While Pakistan has directed its focus and significant resources to fighting terrorism in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), the growing activities of banned militant organizations and their influence in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, have been largely ignored.  Militants, most trained in Afghanistan and others ex-inmates of Afghan prisons, have recently surfaced in Punjab and become active in Punjabi jihadi groups.

The Punjabi militant network is a loose conglomeration of members of banned militant groups of Punjabi origin that have developed strong connections with the Tehrki-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups based in FATA and KPK. Members shuttle between FATA and the rest of Pakistan, providing logistical support to FATA and Afghanistan-based militants to conduct terrorist operations deep inside Pakistan.

The main banned organizations with leadership and headquarters in Punjab include Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Jummat ud-Dawa (JuD), Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Harkatul Jihadul Islami (HJI), all working in collaboration with the TTP and al-Qaeda (Central Asia Online, May 10). These sectarian groups are active in the Punjabi cities of Jhang, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahimyar Khan, Muzaffergarh, Layyah, and Gujranwala, leaving the government with the difficult task of eliminating these groups with actions other than those already taken in the tribal areas. [1] The LeT’s governing offices are located in Muridke and Lahore while the SSP is controlled from Jhang district. Similarly, LeJ takes directions from Rahimyar Khan and the JeM is linked with its center in Bahawalpur (Viewpoint Online [Pakistan], July 16, 2011). [2]

Media reports suggest that a large number of militants from Punjab have joined hands with the TTP as well as the Afghan Taliban in recent years. With significant numbers of recruits from Punjab-based sectarian organizations, the TTP has proved to be lethal to government efforts to establish order on the frontier (Outlook [Kabul] May 6).According to the figures of the ten largest jihadi organizations, the number of “martyrs” from Punjab is more than 12,000, of which roughly 4,000 have lost their lives in Afghanistan. [3] An intelligence report recently prepared by the provincial government’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) revealed that 2,487 militants trained in Afghanistan and 556 militants released from Afghan prisons have surfaced in the province and are now active in the Punjabi Taliban Network (Express Tribune [Karachi] August 30).

Terrorist and suicide attacks inside Punjab have increased significantly since the Pakistan military’s offensive in South Waziristan in October 2009.  Most of the terrorists involved in the attacks belonged to a variety of Punjabi cities, with most hailing from the province’s southern region:

• The terrorists involved in the September 20, 2008 suicide attack on the Marriot Hotel Islamabad belonged to Toba Tek Singh, Attock and Chakwal. These militants were members of the HJI, headed by Qari Safiullah (Asia Tribune, July 28, 2009).

• Dr Usman, who masterminded the October 10, 2010 attack on the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarter (GHQ) as well as several other suicide attacks, is a native of Kabirwala.

• Asmatullah Muwaia, a key leader of the TTP in South Waziristan and master trainer of suicide bombers, also belongs to Kabirwala.

• Osman, the head of a LeJ splinter group operating in the southern region of Punjab, was wounded and arrested in the GHQ attack. Recently a military court pronounced a death sentence on the LeJ commander (The News [Islamabad] August 13).

• Similarly, the persons attacking the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters in Lahore also belonged to cities in South Punjab.

A large number of “Punjabi Taliban” belonging to the LeJ, the SSP, the JuD, the HJI and other splinter groups, are especially active in the tribal region (The News [Islamabad] August 18). [4] Interior Minister Rehman Malik has also written to the Punjab government asking them to take action against the anti-Shi’a militants based in Jhang district, following a September 20 attack on an Iran-bound bus in the Mastung district of Balochistan that killed 29 Shi’a pilgrims (BBC, October 4).

According to security officials, Shehbaz Taseer, son of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, was abducted from the provincial capital of Lahore on August 6 by Punjab-based militants. [5] Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that Taseer has been shifted to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, most probably to North Waziristan (Dawn[Karachi], October 17). The abductee’s family members disclosed that they had received threats from militant groups since Governor Taseer was shot dead earlier this year for urging reforms to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws (seeTerrorism Monitor, February 24). Similarly, responsibility for the killing of Pakistan’s Christian Minorities minister Shehbaz Bhatti was claimed by a group calling itself the “Punjabi Taliban” (AP, March 2). Punjabi militant groups have also played an important role in attacking Ahmadis, Shi’a, Sufis and other civilian targets in the province (seeTerrorism Monitor, June 12, 2010).

The main reason for the emergence of a militant mind-set in Punjab is the rapid growth of religious madrassas (seminaries), most of them tied to militant organizations. There are a total of 5,500 religious madrassas in the Punjab, the majority of them belonging to the Deobandi sect. Students enrolled in these madrassas are from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and KPK as well as Punjab. Religious madrassas based in Punjab provide 40% of recruits to the jihadi outfits. [6] A Punjab CTD report reveals that at least 170 madrassas in Punjab are involved in “suspected activities,” a reference to their role in militant networks, preaching of jihad and spreading sectarian violence against the Punjab’s Shi’a and Ahmadi communities (Express Tribune, August 30).

It is also believed that Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and Punjab’s ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have good relationships with the banned militant organizations. The Punjab government is known to have provided nearly $1 million worth of financial assistance to JuD in its provincial budget while senior leaders of PML-N (particularly law minister Rana Sanaullah) are seen campaigning with militant  leaders and aggravating interfaith harmony (Express Tribune, June 18, 2010).

Although Punjab is not in imminent danger of a Taliban takeover, the expansion of militant activities in the province, if unchecked, could have serious outcomes for Pakistan’s stability, the war in Afghanistan, the Indo-Pakistani relationship and the future of international terrorism. Unlike the Taliban entrenchment in South Waziristan and Swat, Punjabi militants are scattered across a large province instead of being concentrated in a single region where effective counterterrorism, intelligence and police operations are more likely to be able to contain their operations without massive military intervention. An initial step to dealing with the security crisis in Punjab would involve the provincial government and the national intelligence agencies abandoning their “strategic partnership” and selective attitude in dealing with banned militant groups.

