Beauty needs admiration; skills need recognition; talent needs appreciation. All these desires reach the climax if the desirer is sagacious educated and sensible. But there is always a very obvious difference between recognition and separatism. For the last few months the people of the southern Punjab in Pakistan have been raising their voices for the division of Punjab on administrative grounds. They claim that they have to face a lot of difficulties while seeking for the solution of their problems. People from the far-flung areas like Rajanpur and Bahawalpur have to travel a long distance to reach the provincial headquarter Lahore. They say that by this division the newly established province would be in a better position to take care of the financial matters of this area.
As per tradition, the Indian media men have started portraying this movement as a separatist movement but still they have got no valid argument to support their misconception. The fact is that not even a single fraction in Pakistan is striving for independence from the federation. Be it the Balochistan or the southern Punjab, the demand is purely on administrative grounds confining to the federation. At the time of independence India had 12 provinces from which it moved to 28 states. But Pakistan remained a composite of four. In fact, Pakistan is one of the very few federations of the world in which such a big population is represented by mere four entities. This has created numerous problems over the last 60 years; as a result few have been proposing the idea of creation of newer provinces. Further division and sub-division of Punjab would never be an unwise decision if it is taken at a proper time. Smaller administrative units are always easier to handle with. But a division on the basis of ethnic or racial grounds must never be appreciated.
When we look at India we find a lot of racial and ethnic groups striving for a separate identity. Usually these groups belong to the crushed segments of society and mostly they are the outcome of the horrible caste-system of Indian society. Naxalites, Maoists, Salwa Judum, ULFA, NSCN and so many other separatist are operating successfully in the region. According to the reports some groups like Salwa Judum are state-sponsored. They were created to counter some rival groups but with the passage of time such groups got out of the government control and started operating at their own. Asian Centre for Human Rights on India reported that Indian Security Forces and state-sponsored civilian militia Salwa Judum cadres were involved in gross human rights violations in the name of counter insurgency operations.
The growing influence of all these terrorist groups has prompted Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare them as the most serious threat to India’s national security According to India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), 20,000 insurgents are currently in operation. The area of northeast is considered the most troubled one with respect to these separatist groups. The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) NSCN [-IM] are the most active among such groups. They are striving for the independence of Assam and Nagaland respectively. These two organisations have been continuously trying to extend the spheres of their influence in the northeast region through violence as well as by training and arming a large number of other terrorist and proxy groups. According to the reports the Naxal Movement is the most horrible of all terrorist groups in India. Naxalite or Naxalism is an informal name given to communist groups that were born out of the Sino-Soviet split in the communist movement in India. Ideologically they belong to various trends of Maoism. Initially, the movement had its centre in West Bengal. In recent years, they have spread to less developed areas of rural central and eastern India, such as Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh through the activities of underground groups like the Communist Party of India. They are conducting an insurgency, typically called the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. They now have a presence in 40 percent of India’s geographical area and are especially concentrated in an area known as the “Naxal Belt,” comprising 92,000 square kilometers. The Naxal insurgency has become the biggest threat to India, surpassing Indian Held Kashmir and insurgency-hit northeastern states. Out of 630 districts the Indian government has declared 220 districts as Maoist affected areas.
India is facing a high casualty rate of security personnel in Naxal affected states. According to government sources in the past five months more than 181 Security Personnel have been killed. On June 16, 2009 about 400 Maoist guerrillas entered Lalgarh in Medinapore district of West Bengal and captured it including Police Station, destroying all symbols of administrative authority. The state government ordered security forces to control the situation. The security forces launched a full scale military operation using two companies of BSF, one company from CRPF, a platoon of Kolkatta Police Rapid Action Battalion, a company from west Bengal Armed Police and a platoon of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB). The Maoists enjoy considerable influence in Lalgarh and are still in control of the district. The Maoist leaders say that their movement is a protest against oppression and exploitation of neglected tribes and landless farmers. They claim to fight for India’s poorest. The Naxalites now operate in at least 11 of the country’s 28 states and are thought to boast some 22,000 fighters.
It is nothing but an irony that a country like India who is bringing up so many terrorist and separatist groups is worried about the movements like the Saraiki movement in the Southern Punjab of Pakistan. India must pay attention to its own society where life has become a blob of pain and agony for the untouchables. The Saraiki movement is not a separatist movement. It is a struggle for the division of Punjab simply on administrative grounds. Our neighbours must not waste their time in curdling over the internal matters of Pakistan. They have already been doing a lot of ‘favours’ to us and they should give us time to pay back first for these ‘blessings.’
Ali Sukhanver
Email: alisukhanver@hotmail.com
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Indian Gujarat Sabarmati Jail beatings and torture
Human Rights Watch researchers interact with the families of July 26 serial bomb blast accused; trying to find out why the accused were severely beaten up inside the Sabarmati Jail.
Vadodra: A team of two researchers from Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non- governmental organization to protect the human rights of the citizens all over the world, is currently on an assignment in Gujarat.
It was the revelations by HRW about the inhuman torture of the inmates in Guantanamo prison became the ground for closure of the infamous cell and release of the prisoners.
In the last one week since they have landed in Gujarat, infamous for its statewide anti-Muslim carnage in 2002 in alleged collusion with the state machinery, the two researchers have been able to meet several rights activists, police and government officials, lawyers defending civil rights and families of the accused facing trial for their alleged involvement in July 26, 2008, serial bomb blasts that left 56 people dead in Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of this Western Indian state.
According to rights activists and lawyers, who interacted with the two researchers, say that HRW representatives are mainly focusing on the misuse of administrative powers and legal provisions on the pretext of fighting terror.
Those who interacted with the researchers-Letta Taylor and Meenakshi Ganguly-say that they were very critical of violation of human rights of citizens on the pretext of fighting terror. The researchers said that their organization had exposed the human rights violations by the official machinery in several parts of the globe and successfully brought international pressure on the respective governments to end rights violations.
In their interactions, advocate Hashim Qureshi and other advocates told the group about the misuse of administrative and legal provisions, particularly with regard to filing 19 different cases against the accused in July 26 serial bomb blasts aimed at prolonging their police remand for about six months. According to them, all the blast incidents should have been covered in a single FIR.
Other advocates including I M Munshi and Khalid Sheikh also briefed the researchers about the human rights violation of the accused in police as well as judicial custody. They also submitted the team several documents pertaining to rights violations including a court report on the injuries suffered by the inmates when they were assaulted by prison and police personnel in Sabarmati jail in the last week of March.
Though more than a year has passed since the blast took place and chargesheets were filed, the advocates informed the team that trial had yet not begun in the blast case reflecting on the slow judicial process, resulting into harassment of the accused.
Stating that if the police could infringe on the human rights of the people under ordinary provisions of Indian Penal Code, the advocates told HRW team that the draconian provisions of the of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2008, passed by the UPA government could give immense leverage to the police to further harass any one they suspect to be an accused in an act of terror. The advocates said that as far as human rights were concerned, UAPA was the worst legislation anywhere in the world, passed by the Indian federal government after Mumbai terror attack in November 2008.
