Pakistan's urban elites (fake liberals) promote Sherry Rehman as a champion of human rights.

Related posts: Some gems from Declan Walsh’s article promoting Sherry Rehman

Where Ansar Abbasi and Mosharraf Zaidi converge: “PPP killed Sherry Rehman’s bill”

Adil Najam and his pseudo-liberals’ outpouring of sympathy for Sherry Rehman – by Sarah Khan

In a previous post, we highlighted how elite media as well as elite human rights groups (e,g., HRW, HRCP) are unduly and dishonestly presenting and promoting Sherry Rehman as a champion of human rights.

The elite media is a term used to describe newspapers, TV channels and other media that influence the political agenda of a powerful elite. According to Noam Chomsky, “[t]he elite media set a framework within which others operate.” The term denotes a structural position within the mass media, however, it is equally applicable to NGOs (so called rights groups, civil society etc) which too act on specific economic or political agendas to promote perspectives and interests of the powerful elite.

Ambassador Sherry Rehman’s recent statement on the state of human rights in Balochistan and the US Congressional Hearing on this issue may serve as an opener to those who had some iota of trust in her human rights credentials. (For a balanced analysis of the Balochistan hearing, read Mureed Bizenjo’s post.) In view of her condemnation of the Baloch rights activists and shameless defence of as brutal military establishment, Sherry Rehman can be safely placed in the league of Rehman Malik, Babar Awan, Sharmila Farooqi and other apologists of Pakistan army who are firmly rooted within the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Sherry Rehman’s proclamation “Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan” cannot hide the fact that Pakistan army is responsible for hundreds of extra-judicial murders of the Baloch nationalists since 1947, particularly since 2006 when Nawab Akbar Bugti was target killed under direct orders from former army chief General Musharraf.

Ambassador Rehman must note that Pakistan cannot continue to conduct a genocide in Balochistan in the name of integrity or sovereignty. She may wish to review the documentary that Al Jazeera has made about Balochistan.

According to Sherry Rehman: “The government is strongly committed to protecting the fundamental rights and freedom in all parts of Pakistan, including Balochistan, and has initiated an extensive programme of constitutional and other reforms to empower all citizens in the continuing consolidation of democracy”. For starters, what good is “democracy” for the Balochs when they are devoid of the right to free speech and even the most basic necessities of life, like food, water, shelter etc. This also includes the natural gas exploited from Balochistan which is abundantly delivered to Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad but is not available to a large number of the Balochs. How can Ambassador Sherry Rehman claim that Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan when it is a known fact that Balochistan was illegally annexed by the Pakistani State post-partition (1947), and that the government blatantly refuses to provide the Balochs their basic human rights and due share of resources?

“Pakistan is a democracy conducting itself in accordance with the international law.” This is the joke of the year!

Why is Ambassador Rehman worried if issues related to human rights violations are being investigated during the congressional hearing? Is it not true that Balochistan has escaped international media and scrutiny while a most abject repression has been launched against the people there with the security agencies conducting a reign of murder with impunity.

US congressional hearing on Balochistan ‘ill-advised’ move: Sherry Rehman

Source: Express Tribune

WASHINGTON: Taking a strong exception to a United States Congressional hearing on Balochistan this week, Pakistan has termed it an “ill-advised” move that would be detrimental to the trust between Pakistan and the United States of America.

A Pakistan Embassy spokesman in Washington said that Pakistan’s Ambassador Sherry Rehman raised the issue of an exclusive hearing on Balochistan by US House Committee on Foreign Affairs in her meetings with the members of congress and senior officials of the US administration.

According to the spokesman, Rehman said that the government of Pakistan strongly rejects the purpose and findings of the hearing and considers it an “ill-advised and ill-considered” move that will have serious repercussions for Pakistan-US relations.

“Balochistan is an integral part of the Pakistan,” the ambassador said. “Pakistan is a democracy conducting itself in accordance with the international law.”

Sherry said that the elected parliament, the Balochistan assembly, the independent judiciary, a vigorous media and a thriving civil society are avenues for expression and seeking redress of political and economic grievances.

“The government is strongly committed to protecting the fundamental rights and freedom in all parts of Pakistan, including Balochistan, and has initiated an extensive programme of constitutional and other reforms to empower all citizens in the continuing consolidation of democracy,” she said.

She said that the hearing was marked by a “blatant disregard for the history of the issue and manipulated selective facts”.

“It is deeply regrettable that the legislature of a country that calls itself a friend of Pakistan allowed itself to be used as a platform for advocating the dismemberment of Pakistan and provided justification to terrorists attempting to hold Balochistan, and Pakistan, hostage,” the envoy said.

“Pakistan views this hearing with a serious concern and considers it unacceptable. “This kind of an exercise constitutes interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. The hearing will be detrimental to mutual trust and confidence,” the envoy said. (Express Tribune)

Sherry Rehman condemns US hearing on Balochistan
APP
WASHINGTON: Taking strong exception to a controversial Congressional hearing on Balochistan this week, Pakistan has termed it an ill-advised move that would be detrimental to building trust between Pakistan and the United States.

Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington Sherry Rehman raised the issue of an exclusive hearing on Balochistan by a House Foreign Affairs sub-committee in her meetings with the members of the Congress and senior officials of the US administration, said a Pakistani official on Friday.

Ms Rehman said Islamabad strongly rejects the purpose and findings of the hearing and considers it an “ill-advised and ill-considered” move that will have serious repercussions for the bilateral relations.

The government has a strong commitment toward protecting fundamental rights and freedom in all parts of Pakistan, including Balochistan, she added.

“Pakistan views this hearing with serious concern and considers it unacceptable in no uncertain terms. This kind of an exercise constitutes interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. The hearing will be detrimental to building mutual trust and confidence and will add to suspicions in Pakistan about the US motives in the region and concerning Pakistan,” the envoy said.

Source: Dawn / AFP

Specimen of promotion in media

Here are a few examples of how elite media within and outside Pakistan promotes Sherry Rehman as a champion of human rights.

Washington Post

Islamabad appoints rights activist as US ambassador after scandal claims predecessor

The government appointed a liberal lawmaker and rights activist as its U.S. ambassador Wednesday, swiftly replacing an envoy who was forced out amid allegations he sought Washington’s help in trying to rein in Pakistan’s powerful military. Sherry Rehman, who has faced militant death threats for speaking out against Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws often used to persecute Christians, appeared to be a candidate acceptable both to the army and the weak civilian government.

Ali Dayan Hassan, Pakistan director for Human Rights Watch, said the army would prefer a retired general “who would talk their talk in D.C.”

“Sherry is highly unlikely to do any such thing,” Hassan said. “But she represents someone everyone can live with, including the military. The civilian leaders are happy to take ownership of her, and she has resonance in influential and urban sectors of Pakistan.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/islamabad-appoints-new-ambassador-to-us-after-pakistani-envoy-resigned-over-memo-gate-scandal/2011/11/23/gIQAHBW3nN_story.html

Dawn

Former federal information minister and human rights campaigner Sherry Rehman has been appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States within 12 hours of Husain Haqqani’s resignation. In your opinion, will Sherry Rehman’s political portfolio make her a credible Ambassador to the US?

http://forum.dawn.com/2011/11/23/the-right-call/

Express Tribune

Indeed, in 2009, he (Zardari) had asked her to resign from the information ministry during the heat of tensions with a media group. She switched her imaginative talents and employed the hardworking tenacity to build up a think tank. The Jinnah Institute that she had established took no time to get registered by relevant quarters. As a lightening rod of the same think tank, she remained active on track II as well to find out ways of establishing peace with India and seek a doable strategy to deal with Afghanistan. Her vocal stance on women-related issues, diligent working for some women-empowering legislation and above all her efforts to inject sanity in blasphemy laws augmented her credentials.