Notes:

1. Mujahid Hussain, Punjabi Taliban, Nigharshat Publishers, Lahore, 2009.

2. Interview with Muhammad Amir Rana, Director of Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), August 16, 2011. A government ban on these jihadist organizations merely led them to operate under different names. SSP began operating under the names of Millat-e-Islamia and Ahle-e-Sunnat Wal Jammat, JeM as al-Furqan and Khuddamul Islam, and JuD or Lashkar-e-Tayyaba as Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

3. Muhammad Amir Rana, A to Z of Jihadi Organizations in Pakistan, Mashal Books, Lahore, 2009.

4. Interview with a Bannu-based journalist who requested anonymity, October 16, 2011.

5. Interview with a Lahore-based senior police official who requested anonymity, October 16, 2011.

6. Muhammad Amir Rana, A to Z of Jihadi Organizations in Pakistan, Mashal Books, Lahore, 2009.

Related posts: 

Bold statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on Shia massacres in Pakistan under the patronage by Pakistan army

In support of Shahbaz Taseer

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Expressing grave concern over the release of Malik Mohammad Ishaq, one of the founding members of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) an al-Qaeda-linked anti-Shia and anti-US Sunni-Deobandi sectarian-turned-jehadi organisation, the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has accused the Punjab Law Minister [Rana Sanaullah Khan] of conniving with the abductors of Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer, to ensure the release of his assassin – [Malik Mumtaz Qadri who was sentenced to death on October 1, 2011 by an antiterrorism court on the basis of his confession].

Founded in 1986 by a prominent group of jurists and human rights activists in Asia, the Asian Human Rights Commission is an independent, non-governmental organisation, which seeks to promote greater awareness and realization of human rights in the Asian region. The Commission has regretted in a statement which has already been posted on its website (www.humanrights. asia) that “a mass killer – Malik Mohammad Ishaq – has been provided protection by the state while the families of his victims continue to suffer threats”.

“[Mumtaz] Qadri, the killer of Governor of Punjab [Salman Taseer] has been given the status of a hero of Islam who is enjoying every facility of life in custody; facilities which he never had in his ordinary life being a head constable in Punjab police. He has access to his network through mobile phones and is being held in a special ward of the jail and allowed to have visitors who meet him regularly. All of this is contrary according to the prison manuals”, the AHRC statement observed.

The AHRC then regretted that the whereabouts of the son of the assassinated Governor of Punjab, Shahbaz Taseer, who was abducted by militants from Punjab on August 27, 2011, remain unknown. “It is reported that the LeJ is negotiating through the Punjab government for the release of [Malik Mumtaz] Qadri in exchange for Shahbaz Taseer. The negotiations are apparently being carried out under the supervision of the Punjab Law Minister [Rana Sanaullah Khan] who is notorious for having relationships with the banned militant groups. Therefore, all efforts for the release of Shahbaz have been in the interests of the militant organizations”, the AHRC statement added.The Asian Human Rights Commission statement said that the state has totally failed to provide protection to the citizens from the religious militant organisations who are surviving on the mercy of jehadis. “We urge the government of Pakistan to realize that the international community is closely monitoring the situation and is quite capable of seeing the very blatant discrepancies in the treatment of the victims and the perpetrators. We vehemently condemn the protection provided for a mass murderer (Malik Ishaq) while his victims continue to face death threats and religious intolerance. We urge that action must be taken against the LeJ and its members. The Minister of Law of Punjab who is aiding and abetting this organisation must be prosecuted particularly for his connivance with the abductors of Shahbaz Taseer to obtain the release of a murderer. We also urge the government to ensure the safe release of Shahbaz and that suitable compensation and rehabilitation be provided to the victims and the families of the Mastung carnage”.

Approached for comments, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan strongly refuted the “baseless allegations” levelled against him and the Punjab government by the “socalled” Asian Human Rights Commission, saying they were simply farcical and politically motivated. About the Commission’s claim that the Punjab law minister was conniving with the abductors to pave the way for Mumtaz Qadri’s release in exchange for Shehbaz Taseer, Rana Sanaullah said: “Let me make it clear that no talks are going on with the abductors at any level as far as I know. I reject AHRC’s allegations regarding my connivance with any militant group at any level. The Punjab government would lodge a formal protest with the AHRC for spreading this baseless propaganda. Such unsubstantiated speculations would only hinder the progress being made in the case by the investigators.

To a question, Rana Sanaullah said: “As a matter of fact, Shehbaz Taseer’s abduction case is not being dealt with by the Punjab Police alone. In fact, there is a highlevel Joint Investigating Team (JIT) being led by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) which is investigating the case. The Crime Investigation Department of Punjab and the Special Branch of Punjab Police are only assisting the investigators in their efforts to track down the kidnappers”. Asked about the identity of Shehbaz Taseer’s abductors, the law minister said: “I can say positive progress has been made in the case and the investigation is going in the right direction”. Asked if the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was involved in the kidnapping, Rana Sanaullah said such reports were baseless. Those investigating the case do have a very clear idea about the kidnappers. But I can’t make public any information at this stage due to sensitivity of the matter,” the law minister added.

While slamming the Punjab government for its soft corner towards extremists, the AHRC statement said: “Banned militant religious groups are exciting violence in Punjab with full institutional protection from the ruling party of the province (PML-N). Federal minister for interior had accused the Punjab government that its ministers and officials are closely associated with the LeJ which is why no action has been taken against the group. Ishaq’s September 22 protective detention under the guise of house arrest comes after his organisation, the Lashkar-e- Jhangvi, claimed responsibility for the killings of 29 Shia pilgrims.” The AHRC statement further said: “The LeJ has overtly opened offices in many districts of the Punjab province and collecting funds on the streets by means of collection boxes in shops and restaurants. After the killing of 29 Shia pilgrims from the Hazara tribe in Mastung, the Lashkare- Jhangvi has come out openly and announced to continue its movement against the Shia sect as they are infidel and they should be declared a non- Islamic religious group. One must ask if this is another attempt at appeasement by the government towards the militant religious groups”.