The researchers are also probing why only the accused involved in July 26 serial blasts were singled out and brutally tortured by prison staff and cops while other Muslim prisoners, including POTA accused from Godhra as also Ahmedabad, were not even touched. In fact, all other Muslim prisoners were allegedly separated before blast accused were assaulted.
The researchers were officially told that the accused had dealt with severely because they resorted to hunger strike, which amounts to mutiny under the archaic Bombay Prison Manual prepared by the Britishers to suppress freedom fighters, the family members of the accused informed that the prison officials were hostile to them particularly because they were more strict in adherence of religious tenets like praying regularly five times a day and propagating Islam among the non-Muslim prisoners.
According to family members of the accused, as many as 10 Hindu prisoners have so far embraced Islam.
The researchers also visited families of the accused in Vadodara. Raees Agarbattiwala, brother of accused Usman Agarbattiwala, told them that while the four accused were picked up on August 8, they were officially shown arrested on August 14 only. According to Raees, they were kept under illegal detention for six days.
Hameeda Bano, mother Imran Sheikh, another blast accused, alleged that her son was tortured by the police during interrogation and then brutally beaten up in Sabarmati jail.
Imran’s father Ibrahim suffering from cardiac problem, passed away a week ago, with the jail authorities not allowing Imran to attend the burial of his father.
Well-known human rights activist Yusuf Sheikh based at Vadodara told the researchers about the mental torture he was subjected to by the police and intelligence agencies after July 26 blasts.
During her interactions, Sumaiya, wife of blast accused Ashok alias Umar, narrated how her husband was allegedly forced by the sleuths to reconvert and booked in the blast case after he refused to surrender to their wishes. Sumaiya is also a neo-convert.
Qutbuddin Sheikh, father of accused Zahid Sheikh, told HRW representatives that he had no money to arrange for the legal assistance for his son.
Ganguly and Taylor are expected to visit other places including Delhi, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other state to prepare their report on India.
Vadodra: A team of two researchers from Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non- governmental organization to protect the human rights of the citizens all over the world, is currently on an assignment in Gujarat.
It was the revelations by HRW about the inhuman torture of the inmates in Guantanamo prison became the ground for closure of the infamous cell and release of the prisoners.
In the last one week since they have landed in Gujarat, infamous for its statewide anti-Muslim carnage in 2002 in alleged collusion with the state machinery, the two researchers have been able to meet several rights activists, police and government officials, lawyers defending civil rights and families of the accused facing trial for their alleged involvement in July 26, 2008, serial bomb blasts that left 56 people dead in Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of this Western Indian state.
According to rights activists and lawyers, who interacted with the two researchers, say that HRW representatives are mainly focusing on the misuse of administrative powers and legal provisions on the pretext of fighting terror.
Those who interacted with the researchers-Letta Taylor and Meenakshi Ganguly-say that they were very critical of violation of human rights of citizens on the pretext of fighting terror. The researchers said that their organization had exposed the human rights violations by the official machinery in several parts of the globe and successfully brought international pressure on the respective governments to end rights violations.
In their interactions, advocate Hashim Qureshi and other advocates told the group about the misuse of administrative and legal provisions, particularly with regard to filing 19 different cases against the accused in July 26 serial bomb blasts aimed at prolonging their police remand for about six months. According to them, all the blast incidents should have been covered in a single FIR.
Other advocates including I M Munshi and Khalid Sheikh also briefed the researchers about the human rights violation of the accused in police as well as judicial custody. They also submitted the team several documents pertaining to rights violations including a court report on the injuries suffered by the inmates when they were assaulted by prison and police personnel in Sabarmati jail in the last week of March.
Though more than a year has passed since the blast took place and chargesheets were filed, the advocates informed the team that trial had yet not begun in the blast case reflecting on the slow judicial process, resulting into harassment of the accused.
Stating that if the police could infringe on the human rights of the people under ordinary provisions of Indian Penal Code, the advocates told HRW team that the draconian provisions of the of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2008, passed by the UPA government could give immense leverage to the police to further harass any one they suspect to be an accused in an act of terror. The advocates said that as far as human rights were concerned, UAPA was the worst legislation anywhere in the world, passed by the Indian federal government after Mumbai terror attack in November 2008.
The researchers are also probing why only the accused involved in July 26 serial blasts were singled out and brutally tortured by prison staff and cops while other Muslim prisoners, including POTA accused from Godhra as also Ahmedabad, were not even touched. In fact, all other Muslim prisoners were allegedly separated before blast accused were assaulted.
The researchers were officially told that the accused had dealt with severely because they resorted to hunger strike, which amounts to mutiny under the archaic Bombay Prison Manual prepared by the Britishers to suppress freedom fighters, the family members of the accused informed that the prison officials were hostile to them particularly because they were more strict in adherence of religious tenets like praying regularly five times a day and propagating Islam among the non-Muslim prisoners.
According to family members of the accused, as many as 10 Hindu prisoners have so far embraced Islam.
The researchers also visited families of the accused in Vadodara. Raees Agarbattiwala, brother of accused Usman Agarbattiwala, told them that while the four accused were picked up on August 8, they were officially shown arrested on August 14 only. According to Raees, they were kept under illegal detention for six days.
Hameeda Bano, mother Imran Sheikh, another blast accused, alleged that her son was tortured by the police during interrogation and then brutally beaten up in Sabarmati jail.
Imran’s father Ibrahim suffering from cardiac problem, passed away a week ago, with the jail authorities not allowing Imran to attend the burial of his father.
Well-known human rights activist Yusuf Sheikh based at Vadodara told the researchers about the mental torture he was subjected to by the police and intelligence agencies after July 26 blasts.
During her interactions, Sumaiya, wife of blast accused Ashok alias Umar, narrated how her husband was allegedly forced by the sleuths to reconvert and booked in the blast case after he refused to surrender to their wishes. Sumaiya is also a neo-convert.
Qutbuddin Sheikh, father of accused Zahid Sheikh, told HRW representatives that he had no money to arrange for the legal assistance for his son.
Ganguly and Taylor are expected to visit other places including Delhi, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other state to prepare their report on India.
400-year-old historic ‘Dibiya Wali Mosque’ demolished in Delhi
By RINA
New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority has demolished some parts of the four hundred year old historic Dibiya wali Mosque located at the Andheria Mor just opposite the Kisan Haat in the Mahrauli area of the city here yesterday. This has hurt the sentiments of Muslims of the area. During this condemnable act the protestors pelted stones at the police as well as the officials of the Delhi Development Authority. Sensing trouble the Stationed House Officer of the Mahrauli Police Station along with other police officials reached the spot.
According to the reports available with the RINA at around four in the evening yesterday a team of nearly half a dozen officials of the Delhi Development Authority carrying a JCB machine and other instruments reached the Dibiya Wali Mosque. A huge contingent of Delhi Police also came along with the team of Delhi Development Authority. As soon as the team reached the Dibiya Wali Mosque it began demolishing the main ceiling and walls of the Mosque. Some of respected members of the society requested the DDA to stop the demolition which was started without notice. However, the DDA Staff paid no heed to it.