Nusrat Javeed in Express Tribune

http://tribune.com.pk/story/296773/how-sherry-rehman-emerged-out-of-nowhere/

Human Rights Watch

KenRoth Kenneth Roth
New #Pakistan ambassador to US @sherryrehman has strong rights background–probably not what ISI would have wanted. wapo.st/rQidUl

KamranShafi46 Kamran Shafi
@KenRoth Yes, but she will not speak on Balochistan

AliDayan Ali Dayan Hasan
Rights campaigner @SherryRehman’s appointment as #Pakistan’s ambassador to DC is a “welcome development” says @HRW ’ bit.ly/rHNzSK

AliDayan Ali Dayan Hasan
While the military will now seek greater influence over #Pakistan’s US policy, @sherryrehman- a progressive democrat will seek to temper it

AliDayan Ali Dayan Hasan
@SherryRehman as #Pakistan ambassador to the US suggests that the military has failed to assume complete control of Pak-US relations.

AliDayan Ali Dayan Hasan
All those who struggle for human rights and civilian supremacy in #Pakistan owe both @sherryrehman and @husainhaqqani a debt of gratitude

AliDayan Ali Dayan Hasan
#Pakistan needs rights-defenders such as @sherryrehman and @husainhaqqani in leadership positions. Congratulations Sherry.

ijazkhan Ijaz Khan
@AliDayan @SherryRehman @HRW Wow Really? We need to keep the difference between politician even if struggling for rights & a rights activist

Elitist Awards
As a logical outcome of her promotion by elitist media and NGOs, Sherry Rehman has received a number of awards.

In January 2009, she was hailed “Democracy’s Hero” in a report of the International Republican Institute as a result of her close association with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s campaign for democratic rule in Pakistan. However, the reference received mixed coverage in Pakistan.

In the same year, Rehman was also named among the “100 Most Influential Asians” by UAE magazine, Ahlan.

The March 2011 issue of Newsweek Pakistan ranked her on its cover as “Pakistan’s Most Important Woman”.
Foreign Policy magazine has identified Rehman as one of 2011’s Top Global Thinkers. (Source)

Related post: Jalil Reki’s murder is a test case for rights champion Sherry Rehman

We are cross-posting an excellent report by BBC Urdu on Abdul Qadeer Reki Baloch’s sit-in for the Baloch missing persons in front of Karachi Press Club. Abdul Qadeer’s struggle for the Baloch missing persons is ongoing for almost two years, and is shamelessly ignored by Pakistan’s mainstream (Urdu & English) media.

His own son, Jalil Reki, Central Information Secretary of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP), was abducted by Pakistan army on 13 February 2009, his dead body was later found on 24 November 2011 in the Aap Sar area of Turbat.

According to Abdul Qadeer Baloch, Jalil Reki was whisked away on 13 February 2009, by a group of armed men from Sariab Road after Friday prayers, and an FIR was registered at Shalkot Police Station, against the then inspector general of Frontier Corps (FC), Major General Saleem Nawaz, and an official of a secret agency for their alleged involvement in whisking away the BRP central leader near his residence.

Reki’s father, Abdul Qadeer Baloch, who had formed the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons with other relatives of missing persons, had been observing a hunger strike outside Quetta Press Club for the release of his son and other missing persons. Reki’s mother and son too were active for swift recover of their dear one.

In February 2010, frail mother of Jalil Reki had appealed to Supreme Court of Pakistan, the UN, and human rights organizations to intervene and play their role for the release of thousands of Baloch abducted activists including her son.

کراچی میں عبدالقدیر بلوچ کا دھرنا

عبدالقدیر بلوچ پہلے لاپتہ بیٹے کی رہائی کے لیے احتجاج میں شریک تھے مگر اب انہوں نے تمام لاپتہ اور ہلاک ہونے والوں کو اپنا بیٹا مان لیا ہے اور ان سب کے لیے آواز اٹھا رہے ہیں۔

رپورٹ: ریاض سہیل، پروڈیوسر: شرجیل بلوچ

Source: BBC Urdu

http://youtu.be/Wjw1SjPvF7E

Editor’s Note:  In cross posting the Asian Human Rights Commission Report on the continued Shia massacres in Pakistan one should acknowledge the efforts of princpled and uncompromising human rights activists like Mureed Bizenjo, Salma Jafar, Laiba Marri (all 3 from Pakistan Blogzine) as well as Naeem Shameem (Al Ufaq) for bringing this issue to the forefront. Aside from 3 good blog posts on Express Tribune and articles by Saroop Ijaz and Marvi Sirmed, the rest of Pakistan’s media industy, especially its English media pseudo-liberal elites have largely been silent; or at best offered token, vague and diluted coverage to the ongoing massacres of Shias. 

Pakistan’s media critics only take on safe topics and their selective moral outrage is not greatly bothered by the continual attacks on Pakistan’s Shias.  While Sadanath Dhume and Prof. Christine Fair have bothered to highlight this on international forums, why is our “liberal” elite so silent on this.  While Ali Dayan has been gracious enough to have spoken about this on a recent TV show, where are the rest?

Furthermore, Pakistan’s corporate-pro ISI media deliberately omits crucial developments that have strenghtened the Jihadi militants who are not only killing Shias but also lyching and killing Ahmadis, Hindus, Christains, Barelvis, moderate Deobandis etc. The ISI-backed Difa-e-Pakistan coalition of banned groups is also supported by Imran Khan- the darling of Pakistan’s upper-middle classes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-ART-008-2012
February 8, 2012
An Article from the Asian Human Rights Commission
PAKISTAN: Brutal sectarian violence against Shias continues unabated
It is a recognized fact that a state’s police and law enforcement agencies play a critical role as the first line of defense against the threats of terrorism and insurgencies.

Police is often failing to protect the members of religious minorities including Ahmadias, Shias, Christians and Hindus. Militant groups are carrying out suicide bombings and targeted killings across the country. The Taliban and affiliated groups are increasingly targeting civilians and public spaces, including marketplaces, hospitals, and religious processions.

Although Shias are a minority in the country, Pakistan holds the second largest Shia community after Iran in terms of numbers. The total Shia population in Pakistan is approximately 50 million and may be as high as 60 million. Globally, Shia Islam represents 10-20\% of the total Muslims population, while the remaining 90\% or nine-tenths practice Sunni Islam.

The increase in the number of suicide bombings and militancy has added to the sectarian tension that is played out in Muharram (the month of mourning for the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet PBUH) every year. A series of bomb blasts and shootings, mostly targeting Pakistan’s minority Shia community in recent years shows that sectarian violence in the country can be every bit as deadly as that instigated by al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Attacks in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and the north-west seem to be manifestations of the bitter split between Sunnis and Shias. In most cases, no-one claims responsibility for such attacks.

But Pakistan’s fateful involvement in the Afghan-Soviet war of the 1980s, General Zia-ul-Haq’s controversial ‘Islamisation’ policies, and a sense of Shia empowerment in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 had the combined effect of limiting the freedom of the Shia’s to practice their religion and challenging their loyalty to Pakistan.

Among those blamed for the sectarian violence in the country are mainly Sunni militants such as Sipah-e-Sahaba and members of Shia militant groups such as Tehrik-e-Jafria and others. However, predominant Sunni terrorist groups are often blamed for frequent attacks on minority Shiites and their religious gatherings resulting in reprisal attacks by them.

Pakistan’s ISI-backed Punjabi judiciary once again demonstrated its institutional hatred of Shia Muslims today by releasing the notorious leader of the Jihadi-sectarian organization Malik Ishaq, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (also known as the Punjabi Taliban or Sipah-e-Sahaba). Punjabi judges, backed by Punjabi generals, released a Punjabi terrorist to enable further massacres of Shias, Ahmadis, Christians and other targeted communities.