While expressing dismay at the recent release of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s operational chief, Malik Ishaq, the Asia Human Rights Commission said: “Malik was bailed from the Supreme Court of Pakistan [on July 14, 2011] from many cases regarding killings and bombings. Malik remained in detention for 14 years but the [Punjab] government could not provide protection to witnesses [against him]. Also, the prosecution produced very weak cases which ultimately benefited defence. He was thus released on bail by the Supreme Court on the grounds of these weak cases”.

“Malik Ishaq was then detained on September 22 [2011] on the pretext that he was facing death threats and needed protection. His arrest was made under Article 5 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) for ten days. The house detention generally does not fall under the term of punishment in the country as during that period the detainee has access to communications via cell phones, internet and the electronic media. Immediately after his release on bail he visited many places and roused the people on sectarian issues. At the same time, he (Malik Ishaq) organized his group, the LeJ, which is supposedly banned by the government”, the AHRC statement added.

However, a senior official of the Punjab Home Department [who requested anonymity] refuted the AHRC statement as a pack of lies, adding that Ishaq has not been sent to jail because he was facing death threats and needed protection. In fact, the official said, he has been detained for a period of one month to preempt sectarian strife in the province. He said not only Malik Ishaq, but another LeJ leader Ghulam Rasool Shah has also been confined in his hometown, Bahawalnagar. Therefore, the spokesman said, it is simply ridiculous to accuse the Punjab government of having a soft corner towards extremists.

Source: The News, October 03, 2011

Those publically accused of blasphemy are then either put behind bars under the proxy of protectionism before the FIRs are lodged against them, which puts an entire ensemble into the question of what has allowed bigotry its perpetuation at such prevalent levels that has gone beyond any measure of control by the state.

State, and its policies are partly to be blamed for appeasing the puritanical clergy and its mismatched peace treaties with the militant groups in the interest of strategic depth heavily innate with security agencies that have misconstrued, and now apparently almost de-centralized and contested definition of strategic interests of this country.

The rise in hate crimes against the minorities can be blamed on a number of reasons that become subjected to the government’s apathy, their lack of interest or sense of intimidation at the hands of mindset taken over by militant/jihadist aspirations and aggression. On certain instances, the general fallacy in the laws and constitution concerning minorities which fail to lay the onus on the claimant against the accused, has been dealt with sheer helplessness, even if there is a will to protect the falsely accused from unlawful and vigilante murder.

The intimidation and sometimes, even murder against the law practitioners who have helped the victims out of trouble, has now made everyone compelled to bow down before the unchallenged militant aggression. So much so now that mentally challenged persons, children and anyone who is technically not able to make decision, let alone being able to defend himself/herself, are being easily victimized because they have no proper redress system whatsoever that can help them or merit them a fair trial: this is not an issue of the law, because it stands powerless before an instigated mob.

An ugly case as such could be related to a young resident of Chichawatni in May, 2011 against whom an FIR was lodged for his alleged blasphemy and his family had to vacate their village after being threatened by an angry Muslim mob.

His crime? Of being a mentally-challenged Christian. It was also reported that the mobs were instigated by the local clergy to testify against the accused about his alleged blasphemy. They could not dare refuse the powerful clerical call, unless they earned a wrath of their uncontrolled fanatic mob unleashed at them too.

The case of Aziz Colony in Gujranwala must not be forgotten too easily as it is reflective of government’s apathy towards social suffering of the minorities that its indifference has pushed them into.

In April 2011, the incident involved someone discovering burnt pages of the Holy Quran outside a Christian household.

What appeared to be an attempt to malign and frame the Christian community in a set-up to settle personal scores, the vigilante mob discredited all rationale and instigated violence against an entire Christian community. They ensued physical damage not just to the colony, but also moved forward towards another Christian colony in the proximity. The crowd was averted only after police resisted and prevented them from entering.

Likewise, the tragic incidents of Sambrial and Gojra is still fresh with scars, yet the apathetic attitude by the security is to be blamed for countless deaths that could otherwise have been prevented had the precautionary measures were put in place when the tension was building up. In other such cases of state apathy, it must also be noted that no action had been taken to this day against the hate material that had periodically been spread at mass level by All Pakistan Students Khatm e Nubuwat Federation that has called all Ahmediya Muslims to be “Wajib ul Qatl”. In Fislabad, recently, a life of Naseem Ahmad Butt, among others who met with same fate, was cruelly claimed by the offenders of both humanity and religion.

Had the state ever paid heed to what is being carried out in the name of religion and who is responsible for inciting violence, things would have remained in control.

Needless to say, that it was again the responsibility of the state to take viable actions against the mainstream TV channels that openly air contentious religious issues and decree fatwas of violence and murder. One bigot, Amir Liaqat, has still not been tried for the four murders that followed his TV Fatwa calling all Ahmadiya Muslims as Wajib ul Qatl, and despite everything, he is still allowed to openly incite violence against this particular group.

The entertainment industry is also not free of condoning violence; a Syed Noor movie ” Aik aur Ghazi” in appreciation of Mumtaz Qadri, the convicted assailant of the late Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer, had passed the Pakistani Censor Board and was run quite conveniantly at cinema halls. It is not only the mainstream media and entertainment that is involved in propogating violence as an accepted form of “Islamic’ morality , but it is the very linkages of some politicians with the sectarian groups, like Rana Sanaullah of the ruling PML (N) in Punjab and the recent acquittals and the recent bailing out of many known sectarian terrorists by the judiciary itself.