A mosque in Delhi [TCN photo]
The protestors started pelting stones at the staff of the Delhi Development Authority as well as the Delhi Police. In retaliation the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. This led to tension in the area. In the meanwhile traffic jam occurred on both sides. It must be recalled that during the reign of former Prime Minister late Vishwanath Pratap Singh also the move to offer prayers at the Dibiya Wali Mosque was opposed. Afterwards this case reached the Delhi High Court. At that point of time the Court ordered to maintain the status quo of Mosque. The Chairman of Delhi Wakf Board Chaudhary Mateen Ahmad told RINA that he would soon speak to the officers of Delhi Development Authority on this issue.
Mr. Mateen Ahmad revealed that it is an ancient Mosque whose records are mentioned in the Board Gazette. Therefore, the DDA need not interfere in its affairs. According to the Imam of the Dibiya Wali Mosque Maulana Tahir Qasmi when the local people resisted the move by the DDA to demolish the Mosque they roughed up by the police. The President of the Supervisory Committee of Mosque Maulana Mohammad Talha has termed this demolition by the DDA absolutely illegal. One of the officials of the Delhi Development Authority Neemudhar maintains that this demolition derive was conducted to remove the illegal encroachment in the Mosque and it is absolutely wrong to give it a communal colour.
New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority has demolished some parts of the four hundred year old historic Dibiya wali Mosque located at the Andheria Mor just opposite the Kisan Haat in the Mahrauli area of the city here yesterday. This has hurt the sentiments of Muslims of the area. During this condemnable act the protestors pelted stones at the police as well as the officials of the Delhi Development Authority. Sensing trouble the Stationed House Officer of the Mahrauli Police Station along with other police officials reached the spot.
According to the reports available with the RINA at around four in the evening yesterday a team of nearly half a dozen officials of the Delhi Development Authority carrying a JCB machine and other instruments reached the Dibiya Wali Mosque. A huge contingent of Delhi Police also came along with the team of Delhi Development Authority. As soon as the team reached the Dibiya Wali Mosque it began demolishing the main ceiling and walls of the Mosque. Some of respected members of the society requested the DDA to stop the demolition which was started without notice. However, the DDA Staff paid no heed to it.
A mosque in Delhi [TCN photo]
The protestors started pelting stones at the staff of the Delhi Development Authority as well as the Delhi Police. In retaliation the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. This led to tension in the area. In the meanwhile traffic jam occurred on both sides. It must be recalled that during the reign of former Prime Minister late Vishwanath Pratap Singh also the move to offer prayers at the Dibiya Wali Mosque was opposed. Afterwards this case reached the Delhi High Court. At that point of time the Court ordered to maintain the status quo of Mosque. The Chairman of Delhi Wakf Board Chaudhary Mateen Ahmad told RINA that he would soon speak to the officers of Delhi Development Authority on this issue.
Mr. Mateen Ahmad revealed that it is an ancient Mosque whose records are mentioned in the Board Gazette. Therefore, the DDA need not interfere in its affairs. According to the Imam of the Dibiya Wali Mosque Maulana Tahir Qasmi when the local people resisted the move by the DDA to demolish the Mosque they roughed up by the police. The President of the Supervisory Committee of Mosque Maulana Mohammad Talha has termed this demolition by the DDA absolutely illegal. One of the officials of the Delhi Development Authority Neemudhar maintains that this demolition derive was conducted to remove the illegal encroachment in the Mosque and it is absolutely wrong to give it a communal colour.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Kashmir tragedy: The Martyrs’ Day
The Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, popularly known as Youme Shuhada-e-Kashmir is observed on July 13 every year not only on both sides of the Line of Control but also all over the world by the Kashmiris to pay homage to 22 Kashmiris who were martyred in 1931 to free Kashmir from the brutalities of despotic Dogra rulers. The tragic day is the milestone in the history of Kashmiri struggle against foreign occupation which still continues under the Indian alien rule.
The history of Dogra rule (1846-1947) in
Sufferings of the Kashmiri people could be judged from the observation of Yousaf Saraf who in his book, ‘Kashmiris fight for freedom’ calls it “free forced labour” and he writes: “instead of donkeys and horses, Kashmiri Muslims were used for transportation of goods across the far-flung areas”. While describing the atrocities of the Dogra regime and pathetic picture of the Kashmiris, Sir Walter Lawrence in his renowned book, ‘The India we served’, wrote: “army was employed in forcing the villagers to plough and sow, and worse still…the soldiers came at harvest time and when the share of the state had been seized” and “there was very little grain to tide the unfortunate peasants over the cruel winter.” However, under the tyrannical regime, political rights had no place; even the religious rights had been denied to the Muslims of the state.
In
On July 13, 1931, thousands of people crowded the Central Jail,
The people carried the dead and paraded through the streets of
The atrocities against the Kashmiri Muslims did not stop even after the partition of
Since 1989 when liberation of
Today’s
The current phase of Kashmir struggle began on August 12, 2008 when Indian forces killed Hurriyat Conference leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz along with five other persons who were protesting against the government decision to give land to the trust that runs Amarnath, a shrine of Hindus. On the same day, more than 200,000 Kashmiris marched towards the Martyrs Graveyard to participate in the funeral of Abdul Aziz. The police killed 18 innocent Muslims by firing. While extremist Hindus who favoured the decision of the government, but due to its revocation, started violent protests and economic blockade of the Muslims, emulating the Israeli siege of Gaza which resulted in starvation of thousands of innocent Palestinians.
Unlike the past, this time Indian-held Kashmir has become a special focus of world’s attention including
In this regard, The Washington Post wrote on August 28, 2008, “Despite the government’s use of force, many Muslims in Indian controlled
It is mentionable that ‘composite dialogue’ between
Nonetheless, observance of Kashmiris’ freedom struggle on the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day on July 13, every year is reaffirmation of the fact that Kashmiris will continue to fight against Indian illegitimate occupation. In this connection, Youme Shuhada-e-Kashmir is an ideal day for Kashmiri people to seek inspiration to carry their struggle for freedom to its logical end. At this time of distress, the people of
Sajjad Shaukat
Email: Sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
Malicious propaganda against Pak
The Guardian’ in its issue of 14 June 2009 has published an extremely damaging story against Pakistan. In this account, Kapil Kamireddis, an Indian journalist assets that Pakistan’s fight against the Taliban is just an illusion. To him, the world might think that it is a battle for Pakistan’s soul, but, according to his assessment, this is far from reality and the generals in Rawalpindi are not very sure for victory.” A little short of using provocative language against Pakistan, the writer makes his readers believe that nothing could deter Islamabad from continuing with its policy of patronizing Islamic extremists.