Malik Ishaq was released less than a week after his followers killed at least 20 Shia Muslims in his home town of Rahim Yar Khan. On the last occasion he was released from jail, he killed many Shia Muslims in various parts of the country, and the news items were either ignored or misrepresented in Pakistan’s mainstream media. He has now embarked on his next bloody mission.

While right-wing proxies of Pakistan’s military establishment are legitimately celebrating Malik Ishaq’s release, the ISI’s liberal proxies in the English speaking class are busy in blaming the prosecution, ignoring the important links between ISI and LeJ and ISI and the judiciary. For example, Pakistan’s English media routinely presents Malik Ishaq as the “Sri Lankan team attack suspect”. Therefore, the murder of 70 Shias does not mean much to this class. Reference http://criticalppp.com/archives/69517

Over the past three decades, violence between Sunnis and Shias has ebbed and flowed, but two things are clear. First, despite spawning banned violent sectarian outfits of their own, the Shias have largely been on the receiving end of the violence. In recent years, the violence has spread from southern Punjab and (sporadically) Karachi to Quetta in Balochistan, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas on Pakistan’s troubled border with Afghanistan.

Hundreds of Shias have been murdered by militants in Quetta in the past few months. In the last couple of weeks, Shias have been taken off buses, lined up and shot dead. Quetta, however, is not an exception. Shias are not safe in any major town in Pakistan. Their places of worship, religious processions, and civilian and religious leadership has come under relentless attacks while the State’s machinery has either refused or failed to protect Shias and other religious minorities in Pakistan.

The organized systematic genocide of Shiite Muslims in Pakistan has claimed 58 lives and injured 67 during the month of January 2012 in 32 attacks.

Based on January 2012 statistics, the projected number of deaths per year could be somewhere in the vicinity of 500 to 800 Shia Muslims killed per year and the number of those injured could be estimated to be between 700 and 1000.

In terms of the total number of attacks in January 2012, Sindh, Karachi in particular, was most problematic (15 attacks out of total 32), however, in terms of total deaths, Punjab proved to be most deadly province (36 out of 58 deaths).

The list of recent sectarian attacks makes for grim reading:

September 2011: Gunmen open fire on a bus carry pilgrims at Mastung in Balochistan province. At least 26 Shia Muslims are killed

January 2011: At least 10 people killed after twin blasts targeted Shia Muslim processions in Lahore and Karachi.

September 2010:At least 35 Shias were killed and 160 people were injured in a blast during a procession in Lahore.

September 2010: At least 50 people killed in a suicide bombing at a Shia rally in Quetta, south-western Pakistan

July 2010: Sixteen Shias killed in an attack on Shias in north-western tribal areas

February 2010: Two bombs in Karachi kill at least 25 Shias and injured more than 50 people.

December 2009: At least 40 people killed and dozens injured in a suicide bombing on a Shia procession in Karachi

Feb 2009: Bomb attack on a Shia procession in Punjab leaves 35 dead
It is a sad fact that the scores of deaths in the last few months is particularly alarming all over Pakistan. Due to paucity of resources and lack of communication networks there are still incidents of Jihadi sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims which are not recorded. This means that no exact statistics is available about Shia killings in Parachinar and other areas in Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).

The Punjab government for having a soft spot for terrorist outfits, especially The Jamat- ud- Dawah (JUD) and  Lashkar – e- Jhangvi (LEJ). Granted that the Punjab government must be held accountable for allowing these organisations and other extremist groups to hold public rallies full of hate speech all over Punjab.

The Pakistani government claims that it has taken measures to suppress the violence. The Pakistani Interior Chief Rehman Malik said the Shia population was in need of greater protection. Therefore, Islamabad ordered security forces to carry out this task, yet the violence has continued.

Our voices should no longer remain muted. We must convince the Pakistani government and its affiliates that it is crucial to take greater action against the violence perpetrated by these terrorists.

Officials must target the sources and support for the sectarian violence by apprehending known leaders and members of Taliban-associated militant groups across the country. Their influence has reached major cities as well and must be stopped.

Saudi-funded madressas (Islamic schools), which are used to target impressionable children and youth and preach the mentality that Shias are infidels, should be closely regulated and, in some cases, shut down.
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

 
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Related post: This is how a fake champion of human rights backstabs the Baloch cause

Let’s think about creating a Balochistan in southern part of Pakistan, said Congress republican Louie Gohmert, who completely backed the idea of independant Balochistan. Many people in Pakistan at present are not aware of the fact that Balochistan was invaded and forcibly annexed on March 27, 1948 (Seven and a half months after the creation of Pakistan), against the wishes of Baloch people and the two houses of Baloch parliaments who voted unanimously against the accession with Pakistan. That very day is mourned and marked as “Black day” in the land of miseries (Balochistan)

After nearly six and a half decades of annexation and prolonged journey of injustice, of discrimination, death and hopelessness, Today Baloch voice was heard in the fortress of United States, in a congressional hearing convened by the congress republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, focusing Balochistan, which was attended and rejoiced by the Baloch diaspora and pro-Balochistan activists. The Committee’s unprecedented hearing on Balochistan is the witness of of ongoing uncared-for Balochistan crisis. Rohrabacher has previously stated in one of his articles “Perhaps we should even consider support for a Balochistan carved out of Pakistan to diminish radical power there (in Pakistan)” where as the US house committee hearing has definately annoyed Pakistan’s government considering it an internal matter, and some years ago Pakistan government had refused to allow the US to open a consulate in Balochistan.

The hearing held in Rayburn House Office Building February 8, 2012 in Washington DC USA, chaired by Dana Rohrabacher. Key witnesses to speak in the hearing were C. Christine Fair (Ph.D. Assistant Professor Georgetown University), Mr. Ralph Peters (Military Analyst and Author), Mr. T. Kumar Director (International Advocacy Amnesty International USA), M. Hossein Bor (Ph.D. Counsel Entwistle & Cappucci, LLP), Mr. Ali Dayan Hasan (Pakistan Director, Asia Division Human Rights Watch)

Full scale Baloch genocide far exceeding to what Selig. S. Harrison said about a slow motion genocide two years ago, and the indigenous people’s deprivation of right to self-determination were the most significant points of discussion which were also agreed upon by all the key witnesses in the hearing. There is substantial evidence the fact that the people of Balochistan are deprived of their right to self-determination, they are being tortured forefully abducted and dumped in remote areas, over the past years there has been a gruesome increase in these human rights abuses, also highlighted by various human rights organizations (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Human Rights Commission)

Ironically out of all the witnesses Mr M. Hossein Bor was the only Baloch representative present in the hearing reflecting the true picture of the Balochistan Crisis. Mr Hossein highlighted the forceful annexation of the Balochistan province calling it an occupied territory, with his astute observation Mr Hossein reported the actual number of extra-judicial killings and fored abductions by the state sponsored institutions, he said “Extra-judical killings include 23 bullet-riddled bodies found in the first month of this year (2012), from 2001 till date around 4000 baloch have been disappeared” to which Chairman Rohrabachr expressed astonishment, in 5 minutes allowed by the chairman Mr Hossein discussed a brief but and articulated history of Balochistan highlighting the historic Durand line and Goldsmith line of 18th century, he also mentioned the Baloch insurgencies and uprisings of 1948, 1958, 1973, & 2005 till date, these insurgencies have been dealt with force and brutal military operations in which thousands of Baloch were killed. In the recent past, in 2011 alone atleast 300 bullet riddled bodies (on an average one each-day) were found, Mr Hossein also argued that the Humanright abuses were the main impediment in the process of dialogue in the province.