Another sheer indifferent attitude of the Government of Punjab towards a specific minority is reflective of how it allows for any untowward situation to develop against the religious minorities of Pakistan. A large scale Khatam-e-Nabuwat/Finality of Prophethood conference (the Federation that has also announced death fatwa against Ahmadis) is taking place on 7th September in Rabwah, the central place of Ahmediya community in Pakistan.

This conference is expected to be attended by hundereds, perhaps even thousands of anti-Ahmediya clergy.

The Rabwah’s Ahmadi Adminsitration has asked its community members to stay indoors to avoid the mobs.

What should have been considered the State’s responsibility to ensure protection of life which, it appears has become more of a privilege than a right that not all citizens of Pakistan are entitled to.

Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Punjab from PML N and Mullah Ludhianvi leader of Sipah-e-Sahaba; the main local affiliate of the Taliban and virulently opposed to Ahmedis, Shias, Christains, Sunnis, Hindus, Sikhs, women, Sufis, moderates

Editor’s Note:  The PML N leadership sees no double standards when lecturing PPP about Karachi and putting pressure on it to call the army into Karachi with its own shambolic performance with regards to the Law and Order situation in Punjab.   Given its utter failure to protect its own citizens, shouldn’t the Chief Minister of the Punjab, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif also call in the army.  This is especially considering the fact that the CM Punjab enjoys such a special relationship with the COAS and has the lone privilege of being the only CM out of the current five in Pakistan who has solo meetings with Gen. Kiyani in the dead of night.

In the last few days, Dr Weinstein, a noted American technocrat heading PISDAC has been captured and Imran Khan, writing for I Opyne provides facts and perspectives that are completely ignored by an extremely prejudiced Pro-Taliban “independant” media.  We are cross-posting Imran’s article below which is prescient given the further kidnapping of Shahbaz Taseer.  Given the incestuous links between the Punjab Provincial Government and Pakistan’s higher Judiciary and the resulting nepotism and cronyism that is plain to anyone not consumed by bias, something is truly rotten in the PML N and its leader, the current “anti-establishment” Nawaz Sharif must take note.

By declaring that there are no Punjabi Taliban, the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab basically refused to acknowledge the ethnicity of accomplished terrorists such as Qari Zafar and Usman Punjabi.  Many interpreted that statement as; “only Pathans can be Taliban”, but the clarification came very quickly, as the CM asserted that ethnicities shouldn’t be labeled with terrorism; be it Pathan or Punjabi. Fair enough, but then that didn’t seem to be the case as Punjab’s Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah commented on the abduction of Dr. Warren Weinstein.

Mr. Sanaullah describes the incident as a result of a collusion between Mr. Weinstein’s staff and the abductors. Plausible theory, but to support it the Minister doesn’t mention any links of the accused to terrorist outfits such as Lashkar I Jhangvi or Sipah I Sahaba, instead he simply mentions their domiciles, as being from Swabi, Charsadda and FATA is enough to prove their crime. Forget about the non Pashtun guard, it was the ethnicity of the Pashtun staff that had to be suspected and highlighted, because it just makes good mathematical sense i.e. Pathan=Taliban.

But this guilt by domicile wasn’t limited to KP, an American passport generated yet another epiphany i.e. American=CIA Spy. It was bewildering to hear the Minister equate Dr. Weinstein to Raymond Davis; because, just two minutes earlier in the same interview, he made the claim that the Government of Punjab had offered Dr. Weinstein a police escort. Makes one wonder if Raymond Davis was made a similar offer, or was Dr. Weinstein actually different?

Dr. Warren Weinstein, who headed the Pakistan Initiative for Strategic Development and Competitiveness (PISDAC) project, is a very well known figure within Pakistan’s aid and development community. Under the PISDAC project, Dr. Weinstein oversaw strategic interventions in the Dairy, Gems & Jewelry, and Marble & Granite sectors in Pakistan, resulting in the establishment of companies such as Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC), and the Pakistan Dairy Development Company. The project provided technical assistance in modernizing dairy and marble production while improving marketing in Gems & Jewelry. The overall positive impact of that intervention on Pakistan’s economy is estimated to be around $67 Million.

The details of Dr. Weinstein’s contribution to Pakistan’s economy, including PISDAC and other projects, are easily available in the form of downloadable documents. Given the current office of Mr. Sanaullah and the resulting importance of his opinion, he should encourage his staff to use Google to keep him updated, as it is very disappointing to see a serving minister be so ill informed on such a sensitive issue.

Another document that the good Minister needs to be made aware of is the PEW survey for 2010. According to this, the Taliban enjoy an approval of 22% in Punjab against 7% in KP, 6% in Baluchistan, and 5% in Sindh. There may or may not be Punjabi Taliban, but approximately 1/4^th of Punjab is predicted to “approve” of the Taliban. Coupling these stats with CM Punjab’s olive branch to the Taliban, could lead one to generalize about the average Punjabi as being a terrorist. But of course saying so would be an ignorant generalization, one as ignorant as that done about any other nationality or ethnicity.

Ingratitude goes against our national ethos, and we are showing exactly that by baselessly maligning the name of Dr. Weinstein; a person who has dedicated 7 years of his life to serving Pakistan. There are many other ways to justify the incompetence of Punjab’s security apparatus, but a mixture of racist generalizations and unsubstantiated allegations is certainly the most shameless way to go about it.

An edited version of the article appeared in the Express Tribune under the title “Dr. Weinstein is no CIA agent” on the 27th of August 2011

The following analysis published in the ‘Islam Times’, describes the future election strategy of natural allied political parties PML-N and Sipah-e-Sahaba. The news/analysis reveals some new agreements between PML-N and Sipah-e-Sahaba, where both parties will jointly field Humza S/O Shahbaz Sharif against PML-Q’s stalwart Shiekh Waqas Akram.