To substantiate his argument, he mentions about the release of Hafiz Saeed, who is allegedly determined to destroy India. He said Maulana was detained after last Mumbai’s incident and has recently been released under orders of Lahore High Court. Kapil, in the article under review, clearly misinterprets the Two-Nation Theory as the basis of Pakistan. In the process, he distorts historical facts about Kashmir and East Pakistan and elaborates his point by declaring that the Pakistan, that was created in 1947, had ceased to exist in 1971, with the emergence of Bangladesh. He makes us believe that seven million East Pakistanis were mercilessly slaughtered by the Pakistan Army in 1971. To bag all credit for India, he claimed that it was secular India, with its forces led by Non-Hindus, which timely intervened to liberate East Pakistan from the clutches of West Pakistan. To cause greater damage to Pakistan, Kapil indicates division among Pakistan’s provinces from Karachi to Peshawar and concludes that within the near twenty years, Pakistan will no longer exist.
The author now focuses his attention on public support behind Pak Army and the subsequent rejection of the Taliban style of Shariah. He concedes that this view is amply expressed by the leaders of various political and civil societies, especially religious scholars. This gives ample proof that majority of Pakistanis are moderate and they stand for moderation instead of extremism. The Taliban, by and large, lost their public support, in view of their anti-social activities such a beheading, kidnapping, burning of girls schools etc. It is primarily due to such ill-conceived, dastardly acts that even tribal peoples have now started realizing that these militants Taliban wanted to impose rule of terror under the cover of Shariah.
It was primarily due to these high handed activities of Taliban that people of Swat, Dir, Buner had refused to accept their version of Islam and they preferred to support the Pakistan Army. These even preferred to live in camps rather than following the dictates of the Taliban. By and large, people of these areas have shown unity in backing the on-going military operation.
From the one-sided prejudiced account of Kapil’s narrative, one can very easily make out that after the lapse of much than six decades, India has not whole-heartedly recognized the existence of Pakistan and anti-Pakistan elements have been making overt and covert efforts in destabilizing the country since 1947. In the process, three full-fledged wars have been imposed on Pakistan.
To worsen matters, in violation of Indus Basin Treaty of 1947, India has caused suspension of rivers’ water to Pakistan. To display extreme high-handedness, India has annexed Kashmir illegitimately and has refused to hold plebiscite in the valley. By doing this, she has denied the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris. These are some glaring examples of India’s hostile attitude towards Pakistan. It is a matter of great concern that India’s secret agency “RAW” has unashamedly placed Pakistan on its hit list. In 1971, in response of Indira Gandhi’s orders, RAW mobilized all its resources by exploiting political turmoil of East Pakistan, which RAW had created through its agents. These agents had provided Bengalis, arms and ammunition for carrying out guerilla activities against Pakistan’s defence forces. This agency had played a very dirty role in the dismemberment of Pakistan.
Viewing Pakistan’s predicaments from another angle, it is sad to note that India has been consistently fanning flames of insurgency in the Frontier Province and Balochistan. In these areas, ‘RAW’ has planted its own agents and also it has established a number of terrorist training camps. Armed insurgents are ‘posted’ to these places to create lawlessness. Of late, these terrorist activities are now taken a very serious turn. Pakistan has now virtually plunged into total anarchy and it finds itself in the total grip of lawlessness. In the recent past, the country was seen in the severe grip of suicide attacks. By all calculations, India’s secret agency “RAW” is responsible for all these terror activities. Pakistan must remain in a state of complete alertness to guard against nefarious designs of its awed enemy – India.
Col Ghulam Sarwar (R)
Email: colghulamsarwar@hotmail.com
To substantiate his argument, he mentions about the release of Hafiz Saeed, who is allegedly determined to destroy India. He said Maulana was detained after last Mumbai’s incident and has recently been released under orders of Lahore High Court. Kapil, in the article under review, clearly misinterprets the Two-Nation Theory as the basis of Pakistan. In the process, he distorts historical facts about Kashmir and East Pakistan and elaborates his point by declaring that the Pakistan, that was created in 1947, had ceased to exist in 1971, with the emergence of Bangladesh. He makes us believe that seven million East Pakistanis were mercilessly slaughtered by the Pakistan Army in 1971. To bag all credit for India, he claimed that it was secular India, with its forces led by Non-Hindus, which timely intervened to liberate East Pakistan from the clutches of West Pakistan. To cause greater damage to Pakistan, Kapil indicates division among Pakistan’s provinces from Karachi to Peshawar and concludes that within the near twenty years, Pakistan will no longer exist.
The author now focuses his attention on public support behind Pak Army and the subsequent rejection of the Taliban style of Shariah. He concedes that this view is amply expressed by the leaders of various political and civil societies, especially religious scholars. This gives ample proof that majority of Pakistanis are moderate and they stand for moderation instead of extremism. The Taliban, by and large, lost their public support, in view of their anti-social activities such a beheading, kidnapping, burning of girls schools etc. It is primarily due to such ill-conceived, dastardly acts that even tribal peoples have now started realizing that these militants Taliban wanted to impose rule of terror under the cover of Shariah.
It was primarily due to these high handed activities of Taliban that people of Swat, Dir, Buner had refused to accept their version of Islam and they preferred to support the Pakistan Army. These even preferred to live in camps rather than following the dictates of the Taliban. By and large, people of these areas have shown unity in backing the on-going military operation.
From the one-sided prejudiced account of Kapil’s narrative, one can very easily make out that after the lapse of much than six decades, India has not whole-heartedly recognized the existence of Pakistan and anti-Pakistan elements have been making overt and covert efforts in destabilizing the country since 1947. In the process, three full-fledged wars have been imposed on Pakistan.
To worsen matters, in violation of Indus Basin Treaty of 1947, India has caused suspension of rivers’ water to Pakistan. To display extreme high-handedness, India has annexed Kashmir illegitimately and has refused to hold plebiscite in the valley. By doing this, she has denied the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris. These are some glaring examples of India’s hostile attitude towards Pakistan. It is a matter of great concern that India’s secret agency “RAW” has unashamedly placed Pakistan on its hit list. In 1971, in response of Indira Gandhi’s orders, RAW mobilized all its resources by exploiting political turmoil of East Pakistan, which RAW had created through its agents. These agents had provided Bengalis, arms and ammunition for carrying out guerilla activities against Pakistan’s defence forces. This agency had played a very dirty role in the dismemberment of Pakistan.
Viewing Pakistan’s predicaments from another angle, it is sad to note that India has been consistently fanning flames of insurgency in the Frontier Province and Balochistan. In these areas, ‘RAW’ has planted its own agents and also it has established a number of terrorist training camps. Armed insurgents are ‘posted’ to these places to create lawlessness. Of late, these terrorist activities are now taken a very serious turn. Pakistan has now virtually plunged into total anarchy and it finds itself in the total grip of lawlessness. In the recent past, the country was seen in the severe grip of suicide attacks. By all calculations, India’s secret agency “RAW” is responsible for all these terror activities. Pakistan must remain in a state of complete alertness to guard against nefarious designs of its awed enemy – India.
