimed the foreigners were suicide bombers and gunned them down brutally.

The incident was caught on camera by a local journalist and aired on news channels, which then reported the five were innocent. Later, a police surgeon who had conducted autopsies on the five victims was shot dead. The surgeon had contradicted claims made by the police and FC personnel that the five were armed and were suicide bombers. As you can see, to a filmmaker this may make for a gripping narrative.

Abdullah has been shot in Quetta a process that took 25 to 30 days. The film was screened privately at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and received rave reviews, according to the director. However, back at home, the film only got the green light after three "major cuts", that too after a third review by the censor board on the request of the filmmaker.

When director/producer Hashim Nadeem submitted the film to the CBFC in Islamabad, it was rejected outright, with the board writing to the filmmaker on Aug 7 that it found the film "unsuitable for public exhibition in Pakistan for the reasons that the topic is controversial in the present security situation of the country".

The filmmaker then suggested the board consult a few more members and review it again; it was banned again on the same pretext. It was then that Nadeem wrote a detailed letter to the censor board chairman asking him to hold a third review and read the letter aloud to all 21 members attending, explaining to them what the film was about, why it should not be banned, how it attempted to "counter propaganda against the country through a clip on Youtube" and how it had been screened at international film festivals and garnered applause.

Talking to Dawn.com from Quetta, Nadeem says the CBFC had cleared the film, albeit conditionally, suggesting the climax scene be blurred out and two major scenes, forming public opinion, be cut.

"We'll try to blur out the sequence at our end first and if it works then we'll let it go. I haven't yet decided if I'll challenge the decision with the federal government first and then send the film to the provincial censor boards or do both simultaneously. I have suggested a middle ground to the CBFC such as running subtitles at the conclusion and a few other things. Let's see what they have to say," he says.

Nadeem is all praise for the chairman of CBFC, Mobasher Hassan, whom he claimed was instrumental in getting the film through, otherwise it would have been banned completely.

He states categorically his film isn't anti-Pakistan as alluded to in the first notification he got from the board.

"There's nothing beyond Pakistan for me. If there was against my country in the national and international media. It is based on a high court inquiry into the Kharotabad incident and whoever watched the film will be clear about the issue. I have not degraded any forces or the state," he adds.

Regarding functions and formation of a censor board, Nadeem is of the same view as was Mazhar Abbas, the producer of Swaarangi that was also initially banned by the CBFC. "If a film goes to a censor board, I want to suggest they don't decide abruptly and issue us ambiguous statements. What is a 'controversial issue', as was told to me about my film?

Define 'controversial'. I suggested in my letter to them they keep intellectuals in the board who know filmmaking both from in front of the camera and behind it," he says.

"I have also written to the Prime Minister to constitute a censor board here in Balochistan, as for us here it takes time to travel to Islamabad and Punjab," he continues. "It requires at least three days for every appearance at a censor board. Being a civil servant, I can't afford to be away from work that often. After the 18th Amendment, there should have been a censor board in Balochistan also."

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P32 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 2, 2015

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