In the first phase of the deal, a most dangerous man has been released from prison and received huge welcome in PML-N governed Punjab. Earlier a most dangerous man enjoyed Punjab government’s financial assistance ever since the Sharif’s came to power in 2008 and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed the disbursement.

The future election strategy of PML-N in Punjab and it’s alliance with Sipah-e-Sahaba is a worrisome development. However, this is not the first time that PML-N has established alliances with terrorist organisations.

سینیٹر محمد احمد لدھیانوی؟؟؟

اسلام ٹائمز:مسلم لیگ ن کے اندرونی حلقے سپاہ صحابہ کے ساتھ مسلم لیگ ن کے اتحاد کی مزید خوفناک خبریں سنا رہے ہیں۔ اطلاعات کے مطابق مسلم لیگ ن اور سپاہ صحابہ کے درمیان کچھ نئے معاہدے ہوئے ہیں۔ مسلم لیگ ق سے تعلق رکھنے والے وفاقی وزیر شیخ وقاص اکرم کو آئندہ الیکشن میں ہرانے کے لئے سپاہ صحابہ اور مسلم لیگ نون اپنے مشترکہ امیدوار “حمزہ شہباز شریف” کو میدان میں لانے والے ہیں

تحریر:سید علی شیرازی

ملکی سیاست میں الیکشن 2013ء کے لئے سیاسی پارٹیوں میں ابھی سے جوڑ توڑ شروع ہو چکا ہے۔ پیپلز پارٹی پنجاب کو فتح کرنے کے لئے سرائیکی صوبے کا کارڈ استعمال کرنے والی ہے، سرائیکی صوبے کے اس زبردست کارڈ نے مسلم لیگ ن کی ابھی سے نیندیں حرام کی ہوئی ہیں۔ مسلم لیگ ن، پیپلز پارٹی کے اس کارڈ کا توڑ نکالنے کے لئے مسلسل ہاتھ پاوں مار رہی ہے۔ اسی سرائیکی صوبے کے کارڈ کا توڑ کرنے کے لئے مسلم لیگ ن نے اپنا اتحادی سپاہ صحابہ کو منتخب کیا ہے، تاکہ جنوبی پنجاب میں بڑھتی ہوئی شدت پسندی کو کیش کروایا جا سکے۔ ملک اسحاق کی رہائی اسی سلسلے کی ایک کڑی ہے، انشاء اللہ اگلے کالم میں ہم اس پر مزید روشنی ڈالیں گے۔ لیکن اس سے پہلے مسلم لیگ نون اور سپاہ صحابہ کے حالیہ تعلقات کی تاریخ پر ایک نظر ڈالتے ہیں۔
مسلم لیگ اور سپاہ صحابہ کے تعلقات جون 2008ء میں، بھکر کی تحصیل دریا خان کے حلقہ پی پی 48 کے ضمنی الیکشن کے دورآن شروع ہوئے۔ حلقہ پی پی 48 کی نشست رشید اکبر نوانی نے خالی کی تھی۔ جس پر مسلم لیگ ن کی جانب سے میاں شہباز شریف الیکشن لڑ رہے تھے۔ 16 جون 2008ء کے بجٹ سیشن میں اسمبلی کا اجلاس اٹینڈ کرنا میاں شہباز شریف ضروری خیال کر رہے تھے، جبکہ الیکشن 26 جون کو منعقد ہونے والے تھا۔ بجٹ اجلاس میں شریک ہونے کے لیے میاں شہباز شریف کا بلا مقابلہ منتخب ہونا ضروری تھا۔ الیکشن ڈپلومیسی کے ذریعے سے میاں شہباز شریف کے اکثر حریف الیکشن سے دست بردار ہو چکے تھے۔ میاں صاحب کے بلامقابلہ منتخب ہونے کی راہ میں صرف ایک امیدوار مولانا عبدالحمید خالد رکاوٹ تھا جس کا تعلق سپاہ صحابہ سے تھا۔
مولانا عبدالحمید خالد کے بارے میں کہا جا رہا تھا مولانا خود تو منتخب نہیں ہو سکتا لیکن کم از کم شہباز شریف کو بلا مقابلہ منتخب بھی نہیں ہونے دے گا۔ اپنی حیثیت منوانے کے لیے “سپاہ صحابہ” نے پنجاب حکومت کے ساتھ روابط ختم کر دیئے اور عبدالحمید خالد کی الیکشن کمپین میں تیزی پیدا کر دی۔ صوبائی حکومت صورتحال پر چونکہ نظر رکھے ہوئے تھی اس لیے عبدالحمید خالد کو شہباز شریف کے حق میں دست بردار کروانے کے لیے آئی جی پنجاب شوکت جاوید نے رابطہ کیا۔ مولانا عبدالحمید نے خود ملنے سے انکار کر دیا اور اپنی قیادت کو آئی جی پنجاب کے ساتھ ملوایا۔ سپاہ صحابہ نے مولانا عبدالحمید کی دستبرداری اور آئندہ بہتر تعلقات کو چار مطالبات سے مشروط کیا۔
1۔ حکومت “سپاہ صحابہ” کو بحال کرے
2۔ کارکنوں کے خلاف ناجائز مقدمات ختم کیے جائیں۔
3۔ جو بری ہو چکے ہیں اُن کو فوراً رہا کیا جائے ۔ (اس شق میں خاص طور پر ملک اسحاق، غلام رسول شاہ وغیرہ کا ذکر کیا گیا)
4۔ تنظیم کے جن ارکان کو “فورتھ شیڈول” کے تحت پابند کیا گیا ہے وہ ختم کیا جائے۔