Col Ghulam Sarwar (R)
Email: colghulamsarwar@hotmail.com
Friday, October 23, 2009
India’s growing defence spending and poor masses
India is one of the most populated countries in the world and looking towards becoming a global superpower in the presence of millions of poor people and poor social infrastructure.
The country is under the grip of severe poverty and almost half of its population is underweight, many of them in the more serious categories of wasting and stunting. The country is badly facing the challenge of poverty which is one of the fundamental problems in relation to different socio-economic groups, geographic regions and rural and urban areas. The World Bank estimates that more than 40 per cent people of India are living below the poverty line and countless people fail to maintain a living standard adequate for their physical and mental efficiency. India still has the world' largest number of poor people and millions are living in slums and has also higher rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three as compared to any other country in the world. So, the global challenge of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is disproportionately dependent on the fight against poverty in India. Food insecurity is also a major factor in India and investment is far away because there is no electricity available to the 220,000 villages. Irrigation infrastructure has not been maintained and poor controls over industrialisation have also contributed to the collapse of groundwater levels and the loss of cultivable land. On the other hand, India's health and education system has also deteriorated and poor standards of nutrition undermine all health indicators. Almost half of Indian babies are born underweight and rates of infant and child mortality are falling too slowly to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets to reduce poverty and hunger, and to tackle ill-health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water and environmental degradation. Moreover, rural population has also no access to improved sanitation, hopelessly behind MDG targets. In this bleak background, it seems that Indian elites have no grand strategy to handle poverty and poor economy rather than they are ambitious to become a military power and swing state in the international system. The world started to take notice of India's desire to becoming a great power when New Delhi signed a nuclear pact with the United States in July 2005 and this breakthrough is only one dimension of the dramatic transformation of Indian foreign policy that has taken place since the end of the Cold War. After more than half a century of false assumptions and unrealised potentials, Indian elites are thinking to match the global balance of power. In fact, the power hungry elites have deliberately shut their eyes from the economic poverty and are not willing to face the most critical issues of society and blindly moving towards the so-called destination of great power status at the cost of economic well-being. It is also a reality that to rise as a great power, India needs more than economic assets and indigenous sophisticated infrastructure to obtain economic, technological and military power rapidly which is hard to achieve in the near future. So, it is a difficult task to "become a major global player" even though New Delhi had signed 10-year defence agreement with Washington on June 29, 2007 and both has engaged in strategic partnership but still India's strategy is contradictory. Moreover, India's increasing power is also a part in the process of a major shift occurring in international relations, from US-based uni-polarity to a "multifaceted multi-polarity," which could be the prelude of a new multi-polar order. It is surprising that India is facing worst type of economic crisis and poverty but its elites steeply hiked the budgetary allocation for defence to Rs 141,703 crore, a 34 per cent increase over the previous fiscal. The increase in real terms amounted to Rs 36,103 crore over last year's (2008-2009) allocation of Rs 105,600 crore, and is apparently intended to speed up procurement of defence equipment and plug the security gaps exposed by the Mumbai carnage. Moreover, the 34 per cent increase is substantial compared to the increase of only 10 per cent affected in last year's budget over Rs 96,000 crore allocated in 2007-08. In fact, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had allocated the same amount for defence in his interim budget presented in Parliament on February 16, 2009 before the Lok Sabha polls. Although in past years (2007-2009), the 1.1 million strong Indian Army has received the lion's share of 41 per cent or Rs 58,648 crore, with the Indian Navy being allocated Rs 8,322 crore and the Indian Air Force Rs 14,318 crore. Furthermore, the allocation for the fiscal that began April 1, 2009 plan expenditure for defence has been pegged at Rs 86,879 crore against Rs 73,600 crore for the financial year just ended March 31, 2009. This includes Rs 54,824 crore for capital expenditure as against Rs 41,000 crore in the revised estimates for 2008-09. In fact, India has embarked upon a multi-billion dollars ambitious programme of modernization of its armed forces by acquiring advanced weapons from different countries, including Britain, France, Israel, Russia, and the United States. Indian government also allocated huge amount around Rs 45b for Paramilitary Forces, which is world's largest paramilitary organisation. They have also given lion's share of Rs 17b to Central Police Organisations (CPO) which is the umbrella institution of CRPF and it is playing a key role in assisting state governments to tackle insurgency, naxalism, terrorism besides internal security duties. The BSF, entrusted task of keeping vigil along LoC in Jammu & Kashmir and the country's 6,622 kms borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh & Myanmar, got Rs 11.56b more compared to last year's Rs 53.77b. In this regard, the CISF which is on threshold of a massive expansion programme and the institution will receive Rs 4.8b more than last year's Rs 20.01b and the forces has recently been given additional responsibilities of guarding private and joint venture installations and maintenance of Indian foreign missions. Interestingly, the lion's share would be spent on modernizing the world's 4th largest military (1.23 million), which is scouting global arms bazaars for helicopters, artillery, armour and infantry gear, received the largest share of the cash, with an allocation of 11.79 billion dollars in the budget. The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is on the verge of handing out a 126-warjet contract worth almost 12 billion dollars and the government allotted 2.86 billion dollars. The reports are available that six global aerospace firms are competing to grab the rich fighter jet deal which stipulates India will buy outright 18 planes by 2012 and locally assemble the remaining units under licence at a state-run facility. In the same way, the Indian Navy, embroiled in a squabble with Russia over an aircraft carrier contract and allocated 1.66$ billion. According to IISS (London) and SPIRI (Stockholm) India is one of the biggest weapons buyer among emerging countries and it has imported military hardware worth 28 billion dollars since 2000. The defence establishment has also allocated another 30 billion dollars which will be spent by 2010 and it has included 3.5 billion dollars for 700 helicopters, 1.5 billion dollars for AWACS and an unspecified amount for drones, mainly from Israeli arms firms. In the circumstance, Pakistan has logical justification to react against India's military spending because they are gradually increasing their defence budget which is clear indication of India's hegemonic ambitions. Since 1950s, India has dramatically improved its military capabilities on land and sea, in the air, and in space. It has begun to project its military power beyond the borders and small neighbours are feeling insecure from its acquiring advanced weapons systems from foreign suppliers as well as trying to develop its own. Pakistan's defence planners have greatest concern with the development of cyber and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry, submarines, and ballistic missiles. The modernization in these areas would certainly disturb the balance of power of South Asian region. The strategists agreed that India's military modernization makes perfect sense of Islamabad concerns to India's longer-term evil motives. Nonetheless, India's economic and social disparity is alarming because of poor healthcare and education system. The civil society in India always forced Indian elites that money spent on arms not only fuelled tensions in the region but also diverted crucial funds meant for socio-economic development. Increasing more money for defence means that there will be no allocations for welfare schemes and infrastructure, while assuring high growth for the 1.2 trillion dollars economy once again. The economists argued that more allocation to defence will certainly affect India's flagship rural reconstruction programme, urban development and energy sector. In addition, if India wishes to become an economic superpower then they have to tackle its worst economic problems and must address directly and earnestly and until these problems will settle down India will be domestically weak and insecure.