Christine Fair, a fairly controversial representative and an intense supporter of Pakistan with anti-India stance was also amongst the speakers. Just a week before the hearing she tweeted that “The ethnic Baloch are a minority in Balochistan” she also accused Dr Ralph peters a fellow witness of being a “nut”. Dr Ralph Peters is also known as the “Map re-drawing man” who In a June 2006 article titled “Blood borders: How a better Middle East would look“, conducted a thought experiment by changing the borders in the Middle East, wherein Balochistan was shown as an independant territory covering Baloch population of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, which are the historic borders of greater Balochistan.
Christince Fair in her five mintues talk voiced against extra-judicial executions and various human rights abuses, she also refuted her tweet regarding her question of Baloch majority in the province saying “Baloch are the largest ethnic group in the province” She also highlighted the target killings of Shia muslims in the province by extremist millitant groups, there is enough evidence of millitant groups (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba) backed by Pakistan millitary and Intelligence agencies perpetrating against the ethnich shia minority in Balochistan.

The only representative from Pakistan Mr Ali Dayan hassan who is also the Pakistan director of Human Rights Watch, was also provided an opportunity to speak at the US house committe hearing, he clearly stated that he being HRW representative takes no position on the Independance of Balochistan, he further added that there is not just one but multiple actors including state and non-state actors perpetrating in Balochistan involved in human rights abuses, he also said “At-least 40% of the population of Balochistan are non-Baloch” .
It is widely known that Baloch because of their small population are a minority in Pakistan, being 4% but claiming nearly half of the country’s geographic land. In Balochistan, the ethnic Baloch are atleast 75% of the total population, the southern part being a Pashtun majority, a part of British Balochistan to which Balochistan and the ethnic-Baloch historically does not have any claim, other minority ethnic groups based in Balochistan include Pashtuns, Hazaras, Urdu-speaking, Punjabi, and Sindhis. The province is sub-divided in 30 districts out of which only 9 disctricts (Ziarat, Zhob, Pashin, Quetta, Chaman, Mosakhel, Qila abdulah & Qila saifullah, Loralai) are of Pashtun majority and the remaining 21 being Baloch populated areas.
Mr Dayan’s testimony submitted to the US house committee chairman also stated ” Militancy in Balochistan has been fueled by ethnic Baloch anger over the Pakistani government’s efforts to harness local mineral and fossil fuel resources, maintain large numbers of troops in the province, and construct the Gwadar deep-sea port at the mouth of the Persian Gulf with non-Baloch workers”. If we go back half a decade we actually find out that the current insurgency was never against ” government’s efforts to harness local mineral, or against construction of the Gawadar-port”, the region is currently going through its fifth insurgency, which was ignited after the brutal assassination of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006 by General Musharraf in his dictatorial regime who before the brutal assassination openly said ” “We (millitary) will hit them (Baloch) in such a way they wouldn’t even know what hit them” The aftermath of General sahab’s millitary operation executing Nawab Bugti and state’s conolization policies which can be seen without manifestation are reasons that transformed a rights movement into a freedom movement, harnessing the resources of Balochistan, maintaining large number of troops and construction of Gawadar port are secondary issues.

Before the hearing was aired live, Pakistani embassy in Washington held that it has taken strong notice of the scheduled meeting and Pakistani officials claimed that some foreign hands are involved in fanning the violence in the province along the Afghan border. Instead of inventing another conspiracy theory out of the legitimate hearing, Pakistan government and officials should rather reconsider their colonial policies lodged against the Baloch, If Balochistan had any hopes from the state, ‘independant’ judiciary, or media, this issue would not have been picked up by the Republicans who may aswell regain power in forthcomming elections. The ordinary people of Balochistan have been tolerant for six prolonged decades, witnessing horrific executions, endless stories of deception, and shallow promises, but this day in history will be marked as a new begining of diplomacy voicing the Baloch rights, new era of  endurance and expectations. The Baloch might have to pay a high price for being heard but will hope that justice will be ‘served’ than ‘denied’

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan does not represent majority of peaceful Sunnis.

Source: Pakistan Blogzine

Related posts: Sipah-e-Sahaba’s attacks on Sunni Barelvis

Sipah-e-Sahab Pakistan (SSP, currently camouflaged as Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat ASWJ) is a banned extremist organization. Comprising radicalised Jihadi-sectarian assets of Pakistan army, the SSP-SWJ represents a tiny minority of the Deobandi sub-sect of Sunni Islam, and per se does not represent the majority of Sunni Barelvi, Deobandi or Salafi Muslims.

Sunni Muslims in Pakistan are divided into three main sects or sub-sects: Barelvis (70%), Deobandi (25%) and Ahl-e-Hadith (5%).

During the CIA-Saudi sponsored Jihad against the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan (1979-87), Pakistan army (ISI in particular) recruited and brainwashed thousands of Deobandi Muslims, most of them from Deobandi madarasahs (seminaries) in Pakistan and Afghanistan, to deploy cheap mercenaries in the so called Jihad in Afghanistan.

There were two types of Deobandi Jihadis produced by Pakistan army: Internal and External.

The Internal Jihadis were tasked to attack all those individuals and groups (political parties, religious sects, rights groups etc) who could cause an obstruction in the way of Pakistan army’s international Jihadist agenda. Within Pakistan, the internal jihadis focused on killing leaders of progressive political parties (e.g., ANP, PPP, other progressive intellectuals etc) as well as religious sects opposed to radical Deobandi-Wahhabi agenda. Shias, Sunni Barelvis, Ahmadis and Christians were particularly targeted by the brainwashed Jihadist Deobandis.

The External Jihadis were tasked to operate in Afghanistan, India, Bosnia, Chechnya and other countries to promote the goal of international Islamic Empire or Caliphate.

In view of the mounting international pressure in the aftermath of the 9/11, General Musharraf declared the extremist Deobandi organization (the internal Jihadi branch) Sipah-e-Sahaba as outlawed in 2002. The organization was banned in 2002 as a terrorist organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.

However, while the Sipah-e-Shaba Pakistan (SSP) was apparently banned, the organization was secretly allowed to operate by Pakistan’s military establishment. The organization continued its Jihadi-sectarian activities by simply adopting a new name “Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat” (ASWJ).

The adopting of the ASWJ was a cunning move by the Sipah-e-Sahaba leadership because Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal-Jamaat or Jamaat-e-Ahle-Sunnat is a name particularly used by Pakistan’s Sunni Barelvis, moderate Sufi Muslims who constitute a dominant majority of Pakistan’s Sunni Muslims and are strictly opposed to extremist Deobandis’ (SSP) Jihadi-sectarian agenda.

In fact, Jihadi-sectarian militants of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (which also operates as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi LeJ) have conducted numerous attacks not only on Shias, Ahamdis and Christians but also on Sunni Barelvis in which hundreds of Barelvi Muslims have been killed or injured.

Jihadi-sectarian militants of the SSP-LeJ are pro-Wahhabi and puritanical in their ideological interpretation and practice of Islam and consider Sunni-Barelvi Muslims as polytheists (mushrik) and deviant Muslims. In the last few years, LeJ-SSP-Taliban terrorists have attacked dozens of Sunni Barelvi congregations including attacks on sufi shrines in Islmabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar etc and also attacks on Eid Milad-un-Nabi’s processions and Sunni Barelvi mosques. Numerous Sunni Barelvi leaders have been killed by the LeJ-SSP militants including but not limited to Saleem Qadri, Abbas Qadri, Sarfraz Naeemi and several others.