پنجاب حکومت نے تھوڑے سے ردو بدل کے ساتھ تقریباً تمام مطالبات تسلیم کر لیے، چونکہ تنظیم کی بحالی وفاقی حکومت سے متعلقہ معاملہ تھا اس لئے سپاہ صحابہ سے کہا گیا کہ ہم پرانا نام “سپاہ صحابہ” تو بحال نہیں کر سکتے لیکن نئے نام سے کام کرنے میں کوئی رکاوٹ نہیں ڈالی جائے گی۔ شہباز شریف نے اپنے گذشتہ دور میں ہونے والے زیادتیوں کی تلافی کرنے کا بھی یقین دلوایا، اس معاہدے کے بعد عبدالحمید خالد نے اپنے کاغذات نامزدگی واپس لے لیے۔ یوں شہباز شریف بلا مقابلہ منتخب ہو گیا۔ شہباز شریف کے ساتھ محمد احمد لدھیانوی اور سپاہ صحابہ کے جنرل سیکرٹری اور ہومیوپتھک ڈاکٹر خادم حسین ڈھلوں نے متعدد ملاقاتیں کیں، جو “نتیجہ بخش” ثابت ہوئیں۔ جن سے سپاہ صحابہ اور نون لیگ کے تعلقات پختہ ہوئے۔
پنجاب کے وزیر داخلہ و وزیر قانون رانا ثناء اللہ نے مسلم لیگ نون اور سپاہ صحابہ کے درمیان تعلقات کو مزید فروغ دیا۔ جھنگ کے حلقہ پی پی 82 کے ضمنی الیکشن کی کمپین کے سلسلے میں رانا ثناء اللہ نے 21 فروری 2010ء کو سپاہ صحابہ کے مرکزی دفتر جامع مسجد حق نواز کا دورہ بھی کیا۔ اسی طرح کے مزید واقعات مسلم لیگ ن اور سپاہ صحابہ کے درمیان اعتماد کی فضا کو فروغ دیتے رہے۔ اس سارے عرصے میں سپاہ صحابہ نے نون لیگ کے ساتھ اپنے تعلقات کو بھرپور استعمال کیا۔ پنجاب پولیس کی گھٹیا پراسیکیوشن کی وجہ سے اپنے سینکڑوں کارکنوں کے خلاف مقدمات کو عدالتوں کے ذریعے سے ختم کروایا۔ اپنے ہزاروں کارکنوں کو فورتھ شیڈیول سے نکلوایا۔ مسلم لیگی حامی میڈیا اینکرز کے ذریعے سے اپنے آپ کو سیاسی پاور ثابت کروایا۔
ابھی بات یہی تک محدود نہیں ہے، بلکہ مسلم لیگ کے اندرونی حلقے سپاہ صحابہ کے ساتھ مسلم لیگی اتحاد کی مزید خوفناک خبریں سنا رہے ہیں۔ اطلاعات کے مطابق مسلم لیگ ن اور سپاہ صحابہ کے درمیان کچھ نئے معاہدے ہوئے ہیں۔ مسلم لیگ ق سے تعلق رکھنے والے وفاقی وزیر شیخ وقاص اکرم کو آئندہ الیکشن میں ہرانے کے لئے سپاہ صحابہ اور مسلم لیگ نون اپنے مشترکہ امیدوار “حمزہ شہباز شریف” کو میدان میں لانے والے ہیں۔ مسلم لیگ نون کی جانب سے سپاہ صحابہ کو حلقہ این اے 89 میں امیدوار مولانا محمد احمد لدھیانوی کو دستبردار کروانے کے عوض میں سینٹر بنانے کی پیش کش کی گئی ہے، جو مولانا محمد احمد لدھیانوی نے قبول کر لی ہے۔ اس معاہدے میں طے یہ ہوا ہے کہ مولانا محمد احمد لدھیانوی کو مارچ 2012ء میں ہونے والے سینٹ کے الیکشن میں سینیٹر بنوایا جائے گا جبکہ اس کے عوض 2013ء میں ہونے والے جنرل الیکشن میں حلقہ این اے 89 میں سپاہ صحابہ مسلم لیگ ن کے امیدوار “حمزہ شہباز شریف” کی حمایت کرئے گی۔ سپاہ صحابہ پر مسلم لیگ نون کی مہربانیاں جاری ہیں، پنجاب میں سپاہ صحابہ کی کھلے عام فعالیت، لشکر جھنگوی کے سربراہ ملک اسحاق، غلام رسول شاہ سمیت متعدد اہم اور فعال کارکنوں کی رہائی اور اب 2012ء میں سینیٹر محمد احمد لدھیانوی۔ مسلم لیگ نون کی قیادت فرقہ وارانہ سیاست سے پنجاب کو فرقہ وارانہ جنگ میں جھونکنے کا پختہ ارادہ کر چکی ہے۔ اب دیکھنا یہ ہے کہ مسلم لیگ نون اس گندی سیاست سے کیا کھوتی ہے اور کیا پاتی ہے؟؟؟؟

(جاری ہے۔)

Defense analyst or ISI spook.

“The armed forces took a massive pounding because of the May 2 Abbottabad incident, but recent polls conducted by foreign agencies must be painful for the army’s detractors. The people of Pakistan (79 percent) still retain immense faith in them”.

However there is no mention in the article as to who conducted the polls and when. Where was the sample drawn from and what was its size.What is the credibility and operational strength of the results.Just nothing.

Mr.Ikram Sehgal we know you owe a lot to the organization you always try to defend and glamorize, but don’t misjudge your readers.They maybe bloody civilians but not bloody fools.We know very well how popular your past and present masters are and how much faith people have in them.

Ok leaving aside the above I could not find answers to the following questions,if you could very kindly help me please:

1. In October 1999 senator Pervaz Rashid of PML(N)was severely tortured and sodomized in Lahore.

2. On 9 March 2003 Rana Sanaullah of PML(N)was kidnapped and tortured for one night before being thrown back on a road in Lahore with his head mustaches and eyebrows shaven.