A Z Hilali
Email: hilali007@yahoo.com
The country is under the grip of severe poverty and almost half of its population is underweight, many of them in the more serious categories of wasting and stunting. The country is badly facing the challenge of poverty which is one of the fundamental problems in relation to different socio-economic groups, geographic regions and rural and urban areas. The World Bank estimates that more than 40 per cent people of India are living below the poverty line and countless people fail to maintain a living standard adequate for their physical and mental efficiency. India still has the world' largest number of poor people and millions are living in slums and has also higher rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three as compared to any other country in the world. So, the global challenge of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is disproportionately dependent on the fight against poverty in India. Food insecurity is also a major factor in India and investment is far away because there is no electricity available to the 220,000 villages. Irrigation infrastructure has not been maintained and poor controls over industrialisation have also contributed to the collapse of groundwater levels and the loss of cultivable land. On the other hand, India's health and education system has also deteriorated and poor standards of nutrition undermine all health indicators. Almost half of Indian babies are born underweight and rates of infant and child mortality are falling too slowly to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets to reduce poverty and hunger, and to tackle ill-health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water and environmental degradation. Moreover, rural population has also no access to improved sanitation, hopelessly behind MDG targets. In this bleak background, it seems that Indian elites have no grand strategy to handle poverty and poor economy rather than they are ambitious to become a military power and swing state in the international system. The world started to take notice of India's desire to becoming a great power when New Delhi signed a nuclear pact with the United States in July 2005 and this breakthrough is only one dimension of the dramatic transformation of Indian foreign policy that has taken place since the end of the Cold War. After more than half a century of false assumptions and unrealised potentials, Indian elites are thinking to match the global balance of power. In fact, the power hungry elites have deliberately shut their eyes from the economic poverty and are not willing to face the most critical issues of society and blindly moving towards the so-called destination of great power status at the cost of economic well-being. It is also a reality that to rise as a great power, India needs more than economic assets and indigenous sophisticated infrastructure to obtain economic, technological and military power rapidly which is hard to achieve in the near future. So, it is a difficult task to "become a major global player" even though New Delhi had signed 10-year defence agreement with Washington on June 29, 2007 and both has engaged in strategic partnership but still India's strategy is contradictory. Moreover, India's increasing power is also a part in the process of a major shift occurring in international relations, from US-based uni-polarity to a "multifaceted multi-polarity," which could be the prelude of a new multi-polar order. It is surprising that India is facing worst type of economic crisis and poverty but its elites steeply hiked the budgetary allocation for defence to Rs 141,703 crore, a 34 per cent increase over the previous fiscal. The increase in real terms amounted to Rs 36,103 crore over last year's (2008-2009) allocation of Rs 105,600 crore, and is apparently intended to speed up procurement of defence equipment and plug the security gaps exposed by the Mumbai carnage. Moreover, the 34 per cent increase is substantial compared to the increase of only 10 per cent affected in last year's budget over Rs 96,000 crore allocated in 2007-08. In fact, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had allocated the same amount for defence in his interim budget presented in Parliament on February 16, 2009 before the Lok Sabha polls. Although in past years (2007-2009), the 1.1 million strong Indian Army has received the lion's share of 41 per cent or Rs 58,648 crore, with the Indian Navy being allocated Rs 8,322 crore and the Indian Air Force Rs 14,318 crore. Furthermore, the allocation for the fiscal that began April 1, 2009 plan expenditure for defence has been pegged at Rs 86,879 crore against Rs 73,600 crore for the financial year just ended March 31, 2009. This includes Rs 54,824 crore for capital expenditure as against Rs 41,000 crore in the revised estimates for 2008-09. In fact, India has embarked upon a multi-billion dollars ambitious programme of modernization of its armed forces by acquiring advanced weapons from different countries, including Britain, France, Israel, Russia, and the United States. Indian government also allocated huge amount around Rs 45b for Paramilitary Forces, which is world's largest paramilitary organisation. They have also given lion's share of Rs 17b to Central Police Organisations (CPO) which is the umbrella institution of CRPF and it is playing a key role in assisting state governments to tackle insurgency, naxalism, terrorism besides internal security duties. The BSF, entrusted task of keeping vigil along LoC in Jammu & Kashmir and the country's 6,622 kms borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh & Myanmar, got Rs 11.56b more compared to last year's Rs 53.77b. In this regard, the CISF which is on threshold of a massive expansion programme and the institution will receive Rs 4.8b more than last year's Rs 20.01b and the forces has recently been given additional responsibilities of guarding private and joint venture installations and maintenance of Indian foreign missions. Interestingly, the lion's share would be spent on modernizing the world's 4th largest military (1.23 million), which is scouting global arms bazaars for helicopters, artillery, armour and infantry gear, received the largest share of the cash, with an allocation of 11.79 billion dollars in the budget. The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is on the verge of handing out a 126-warjet contract worth almost 12 billion dollars and the government allotted 2.86 billion dollars. The reports are available that six global aerospace firms are competing to grab the rich fighter jet deal which stipulates India will buy outright 18 planes by 2012 and locally assemble the remaining units under licence at a state-run facility. In the same way, the Indian Navy, embroiled in a squabble with Russia over an aircraft carrier contract and allocated 1.66$ billion. According to IISS (London) and SPIRI (Stockholm) India is one of the biggest weapons buyer among emerging countries and it has imported military hardware worth 28 billion dollars since 2000. The defence establishment has also allocated another 30 billion dollars which will be spent by 2010 and it has included 3.5 billion dollars for 700 helicopters, 1.5 billion dollars for AWACS and an unspecified amount for drones, mainly from Israeli arms firms. In the circumstance, Pakistan has logical justification to react against India's military spending because they are gradually increasing their defence budget which is clear indication of India's hegemonic ambitions. Since 1950s, India has dramatically improved its military capabilities on land and sea, in the air, and in space. It has begun to project its military power beyond the borders and small neighbours are feeling insecure from its acquiring advanced weapons systems from foreign suppliers as well as trying to develop its own. Pakistan's defence planners have greatest concern with the development of cyber and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry, submarines, and ballistic missiles. The modernization in these areas would certainly disturb the balance of power of South Asian region. The strategists agreed that India's military modernization makes perfect sense of Islamabad concerns to India's longer-term evil motives. Nonetheless, India's economic and social disparity is alarming because of poor healthcare and education system. The civil society in India always forced Indian elites that money spent on arms not only fuelled tensions in the region but also diverted crucial funds meant for socio-economic development. Increasing more money for defence means that there will be no allocations for welfare schemes and infrastructure, while assuring high growth for the 1.2 trillion dollars economy once again. The economists argued that more allocation to defence will certainly affect India's flagship rural reconstruction programme, urban development and energy sector. In addition, if India wishes to become an economic superpower then they have to tackle its worst economic problems and must address directly and earnestly and until these problems will settle down India will be domestically weak and insecure.
A Z Hilali
Email: hilali007@yahoo.com
Defeating the Taliban’s Ideology
Over the years, the Taliban have polluted the minds of their incarcerated people to an extent that they feel pride to explode themselves for the anonymous remuneration, promised to them by their gurus.