List of key attacks on Sunni Barelvis by extremist Deobandis of Sipah-e-Sahaba

• 18 May 2001: Sunni Tehreek leader Saleem Qadri was assassinated by the Sipah Sahaba Pakistan(SSP). His successor, Abbas Qadri, charged President Pervez Musharraf’s regime with “patronising terrorists” and “standing between us and the murderers.” (Source). Various Sunni Barelvi outfits alleged that the country’s intelligence agencies were responsible for the killing of Maulana Saleem Qadri. According to these outfits, the agencies were utilising the SSP to trigger sectarian violence among the Shia, Deoband and Sunni Barelwi sects. (Source). When the SSP’s Karachi finance secretary was arrested after the murder of Sunni Tehreek chief Saleem Qadri, he revealed that his organisation received 32 lakh rupees a year from Karachi for the purposes of posting bail, assisting its imprisoned activists and the families of deceased activists. This entire amount was reportedly kept as amanat (safe custody) with one Maulvi Saadur Rehman, head of a religious school in Karachi, and the withdrawals were made through written messages. (Source). Qadri, a high-profile Muslim cleric of the Sunni Barelvi school, was ambushed, apparently by a team of six well-trained assassins riding three motorbikes while he was on his way to Noorani Masjid in Rasheedabad no 7 for the Friday congregation. Qadri and five others were killed on the spot, and three others, including his six-year-old son Bilal Raza, and eight-year-old nephew, Ahmed Raza, were wounded. The dead include Anis Qadri, 23, Mohammed Altaf Junejo, 40 (Qadri’s nephew and brother-in-law), Ibrahim Qadri, 30, van driver Abid Baloch, 30, and police constable, Hafeez Qadri. The corpse of one of the alleged killers, who was later identified as “Arshad alias Polka, an activist of the Sipha-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP)”, was also found in the vicinity of the Qadri killing soon afterwards, who was killed in retaliatory firing by Saleem Qadri’s guards. (Source)
• 19 March 2005: An SSP-LeJ suicide bomber killed 36 at the shrine of Pir Rakhel Shah in Jhal Magsi, Balochistan.
• 27 May 2005: As many as 20 people were killed and 100 were injured on May 27, 2005 when an extremist Deobandi suicide-bomber attacked a gathering at Bari Imam Shrine during the annual festival. According to the police the two men, said to be active members of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), were arrested from Thanda Pani and police seized two hand grenades from their custody. The police said that the two men brought the suicide-bomber from Northern Areas and provided him boarding at the house of another member of the SSP in Rawalpindi before sending the attacker to the shrine. http://tribune.com.pk/story/236095/bari-imam-shrine-attack-2005-police-await-suspects-on-judicial-remand-in-another-case/
• 11 April 2006: A grand Sunni Barelvi congregation celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on Eid Milad un Nabi was suicide-bombed by an extremist Deobandi. 57 died including almost the entire leadership of the Sunni Tehrik; over 100 were injured. T
• 16 December 2008: Pir Samiullah was killed by extremist Deobandis in Swat, his dead body was exhumed and desecrated.
• 17 January 2009: Pir Rafiullah was killed in Peshawar.
• 18 February 2009: JUP-Noorani’s provincial leader Maulana Iftikhar Ahmed Habibi was killed in Quetta.
• 8 March 2009: Attack on Rahman Baba Shrine by extremist Deobandis
• 12 June 2009: Mufti Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi was killed by an extremist Deobandi. He was a leading Sunni Islamic cleric from Pakistan well known for his moderate and anti-terrorist views. He was killed in a suicide bombing in Lahore, Pakistan after publicly denouncing the Taliban’s terrorist actions and ideologies. http://criticalppp.com/archives/tag/sarfraz-naeemi
• 2 September 2009: Attack on Hamid Saeed Kazmi in Islamabad. He sustained injuries but survived.
• 1 July 2010: The July 2010 Lahore bombings occurred in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Sufi shrine, Data Durbar Complex. At least 50 people died and 200 others were hurt in the blasts.
• 7 October 2010: 10 people killed, 50 injured in an attack on Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine in Karachi
• 25 October 2010: 5 killed, several injured in an attack on the shrine of Baba Farid Ganj Shakar in Pakpattan.
• 14 December 2010: Attack on Ghazi Baba shrine in Peshawar, 3 killed. http://criticalppp.com/archives/33455
• 3 April 2011: At the annual festival of Sakhi Sarwar Shrine near D.G.Khan, a twin suicide attack left 42 dead and almost a hundred injured. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/world/asia/04pakistan.html

List of Deobandi and Wahhabi Muslims killed by Sipha-e-Sahaba:

30 May 2004: A senior Deobandi religious scholar and head of Islamic religious school Jamia Binoria, Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai, was gunned down in his car while leaving his home in Karachi.

17 September 2007: Maulana Hasan Jan was killed in Peshawar.

19 September 2008: A bomb exploded at an Islamic religious school in Quetta killing five people and wounding at least eight. The school was run by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman.

2 October 2010: Dr. Muhammad Farooq Khan, Mardan

Waqt News TV’s political talk-show, Awami Express

(Bardasht—Bardasht—Bardasht) 14 December 2011

Guests: Mufti Muhammad Abid Mubarak (Sunni Barelvi scholar); Aurangzeb Farooqi, head of Sipah-e-Sahaba, Karachi

Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal-Jamat (Sipah-e-Sahaba) is a Deobandi terror outfit hiding behind a Sunni mask, in reality they are an extremist Deobandi outfit, which do not represent Sunni Barelvis nor Deobandis.

Mufti Abid Mubarak (a Sunni Barelvi scholar) said:

(13-18 minute segment)

hum shadeed muzammit kartay hain is qatl o gharat gari ki.

ibtada mein jab aap nay taaruf karaya ahle sunnat wal jamaat kal-adam jamat sipah sahaba. is mein humaray logon Sunni Barelvion ka moqif yeh hai kei hum pur aman log hain, humara naam istemal na kiya jaaye.  sipah sahaba kal-adam jamaat hai, is ka ahl-e-sunnat say koi talluq nahin.

ahle sunnat pur aman log hain, woh dehshat gardi mein, qatl o gharat main mulawis nahin hotay hain, yeh sab batain on reocrd hain, bohat say log humrary shaheed huay, kai log pakray gaye, saneha nisthart park mein bohat say logon ka naam aaya, jis kay tanay banay sipah sahaba say miltay hain.

humarayshaheed-e-ahle sunnat akrm rizvi shaheed huway, un kay tanay banay bhi sipah-e-sahaba say miltay hain,

ahle sunnat ka naam aap isetmal na karen, ahle sunnat kay karoron log hain, hum Sunni barevli hain, humara dil dukhta hai, hum krororn sunnion kay dil dukhtay hain, hum aulia kay maan-nay walay hain, yeh dehshat gard humara naam istemal na karen aur nah hamain in kay saath chipkaya jaye.

aap ye naam istemal naa karen, in kay maslak kay lakhon log (deobandi) apnay aap ko sipah sahab ka nahin kehtay. humray mnaslak kay karoron log in kay qatl o gharat kay khilaf hain.

21-25 minute segment

khudkush humla aawar, funding milti hai in ko or in kay (doebandi) madarson ko, sohrab goth mein in kay lgo hain, koi amreeki nahin aaya, na kisi goray nay kia hay, koi robot nahin aaya, yeh inhi kay, sipah sahaba kay log hain jo dehshat gardi kartay hain.

sarfraz naeemi per humla hua, bhakkar ke deobandi madarsay say khudkush hamla aawar aya tha.

abdullah shah ghazi per humla huwa, deobandi madarsay ka talib ilm nikla

aap ungli kay peechay sooraj ko na chupa saktay. hum iss ko aik waqt takt hi bardasht kar saktay hain

barlevi maslak ka sipah-e-sahaba kay intaha pasand dehshat gardon say koi talluq nahin

aaj tak pakistan main jitnay bum dhamakay, dehshat gardi ki karwaiyan huwin, aik bhi ahl-e-sunnat wal-jamat, barlevi madarsay ka talib ilm nahin tha

data darbar per humla, deobandni madarsa. abdullah shah ghazi per humla, deobandi madarsa. sarfraz naeemi per humla, deobandi madarsaay ka banda tha.