3.On the night of Jan the 2nd 2005, Dr.Shazia Khalid from Balochistan was tortured and raped .Later she left Pakistan for good.

4.On Sep 4th 2010, Umer Cheema the journalist was kidnapped and tortured.He was made to make nude poses in front of the camera and smile.After a couple of hours he was thrown on a deserted road with his head , mustaches and eyebrows shaven.

5.On May 29th 2011,Saleem Shahzad, the journalist was kidnapped from Islamabad.Two days later his dead body was found near Sarai Alamgir.Signs of extreme torture were visible on his body.
I can go on and on and on.

But for the moment if you could kindly use your contacts in the most well informed organization of this country and let us know who humiliates,tortures,rapes,sodomizes,kills and then dumps the dead bodies.

Molvis gave fatwas against Anita Ayub for questioning what women will get in Heaven?

I was reading an article the other day in which a female writer explains that how women too are going to get male virgins in heaven. While I found the article interesting and entertaining, it reminded me of Anita Ayub. Anita Ayub was a model and an actress in Pakistan in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. She also worked in an Indian movie called ‘ Pyar Ka Tarana’. Legend has it that she fell in love with a Sikh, married him, and moved to India. I don’t know if there is any truth to this news or not. Anita was a beautiful, smart, and intelligent model with serious lack of talent. She said things those days that most Pakistani women were not allowed to say. She did things those days that most Pakistani women were not allowed to do.

She got quite a few Fatwas (religious condemnation to be killed) against her. It has been a hobby of our mullas to give Fatwas for centuries.  But things were not this bad in the 1990’s. I call those days “good old days of Fatwas”. When moulvi hazarat gave a Fatwa those days, few fanatics sent you death threats, you apologized, they forgave you. Everyone moved on and nobody got hurt.

Who knew that one day the Zia-ul-Haq era would be considered a relatively peaceful era!

Years ago when I was just a child, I heard that Anita Ayub had asked a very bad question, “If men are going to get hoors (virgins) in heaven, what are women going to get?”

I remember my mom commenting on Anita’s morality and mentality in a not so complementing manner.  My teenage mind was confused. The question did not seem that unreasonable to me. Risking judgment on my own morality and mentality, I asked my mom if  there was an answer to Anita’s question. My mom said very understandably that in heaven women would become hoors themselves. Asking any further questions meant asking for God’s wrath. This is where we are stopped. When you do not understand it, asking any further questions is a sin.

So, moulvis of Pakistan issued a Fatwa against her. Next week, Anita’s apology was published with the explanation that this is not what she meant. How could she possibly question the divine laws? The matter indeed ended.  Mullas put her episode of temporary insanity (or logical thinking) behind. So this is what I call good old days of Fatwas.  When you spoke your curious mind, few good moulvis actually tried to explain things politely, few gave Fatwa, you apologized, and you got to live.

Mercy no more my friends! Forgiveness no more. Asia Bibi has apologized a million times. Salmaan Taseer gave explanation after explanation that he did not mean to defend a blasphemer, but a weak and poor woman. They did not listen. They’re blood thirsty now. Now those good old days of Fatwas are over.

Rana Sanaullah has incited murder against Salmaan Taseer, now he is after Babar Awan

So, all you have to do these days in Pakistan is point at someone and yell, “Wajibul qatal!” and you seal their fate. Someone somewhere is going to find that person and going to kill that person for you.  In a situation like that, when a very corrupt person himself, Rana Sanaullah calls another opponent, Babar Awan openly “Wajbul qatal!”, it is easy to tell what’s going on.
Those good old days when our politicians hired people to get each other killed are over too. Now they just have to mark the target by calling him/her “wajibul qatal”, and some lunatic would hear the word and go shoot their political rival.

What things have come down to!
Not only our cheap politicians save money by not paying taxes, they also want to save a buck or two on a nice and well done murder!
Where are you going to take all that money Sanaullah? To your grave?
Why don’t you pay someone to get Babar Awan killed? You cheap b*****d!

فلم اور نیوز چینلز کے اس عجیب وغریب امتزاج نے دماغ پر جو اثر چھوڑا ہماری حالت یہ ہوئی کہ ھم رات کو عجیب طرح کے خواب دیکھتے رہے۔ اور فلم کےکرداروں کو پاکستان کے سیاسی تھیٹر کے مختلف چہروں سے خلط ملط کرتے رہے۔ ریمنڈ ڈیوس ایپی سوڈ پلس شعلے کے مکس اپ سے جو چیز ذہن میں ابھری وہ کچھ یوں تھے

شعلے کی سپر ہٹ جوڑی دھرمیندرا اور امیت جی کے مقابل مجھے پاکستان کی کوئی سیاسی جوڑی جچتی نظر نہیں آرہی تھی البتہ پاکستان کی ناگزیر اور لاجواب عسکری جوڑی جناب کیانی صاحب اور پاشا صاحب بڑے فٹ نظر آئے، سنجیو کماریعنی ٹھاکر کے کردارمیں اپنے بے دست وپا سیاسی حکمران نظر آئے، ہم تھوڑی کنفیوز تھے پر ہم نے چوہدری نثار کے اتّباع میں صدر زرداری کو چن لیا کہ ان کی خارجہ پالیسی اور خزانہ کے دونوں ہاتھ سلامت نہیں اور لاجواب جوڑی ان کے دست وپا بنے ہوئے ہیں

درج بالا اسکرپٹ کے تحت تو یہ وشال بھردواج کی “سات خون معاف” ٹائپ کی کوئی ڈارک کامیڈی نظر آتی ہے اس لئے پاکستانیت کےزیر اثراور ہٹ فلم کی فارمولا اسکرپٹ کے مطابق اس میں اینٹی امیرکن ازم کا تڑکا بہت ضروری تھا اس لئے امجد خان کا لارجر دین لائف گبر سنگھ کا رول امریکی سفیر کو دے دیا تھا فرق صرف یہ تھا کہ وکی لیکس کے زیر اثر ہماری لاجواب جوڑی کے ساتھ این ڈبلیو پیٹرسن گبر کے رول میں زیادہ سوٹ کررہی تھیں