Taliban get hold of three categories of the people. The first group comprises children from 8 to 12 years. Being soft targets and easy to be motivated, Taliban initially brain wash them and then use them for their nefarious designs like suicide attacks, bombing and for fighting against security forces. In term of finances, they spend very less on them and can easily get them either from Madrassas , in the attire of Islamic teaching or failure to these, through abduction or forceful snatching from their helpless parents in their areas of influence. Another group is of the youth over 1 years of age bracket, mostly who have neither resources enough to continue their studies nor could get any employment. And the third group is of the grown up people having over 25 years of age. They are either religiously motivated or being jobless, thus lured in by the Taliban. These two groups are offered good pay packages by the Taliban and in return are used the way desired by them (Taliban). Either under the erroneous motivation in the garb of religion or else because of the financial benefits, they are used for terrorism of all sort by the Taliban. With the passage of time the thought process of these militants become so harder that they cannot be reverted back to their normal lives and even if they desire, would be eliminated by the Taliban. They adopt tone and texture as per their trainers with the determination to achieve the objective desired by Taliban, following their ideology. They are being taught that, Taliban are the true Muslims and very soon there would a Taliban government in Pakistan and elsewhere in other Muslim countries. The bottom line of the Taliban ideology is that; every act of the Government of Pakistan, starting from its constitution, judicial system institutions, Armed Forces and other organisations are un-Islamic and whatever Taliban are doing is the true Islam. With this theme, they publicize their ideology through repeated brain washing of the youth. In 99 % cases the implementers (suicide bombers and other militant fighters) do not even know the real clout at their back and that what they really yearning for while using them for various terrorist activities. These brain-washed people blindly follow their gurus' whose teachings are absolutely contrary to the philosophy of Islam. As far as teaching of Islam is concerned, it is a religion of peace and love for human beings. Indeed this great religion teaches harmony and forbearance and orders its believers for a compassion and justice; thus "Islam and terrorism cannot stand side by side". Islam forbids terrorism and aims to bring peace and security to the world. Not only Islam, but as a matter of fact, no divine religion permits terrorism and violence if interpreted in its essence. The Holy Quran says: "If someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he had killed all mankind". Thus, the teaching of Islam is that, 'a person who kills even a single man indeed commits a crime as if he had murdered all mankind on earth and such people will have a painful punishment' by Almighty. In no part of the Qur'an does Allah command believers to "respond to violence with violence", but commands Muslims to "respond to evil with goodness". The question arises who are these belligerent perpetrators, who in the guise of Islam undertake these un-Islamic activities. This is for sure, that they are not Muslims. And the logics for this statement are: first; no Muslim would ever kill any other human being, as directed by Holy Quran in clear wordings as quoted above. Secondly; no Muslim would ever attack other Muslims once they are offering prayers in the mosques, Eid gatherings or during any other religious congregation and during national ceremonies. Thirdly; in the areas of their sway, they brutally treat locals, men and women, which is an act against Islam. Even as per the directive of Islam, security and protection of the non-Muslims in an Islamic state is the responsibility of that state administration. Fourthly; they have been and are still razing all the educational institutions, especially of women; a practice in complete violation of Islamic teachings. As the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said; "seeking the knowledge is must for every Muslim man and woman. Fifthly; all their activities are directed against a state whose bases are on Islamic ideology. It is an Islamic state, whose constitution has nothing un-Islamic. For the bulk of Pakistani masses, until the beginning of 2009, there have been a lot of misperceptions about the true motives and ideology of the Taliban. Ill-informed masses, goaded with the spirit of Islam, perhaps thought that Taliban are fighting for the cause of Islam. But actually it was a misconception among the innocent masses of Pakistan. Thanks to media, the security forces, and the intellectuals who over the period of time unmasked their true faces, which has nothing else but anti Pakistan campaign, being played on behest of anti Pakistan forces and states. These states and forces pay huge sums of the uninterrupted financial support to the militants and also provide them with the latest weaponry and equipment. All that they intend is to internally knock Pakistan off balance and attrite its security forces through so-called religious and sectarian moves or through promotion of various sub-nationalistic sentiments all over the country, while maintaining the pressure at the international level. With all these intents of militants and anti-Pakistan forces in mind, what should be the response at the national level? Over the past few months, there is a great change in the perception of masses, which previously were under the grip of the Taliban ideology. The nation indeed has understood the true motives of these fissiparous forces desirous of disintegrating Pakistan, an objective of all those having historical enmity with Pakistan. There is an immediate need to mobilize the masses for ensuring steps like: one; creation of national integration among the rank and file of Pakistan under the auspices of the basic ideology, which provided the very basis of its creation. Two; a dedicated media campaign is needed to give true picture of the activities of the militants with documentary proofs. This would clarify the doubts of masses, if still persisting in their minds about the Taliban and their ideology. Three; an awareness should be created among the masses through elected representatives and government officials as well as through media to, "look for intruders; both locals, having militant's ideology and outsiders, who had entered or trying to enter the society" down to village or Mohallah level. This should be reinforced and reacted by instantaneous response as per the law, by the masses or at the level of local administration to get their area clear of the miscreants. Four; People especially the youth of the militancy-hit areas should be provided with employment opportunities on emergency basis. This would save them from drifting into the hands of the militants. As a corollary to that all religious Madarass be kept under strict vigilance for securing the youth studying there from falling into militants hands. Five; in all insurgency hit areas, there is a need to make available a potent quick reaction group of security forces for a rapid response against any likely militancy. Seven; considerably there is a need for an effective intelligence setup in the militancy hit areas and all around the infiltration routes. This dedicated intelligence setup should provide timely information to deal with the militants before they could be effective in the areas or grip the society with their ideology. The military operations in Malakand, Swat, Waziristan and elsewhere in the tribal region have created serious dents among the rank and file of the militants by bursting their bases and strongholds. There is growing demoralization and distrust in various groups of the militants. Taliban leaders are making serious efforts to motivate their hired people for continuation of their brutal mission of killing the innocent people of Pakistan, but facing difficulties in doing so. In a number of cases, the terrorists are voluntarily handing themselves over to the security forces. The time is ripe and the ongoing military operations against the wrongdoers must continue without any compromise until the militants are completely purged away. As in the past, the political leadership must not go for any compromise or agreement with Taliban, even if compelled by their coalition partners. Let there be an end to these anti-Pakistan forces once and for all. Furthermore, these operations must have whole hearted support of the people of Pakistan, without whom, there cannot be a success. For the purpose, people must be mobilized to stand against the Taliban ideology. After all the persons of security forces are sacrificing their lives for the comfort of the masses and Military Operations alone would not be enough to defeat the militant's ideology. In order to do away with the militancy of Taliban, a dedicated follow up is required at the joint level of; masses, media, government functionaries, elected representatives, intellectuals and Islamic philosophers to purify the minds of all those who have been infested with this anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan ideology.