28-30 minute segment

ahle-sunnat kay baray senior rahnuma salim qadri shaheed huway, hit kia gaya galion say, un ka guard tha hafiz raza, us nay fire kiay, aik humla aawar mara gaya, un qatilon mein say aik mara gaya, tafteesh huwi, sipha-e-sahaba ka sar garm kar kun tha lasbela ka

saleem qadri ko shaheed karnay walay sipah-e-sahaba kay log thay.

35-37 minute segment

jo log karwaiyan kartay hain, un ko giriftar kyun nahin kia jata. qanoon ki amaldari nahin hay, dehshat gardi mein mulawis log riha ho rahay hain, sufi muhammad jesay 200 logon kay qatil riha ho rahay hain, jo pakray gay hain, un ko sazayen kyun nahin hoteen?

huma ya rasoolallah kehnay walay log hain lekin humara haq nahin hay jo hum say ikhtlaf karta hai un ko goli marain. sipah-e-shaba kay logon ko humara naam nahin istemal karna chahiye. dehshat gardon ka ahle sunnat se koi taaluq nahin.

38-39 minute segment

kuch deobandi madaris hain jo tashaddud, intaha pasandi ki himayat kartay hain, khud kush bambar tayyar kartay hain, sahibzada fazle karim nay national assembly main bhi baat ki hay.

40-47 minute segment

[Anchor: maasoom logon ko kon maar raha hai, hazara shiaon ko kon maar raha hay, karachi mein target killing kon kar raha hayi. khudkush humlay main madarais say jo larkay pakray gay hain un say aap ka koi talluq nahin, punjab main jo karwaiyan ho rahi hain, koi talluq nahin, karachi mein target kiling ho rahi hai ya nahin?

SSP leader: humara koi talluq nahin dehshat gardi ki kisi karwai say.]

Mufti Abid Mubarak: meri rai hay jitnay log mar rahay hain, woh hawa say mar rahay hain, pakistan kay 18 krore awam bay waquf hain, jo dehshat gard hain unka kisi ahle sunnat barlevi madarsay say talluq nahin, woh sipah-e-sahaba kay deobandi madarson say talluq rakhtay hain

sea view kay bum dhamakay main jo log maray gay who kis madarsay kay thay, sipah-e-sahaba kay haami deobandi madarson kay thay.

woh jo deobandi madarsay say talluq sabit ho raha hay woh kyun hay

sea view kay dhumakay main jo khudkush larka mara gaya, us ka baap deobandi madarsay main plumber hai, us nay kaha woh tau madarsay main prhta tha. is tarah kay bohat say dahshat gard hain.

———-

Remembering Maulana Salim Qadri: Allama Syed Irfan Shah Mashadi’s speech
In this speech, Allama Irfan Mashadi clearly identifies Sipah-e-Sahaba, its patrons in Pakistan army (General Musharraf) and Saudi Arabi (Wahhabi financiers) as responsible for the murder of Sunni Barelvi leader Saleem Qadri.

Here are two clips from his speech against extremist Deobandi terrorists of the Sipah-e-Shaba and Jaish-e-Muhammad:

(6:oo-10:00)

(3:00-8:00)

Editor’s note: The Hafta-e-Wahdat (Week of Unity) is celebrated from 12 to 17 Rabi-ul-Awal by moderate Shias and Sunnis in Pakistan, Iran, India and other countries in order to jointly celebrate the birthday (Milad) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We welcome all such events which unite Sunni and Shia Muslims, and suggest that the Week of Unity should also be celebrated to forge solidarity not only between Sunnis and Shias but also with all other sects and faiths such as Ahmadis, Bahais, Ismaelis, Alawis, Zikris, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs etc. Religion must not be used to separate people from people. Allah sent our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on earth as Rehmatul-lil-Alameen (mercy unto the worlds), the same spirit of universal mercy must be evident in our treatment of people of diverse faiths. May the Hafta-e-Wahdat becomes eternity. (End note)

‘Were it not for you, O Muhammad, I would not have created the universe’ *

Salahuddin Safdar

Source: Pakistan Today, 5 Feb 2012

Festivities, celebrations surround the event of the birth of Prophet (pbuh). All divides pulled down as Shias, Sunnis announce to celebrate the coming week as the ‘Week of Unity’

LAHORE – Like everywhere else in the world, the country is celebrating the birthday of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) on Rabi-ulAwal 12 falling on Sunday (today) with high religious spirits.

The provincial metropolis of Punjab was also abuzz last night with the celebrations of Milad-un-Nabi and Milad-related conferences, competitions and parties are being held in almost every nook and corner of city. The festivities started on Saturday with a provincial Seerat Conference held in Alhamra Hall. Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department of Punjab government had arranged the conference which was presided over by Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs Haji Ehsan-ud-Din Qureshi and was attended by other notable scholars from all sects of Islam.

Many other events also marked the arrival of day, the biggest of which, the Annual Milad Conference, was held at night in the Iqbal Park, Minar-e-Pakistan under the aegis of Minhajul Quran International where MQI Chief and religious scholar of Sunni school of thought Dr Tahir ul Qadri delivered a special lecture from Canada through a teleconference.
The venue was decorated with lights, flags, buntings and banners. Al-Azhar University Vice Chancellor Dr Osama Muhammad Al-Abd was the chief guest of conference while hundreds of thousands of people from all four provinces and delegations from Middle East and parts of Europe attended the conference. According to the organisers, a thousand goats had been slaughtered for the preparation of dinner meal for the attendees.

Apart from religious organisations and parties, a number of social groups, educational institutions and trader groups have also arranged special events for the commemoration of day where sermons on the lessons from life of Prophet (pbuh) would be delivered and naats would be recited. The streets and markets are illuminated with fancy lights and decorated with flower ropes, ribbons and banners. A main procession to commemorate the Milad will be brought out from Railway Station and led to Data Darbar while many other small processions will join it the central procession. For the processions and conferences, strict security measures have been adopted and checking gates were installed at entry paths of the venues of events.

A number of major gatherings have also been arranged in other parts of city including an event in Baba Ground behind civil Secretariat where Dawat-e -Islami is holding a Mehfil-e-Zikar-o-Naat on Sunday (today) to mark the Milad-un-Nabi.
Public places and official buildings including Governor House and CM Secretariat and others are also illuminated with decorating lights of different colours. On the night before the dawn of Rabi-ul-Awal 12, a large number of faithful including renowned scholars and Central Milad Committee of Data Darbar marched from Data Darbar to Regal Chowk with torches in their hands. Participants of the procession paid their reverences to Prophet (pbuh) by reciting holy verses of Durood.

In old localities mostly and rest of Lahore generally, children have been enthusiastic for past many days to compete their clay models of the mountains of Makkah and mosques of Madina. Parents are also seen involved in the activity to boost up the interest of their children in religious activities of Rabi-ul-Awal. Many have also bedecked their homes with lights and garlands on the holy day. In the markets, groups of students of religious seminaries are also busy collecting charity for their alma maters which take the day as an opportunity to generate their funds. Sweets, food and milk are also distributed amongst the destitute. A number of religious parties’ alliances have announced to observe the day as Tahafuze-Namoos-e-Risalat Day and have appealed to the clerics to highlight the “western conspiracies to malign Islam and Prophet of Islam”.