Dr. Raja Muhammad Khan
Email: drmk_edu@yahoo.com
Taliban get hold of three categories of the people. The first group comprises children from 8 to 12 years. Being soft targets and easy to be motivated, Taliban initially brain wash them and then use them for their nefarious designs like suicide attacks, bombing and for fighting against security forces. In term of finances, they spend very less on them and can easily get them either from Madrassas , in the attire of Islamic teaching or failure to these, through abduction or forceful snatching from their helpless parents in their areas of influence. Another group is of the youth over 1 years of age bracket, mostly who have neither resources enough to continue their studies nor could get any employment. And the third group is of the grown up people having over 25 years of age. They are either religiously motivated or being jobless, thus lured in by the Taliban. These two groups are offered good pay packages by the Taliban and in return are used the way desired by them (Taliban). Either under the erroneous motivation in the garb of religion or else because of the financial benefits, they are used for terrorism of all sort by the Taliban. With the passage of time the thought process of these militants become so harder that they cannot be reverted back to their normal lives and even if they desire, would be eliminated by the Taliban. They adopt tone and texture as per their trainers with the determination to achieve the objective desired by Taliban, following their ideology. They are being taught that, Taliban are the true Muslims and very soon there would a Taliban government in Pakistan and elsewhere in other Muslim countries. The bottom line of the Taliban ideology is that; every act of the Government of Pakistan, starting from its constitution, judicial system institutions, Armed Forces and other organisations are un-Islamic and whatever Taliban are doing is the true Islam. With this theme, they publicize their ideology through repeated brain washing of the youth. In 99 % cases the implementers (suicide bombers and other militant fighters) do not even know the real clout at their back and that what they really yearning for while using them for various terrorist activities. These brain-washed people blindly follow their gurus' whose teachings are absolutely contrary to the philosophy of Islam. As far as teaching of Islam is concerned, it is a religion of peace and love for human beings. Indeed this great religion teaches harmony and forbearance and orders its believers for a compassion and justice; thus "Islam and terrorism cannot stand side by side". Islam forbids terrorism and aims to bring peace and security to the world. Not only Islam, but as a matter of fact, no divine religion permits terrorism and violence if interpreted in its essence. The Holy Quran says: "If someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he had killed all mankind". Thus, the teaching of Islam is that, 'a person who kills even a single man indeed commits a crime as if he had murdered all mankind on earth and such people will have a painful punishment' by Almighty. In no part of the Qur'an does Allah command believers to "respond to violence with violence", but commands Muslims to "respond to evil with goodness". The question arises who are these belligerent perpetrators, who in the guise of Islam undertake these un-Islamic activities. This is for sure, that they are not Muslims. And the logics for this statement are: first; no Muslim would ever kill any other human being, as directed by Holy Quran in clear wordings as quoted above. Secondly; no Muslim would ever attack other Muslims once they are offering prayers in the mosques, Eid gatherings or during any other religious congregation and during national ceremonies. Thirdly; in the areas of their sway, they brutally treat locals, men and women, which is an act against Islam. Even as per the directive of Islam, security and protection of the non-Muslims in an Islamic state is the responsibility of that state administration. Fourthly; they have been and are still razing all the educational institutions, especially of women; a practice in complete violation of Islamic teachings. As the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said; "seeking the knowledge is must for every Muslim man and woman. Fifthly; all their activities are directed against a state whose bases are on Islamic ideology. It is an Islamic state, whose constitution has nothing un-Islamic. For the bulk of Pakistani masses, until the beginning of 2009, there have been a lot of misperceptions about the true motives and ideology of the Taliban. Ill-informed masses, goaded with the spirit of Islam, perhaps thought that Taliban are fighting for the cause of Islam. But actually it was a misconception among the innocent masses of Pakistan. Thanks to media, the security forces, and the intellectuals who over the period of time unmasked their true faces, which has nothing else but anti Pakistan campaign, being played on behest of anti Pakistan forces and states. These states and forces pay huge sums of the uninterrupted financial support to the militants and also provide them with the latest weaponry and equipment. All that they intend is to internally knock Pakistan off balance and attrite its security forces through so-called religious and sectarian moves or through promotion of various sub-nationalistic sentiments all over the country, while maintaining the pressure at the international level. With all these intents of militants and anti-Pakistan forces in mind, what should be the response at the national level? Over the past few months, there is a great change in the perception of masses, which previously were under the grip of the Taliban ideology. The nation indeed has understood the true motives of these fissiparous forces desirous of disintegrating Pakistan, an objective of all those having historical enmity with Pakistan. There is an immediate need to mobilize the masses for ensuring steps like: one; creation of national integration among the rank and file of Pakistan under the auspices of the basic ideology, which provided the very basis of its creation. Two; a dedicated media campaign is needed to give true picture of the activities of the militants with documentary proofs. This would clarify the doubts of masses, if still persisting in their minds about the Taliban and their ideology. Three; an awareness should be created among the masses through elected representatives and government officials as well as through media to, "look for intruders; both locals, having militant's ideology and outsiders, who had entered or trying to enter the society" down to village or Mohallah level. This should be reinforced and reacted by instantaneous response as per the law, by the masses or at the level of local administration to get their area clear of the miscreants. Four; People especially the youth of the militancy-hit areas should be provided with employment opportunities on emergency basis. This would save them from drifting into the hands of the militants. As a corollary to that all religious Madarass be kept under strict vigilance for securing the youth studying there from falling into militants hands. Five; in all insurgency hit areas, there is a need to make available a potent quick reaction group of security forces for a rapid response against any likely militancy. Seven; considerably there is a need for an effective intelligence setup in the militancy hit areas and all around the infiltration routes. This dedicated intelligence setup should provide timely information to deal with the militants before they could be effective in the areas or grip the society with their ideology. The military operations in Malakand, Swat, Waziristan and elsewhere in the tribal region have created serious dents among the rank and file of the militants by bursting their bases and strongholds. There is growing demoralization and distrust in various groups of the militants. Taliban leaders are making serious efforts to motivate their hired people for continuation of their brutal mission of killing the innocent people of Pakistan, but facing difficulties in doing so. In a number of cases, the terrorists are voluntarily handing themselves over to the security forces. The time is ripe and the ongoing military operations against the wrongdoers must continue without any compromise until the militants are completely purged away. As in the past, the political leadership must not go for any compromise or agreement with Taliban, even if compelled by their coalition partners. Let there be an end to these anti-Pakistan forces once and for all. Furthermore, these operations must have whole hearted support of the people of Pakistan, without whom, there cannot be a success. For the purpose, people must be mobilized to stand against the Taliban ideology. After all the persons of security forces are sacrificing their lives for the comfort of the masses and Military Operations alone would not be enough to defeat the militant's ideology. In order to do away with the militancy of Taliban, a dedicated follow up is required at the joint level of; masses, media, government functionaries, elected representatives, intellectuals and Islamic philosophers to purify the minds of all those who have been infested with this anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan ideology.
Dr. Raja Muhammad Khan
Email: drmk_edu@yahoo.com
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