Meanwhile, per beliefs of Shia school of thought, Prophet of Islam was born on 17 of Rabi al Awwal instead of 12 which is also the birthday of sixth Imam of the sect Imam Jafar Sadiq. To promote the inter-sects harmony and love, Shia organisations have announced to observe Rabi-ul-Awal to 17 as “Hafta-e-Wahdat” (Week of Unity). The cinemas, for two days, have closed all the shows of films and movies since yesterday. For the processions and conferences, strict security measures have been adopted and checking gates were installed at entry paths of the venues of events.
The provincial government has directed to beef up the security arrangements all over the country, especially along the route of processions to avoid any untoward situations. Personnel of bomb disposal squad and ambulances are also kept on high alert for early response to any emergency and security personnel have been deployed all over the city.

*From a Hadith-e-Qudsi

Naat – Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) – Islam Ahmadiyya

Multiple attacks have been reported on 5 February 2012 on the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (12 Rabi-ul-Awal) processions in various cities in Pakistan including Mansehra, Gujranwala, Gojar Khan, Mirpur, Khairpur and Karachi.

Eid Milad-un-Nabi (birthday of the Prophet Muhammad pbub) is celebrated all over the world not only by Sunnis, Shias and Ahmadis but also by non-Muslim communities (e.g., the banner in the above picture conveys felicitations to Muslims from Pakistani Christians, Hindus and Sikhs).

Great example of Shia-Sunni unity was observed in Karachi on 4 February 2012 when Sunni (Barelvi) and Shia Muslims prayed together at the Imambargah Ali Raza. Shia Muslims also offered complimentary drinks and refreshments to the Sunni participants of the Eid Milad processions in Karachi, Lahore and other cities.

However, certain extremist factions of Saudi-influenced Deobandi and Wahhabi sects consider the celebration of the birthday of the Prophet (pbuh) as a deviation (biddat) from pure Islam. There is, therefore, no surprise that every single Islamic channel is celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) except Zakir Naik’s Saudi-funded Peace TV and another Saudi-funded Islam Channel. Sunnis, Shias, Ahmadis, Christians etc are celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, however, for Zakir Naik and Saudi mentors, this never happened.

It’s a fact that militants such as JuD (radical Salafis-Wahhabis) and SSP (radical Deobandis) do not celebrate the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (pbuh) and deem it fit to attack the Sunni and Shia Muslims celebrating the Milad. Last year, at least eight people died in February 2010 when SSP-LeJ-Taliban and JuD-LeT terrorists attacked the Eid Milad processions in D.I.Khan and Faisalabad. Here is the link to the news reports: http://criticalppp.com/archives/6484

The following link shows how extremist Deobandi (SSP-LeJ) and Wahhabi (JuD) groups have been attacking majority of Sunni Muslims in Pakistan (Barelvis) to implement their specific sectarian, violent version of Islam: http://criticalppp.com/archives/tag/attack-on-barelvis

The following news report from Dawn TV (5 Feb 2012) shows fresh incidents of attacks on Sunni (Barelvi-Sufi) Muslims by extremist Deobandis and Wahhabis in 2012.

Can a Muslim attack another Muslim celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? Is it not an act of blasphemy itself to stop innocent Muslims from remembering and paying homage to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

Who will stop the Saudi-funded, ISI-sponsored SSP-JuD militants from their ongoing violence and terrorism in Pakistan? Who will ban Peace TV, Islam Channel and other hate TV channels which are fast converting Pakistan’s moderate Sunni Muslims into radical Wahhabi-Deobandi bigots?

Source: Pakistan Blogzine

Today, in the exotic desert setting of Dubai, Pakistan completed a much awaited 3-0 whitewash of England, presently the first-ranked Test team in the world. This historical win is certainly the icing on the cake after Pakistan’s two earlier Test victories in the ongoing 2012 series.

The whole nation duly rejoices as their cricketing heroes under an unobtrusive Misbah ul Haq have emulated a feat that was achieved the last time in a Test match 105 years ago. Some cricket analysts and hosts on our TV channels have suggested as if this feat of a team scoring less than 100 runs in the first innings of a Test match and still winning, has happened only once or twice before in Test cricket. This is not true.

As a matter fact, this feat has been achieved six times in Test cricket before Pakistan emulated it today, the seventh such instance in Test match annals. For the benefit of cricket enthusiasts and to set the record straight, let me present here abbreviated scores of all the seven such Test matches starting from the earliest:

1. Australia (63 and 122) beat England (101 and 77) by 7 runs at The Oval, 1882.
2. England (45 and 184) beat Australia (119 and 97) by 13 runs at Sydney, 1886-87.
3. England (75 and 475) beat Australia (123 and 333) by 94 runs at Melbourne, 1894-95.
4. England (92 and 330) beat South Africa (177 and 35) by 210 runs at Cape Town, 1898-99
5. England (184 and 190) lost to South Africa (91 and 287-9) by 1 wicket at Johannesburg, 1905-06.
6. England (76 and 162) beat South Africa (110 and 75) by 53 runs at Leeds, 1907.
7. Pakistan (99 and 365) beat England (141 and 252) by 71 runs at Dubai, 2012.

Incidentally, the first time this feat was achieved also happened to be the same Test match when England were beaten at home for the first time in Test cricket, 29th August 1882. This defeat led to the famous ‘Obituary’ published in the Sporting Times, London the next day as a mocking write-up on the “English cricket that died at The Oval” and which ultimately gave birth to the legendary Ashes since played between England and Australia.

It may also be noted that the feat of a team scoring less than a hundred in the first innings and winning that Test has been achieved six times in the first 30 years of the 135-year Test match history since the first ever Test match was played between Australia and England from March 15-19, 1877 at Melbourne. And now it goes to the credit of the mercurial Pakistan team to have repeated this feat after over a hundred years.

The writer is a communication consultant, an Amnesty International “Prisoner of Conscience – 1984” and a former first-class cricket umpire.

Pakistan’s apex investigative journalist, Ansar Abbasi has leased the front page of his newspapers, Jang and The News on a priority basis. I am in awe of him that whether he “reports”, “opines” or “speculates”, he gets a certain space on the front page of Jang and The News. He has a set pattern that there is a sensational caption, includes recycled opinions which are not provable and in order to give his report-opinion-speculation credence, includes point of view of experts. If it is a legal matter, expect Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui or Wajihuddin Ahmed to opine (Am I in contempt that I haven’t referred to these two as justices). If it is a matter of elections, Kunwar Dilshad is there. On economy, he has found an able expert in the form of Shahid Hasan Siddiqui but no one beats his rapport with Syed Adil Gilani of Transparency International Pakistan.

With all the respect given by Ansar Abbasi to Adil Gilani, Adil Gilani gives him an exclusive insight on his upcoming reports or thought processes and this time using mathematics to make their case. 5th February, 2012 is no no less. The News has reported on a front page story “Rs 8,500 bn corruption mars Gilani tenure: Transparency while in Jang a verbatim translation comes out as “Wazeer-e-Azam Gilani ka 4 sala krupt tareen daur, Rs 8500 arab kee krupshion hui – Transparency International”.

The “report” itself deviates from the caption in the very first paragraph to include tax evasion and bad governance in the four years of the current government that has caused a loss of Rs. 8.5 trillion or USD 94 billion according to the Ansar Abbasi – Adil Gilani duo.

Adil Gilani thunders to say that “He believes that Pakistan does not need even a single penny from the outside world if it ffectively
checks the menace of corruption and ensures good governance”. From an analyst looking at facts, Adil Gilani becomes a champion of national ghiarat as well.

According to Adil Gilani, he has unearthed Rs. 2.76 trillion worth of corruption cases in the last four years. In order to get to his
magical figure of Rs. 8.5 trillion, Adil-Ansar have used Shaukat Tareen’s claim just before he resigned as Finance Minister that FBR has an annual corruption of Rs. 500 billion every year. So multiply 500 billion x 4 years, we get another Rs. 2 trillion. Then he has also added the bail outs given to various State Owned Enterprises like PSO, PIA, Pakistan Steel, Railways, SSGC, SNGP plus the headlines we heard from Public Accounts Committee and Auditor General of Pakistan etc, they are able to add another Rs. 1.5 trillion to the figures.

But in order to get to the Rs. 8.5 trillion, an excellent comparison has been done by the Ansar-Adil duo. They have mentioned that India’s Tax to GDP ratio is 18% while Pakistan’s 9% only. If we were not corrupt and were getting 18% like India was, that is Rs. 1.4 trillion as well.

In order to give their point of view even more weight, they have used the cabinet ministers allegations against each other as a reason to lambast the government. Who were those cabinet members – Azam Swati against Hamid Saeed Kazmi; Faisal Saleh Hayat against Raja Pervez Ashraf when Faisal was not a minister and now Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Sardar Assef after they have left the PPP and resigned. I wonder if these are weighty points!

One has to appreciate Ansar Abbasi for his reports full of hatred and contempt towards elected governments. “Krupshion and bad governance” have been rallying points for anti-PPP journalists always, but the way Ansar Abbasi does it along with his pal Kamran Khan, is just unbelievable.

On the other hand, Adil Gilani is for sure an angel or one of those aided by angels. Out of nowhere, his son, Sohrab Adil Gilani was made a member of board of directors of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and when it was feared that Adil Gilani’s blackmail will be caught red handed, Sohrab resigned from the position Off course, this is not bad governance and krupshion. It was ill judgment on part of Ports and Shipping ministry to wake up one day and appoint Adil Gilani’s son as a member of board of directors!.

As you read these lines, 1.5 billion Muslims will be celebrating the birthday of their beloved prophet, a day known as Milad un-Nabi or Mawlid. Muslim love and admiration for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) manifests itself beautifully through these various kinds of religious celebrations blended with local cultures and traditions.

The earliest account of the observance of Mawlid can be found in 8th century Mecca. Historically, this was a festival of the Shia ruling class and the first official public celebrations occurred in Egypt towards the end of the 11th century. Gradually it spread throughout the Muslim world, with the first Sunni Muslim celebration taking place in 12th century Syria.

Today, Mawlid is celebrated in the form of a carnival in many countries. Street processions are held and homes and mosques are decorated. Food is distributed widely. Stories about the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are narrated and devotional poetry is recited. One of the most popular poems recited during Mawlid is Qasida al-Burda Sharif, a poem composed in the 13th century in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t8dGisCH-HA

About 3,000 moulids are held in Egypt every year. Part pilgrimage, part carnival, part mystical Islamic ceremony, they are a mass phenomenon that is increasingly attracting the attention of the Egyptian authorities. Tanta, in the Nile Delta, is home to Egypt’s biggest moulid attracting up to three million people, some travelling from as far away as Sudan. A moulid is also about contemplation and the spiritual focus of the festival is the mosque where Ahmed el-Bedawi is believed to be buried. At night thousands of families sleep inside the mosque and outside it in brightly coloured tents in the surrounding alleyways.

Moulid in Egypt

During Pakistan’s Mawlid celebration, the national flag is hoisted on all public buildings, and a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute at the provincial headquarters are fired at dawn. Hundreds of thousands of people gather at Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore between the intervening night of 11th and 12th Rabi’ al-awwal for Mawlid celebrations, this is the worlds biggest gathering for Mawlid celebrations.

Eid Milad e Nabi in Pakistan

Among non-Muslim countries, India is noted for its Mawlid festivities. The relics of Muhammad (PBUH) are displayed after the morning prayers in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir at the Hazratbal Shrine, on the outskirts of Srinagar. Shab-khawani night-long prayers held at the Hazratbal Shrine are attended by thousands.

Here’s a poem by Sa’adi Sherazi sung by Sabri Brothers.

http://vimeo.com/3882060

These celebrations have often had a local flavor, even as they tap into universal (“umma-tic”) themes.   One of the loveliest has been through a distinctly Turkish tradition called Mevlud (The Turkish pronunciation of Mawlid, also spelled as Mevlut).  These poems, exceedingly popular historically, are of special interest today as they tell the story of the Prophet’s birth through female eyes, namely the eyes of his mother.

He that comes is King of Knowledge high,

Is the mine of gnosis and tawhid [monotheism].

For the love of him the sky revolves,

Men and jinn are longing for his face.


This night is the night that he, so pure

Will suffuse the worlds with radiant light!
This night, earth becomes a Paradise,

This night God shows mercy to the world.

This night those with heart are filled with joy,

This night gives the lovers a new life.


Mercy for the worlds is Mustafa,

Sinners’ intercessors: Mustafa!’”

Following the Qur’an all Muslims celebrate the connection among the various Prophets, particularly the close connection among Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Here that same connection is reaffirmed through a female perspective, by talking about how the luminous women, through whom each of these channels of grace (baraka) were opened up onto this world, gather around Amina, greeting her as Muhammad (PBUH) is being born to her.

“They described him in this style to me,

Stirred my longing for that blessed light.”

Amina said: “When the time was ripe

That the Best of Mankind should appear,

I became so thirsty from that heat

That they gave me sherbet in a glass.

Drinking it, I was immersed in light

And could not discern myself from light.”

Compassionate celebrations of Muhammad (PBUH) around the world manifest the softer image of Islam inscribed in teachings of Prophet (PBUH) that were full of love for humanity, equality and rights. I have made it a habit to celebrate Prophet’s birthday by reading and reflecting upon his famous last sermon every year. This sermon, which was delivered by Prophet Muhammad at the end of his final pilgrimage to Mecca and shortly before his death to more than 100,000 early Muslims has been considered as the Prophet’s will to his companions and long lasting universal message and teaching to his Ummah.

In this sermon of Muhammad, Muslims find their deep commitment to the universal human values such as sacredness of life and property, equality, justice, peace and more. Upon these high universal values, the religion of Islam was built.

We still have so much to learn from this 1,400-plus-year-old cry and we are so much in need of this message of Muhammad in our broken time where we continue to struggle with almost identical issues in our global human community. We need to go back to these core teachings and examples of Islam and similarly strive for achieving an ethical and moral society, wherever we live, where no one inflicts nor suffers inequity, unfairness and in justice.

Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad and upon all prophets came before him. Here’re some excerpts from sermon:

Every right arising out of homicide and blood-killing in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste…

All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action…

Here’s a beautiful poem by Maulana Jami

My body is dissolving in your separation
And my soul is breaking into pieces. Ya Rasulullah!
Due to my sins, My heart is weak and becoming enticed. Ya Rasulullah!

When you pass by me
Then even in my immense poverty, ecstatically,
I must sacrifice my soul on your blessed sandal. Ya Rasulullah !

I am drowned in the taste of your love
And the chain of your love binds my heart.
Yet I don’t say that I know this language (of love). Ya Rasulullah!

Ya Rasulullah! When you spread your hands to intercede for the sinners,
Then do not deprive Jaami of your exalted intercession.

http://vimeo.com/2233106

Killings in the name of the Prophet (PBUH) may well be termed as ignorance of the real message Muhammad (PBUH) preached throughout his life. The self assigned protectors of the name of Prophet (PBUH) can learn the lesson from the following letter written by Muhammad (PBUH) to St Catherines Greek Orthodox Monastary in the Sinai desert.

Prophet Muhammad’s letter identifies several clauses covering all aspects of human rights. This includes the protection of Christians, allowing freedom of worship and movement; freedom to appoint their own judges; to own and maintain their property; exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

Note: The post has been compiled from these sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.