اس ایبزرڈ قسم کے پولٹیکل ڈریم میں اسی رات کی ایک شیعہ وہابی دوست سے طویل ٹیلیفونک گفتگو کا بھی حصّہ تھا جو ایران کی محمود نژادی رجیم کے درون خانہ لرزتے اور بیرون خانہ گرجتے انقلاب کی تضحیک پر  بار بار جوش جذبات میں مجھے غیر پارلیمانی خطابات سےنواز رہا تھا

راقم الحروف کا واسطہ بارہااپنے ہم عمرذوالفقار علی بھٹو کے چند ایسے پرستاراحباب سے ہوتا رہتاہے جو بھٹو سے عقیدت کی حد تک لگاوَ رکھتے ہیں لیکن ان کے ساتھ مسئلہ یہ ہے کہ یہ حضرات بھٹو صاحب سے فار آل دی رانگ ریزنز محبّت کرتے ہیں۔ جیسے کہ وہ بھٹو صاحب کو روح اللہ خمینی، شاہ فیصل، قذافی، جمال ناصر کا ہم پلّہ بلکہ کچھ اسی طرح کا لیڈر سمجھتے ہیں، اور بھٹو صاحب کو بہت بڑے اینٹی امیرکن لیڈر سمجھتے ہیں، لیکن وہ سہولت سے یہ بات فراموش کر جاتے ہیں کہ بھٹو صاحب جب حیات تھے تو پی پی پی کی سینٹرل ایگزیکٹیو کمیٹی نے ایران میں شاہ ایران کے خلاف برپا ہونے والی تحریک اور انقلاب (جو بعد میں چوری ہوگیا) کی مخالفت کی تھی، بھٹو صاحب آفٹر آل ایک سیاستدان تھے انقلابی نہیں، اور کوئی بھی عملیت پسند سیاست دان پاکستان میں اینٹی امیرکن ازم کو ایک سیاسی نعرے سے بڑھ کر استعمال کرنا افورڈ نہیں کرسکتا، اسی وجہ سے پاکستان میں اس طرح کے سیاسی نعرے وہی لگا سکتے ہیں جن کے پاس سیاسی میدان میں ہارنے کے لئے کچھ بھی نہ ہو

اب ریمنڈ صاحب کو ہی لے لیجیئے اس کی گرفتاری کے بعد سے لے کر اس کی ڈرامائی رہائی تک کتنے بزرجمہر آنکھوں میں طرح طرح کے سپنے سجا کے سامنے آئے، آن کی آن میں آتش نمرود میں کئی عشاق کود پڑے ، لیکن ایک پٹھان دوست کے مطابق ان کا کوئی فوک شاعر اپنے محبوب سے کہتا ہے

تیرے عشق کے دریا میں کودپڑا تھا میں
جب ٹھنڈ لگی توپھر باہر نکل آیا

محمد حنیف کے مطابق جس سول سوسا ئٹی میں روئیداد خان جیسے لوگ ہوں وہ سول سوسائٹی بذات خود ایک سازش ہے

اسی طرح جس اینٹی امیرکن ازم میں آپ کو حمید گل کے ساتھ کھڑا ہونا پڑے وہ بذات خود ایک مزاق ہے. اور غیض وغضب کےایسے مظاہرے، جلتے ہوئے لوکل میڈ امریکی جھنڈے، مولویوں اور جماعتیوں کی شعلہ برساتی، آگ اگلتی زبانیں امریکیوں کے ساتھ سودے بازے میں مشغول جرنیلوں کی بارگیننگ پاور تو بڑھا سکتے ہیں کوئی انقلاب نہیں لاسکتے

اب حمید گلوں، جاوید چوہدریوں،مہر بخاریوں،طلعت حسینوں، حامد میروں کو تو یہ سب کرنے کے پیسے ملتے ہیں ہمیں کیا ملے گا بھائی۔ ۔ ۔ ۔ ۔

"Mayn kehray paasay jaawan..." Source: Daily Times, February 5, 2011

In a surprising turn of events, the PPP in Punjab have handed over a list of 19 points to be implemented by the PML-N led government in Punjab. It seemed till now that the PPP was only ever going to receive agendas to implement and that the right winged, PML-N and establishment paid media would only raise the matter to put pressure on the sitting government.

PPP’s Senior Minister in the Punjab Government have given a laundry list to the PML-N. It may be noted that the 10-point agenda given by the the PML-N to the PPP led federal government is currently being delibrated upon with various meetings taking place. ON the other hand, the mouth of Faisalabad, Rana Sanaullah has already rapped the 19-point agenda

May we suggest humbly, that the points given by the PPP are very much implementable and under 100% control of the PML-N government. These are not related to “finishing ghurbat” or “ending corruption”, instead these are very much possible. But the question is, would it take these steps? More so, would the right wing media exert pressure on the PML-N! We doubt it.

The list of 19 points are as follows:

1. Termination of corrupt provincial ministers whose departments had been reshuffled in the past;
2. Empowerment of ministers and holding of monthly review meetings to evaluate performance of departments;
3. Periodic Cabinet meetings as required under the Constitution of once a month;
4. The formula for allocation of funds as agreed between the two parties be implemented in letter and in spirit;
5. Process of appointments in Zakat and Market Committees be made transparent and people with impeccable integrity be appointed to fill the slots;
6. Reasons behind failure of sasti roti scheme and food stamp scheme be made public and looted money be brought back from responsible persons;
7. Immediate steps should be taken to tackle ongoing financial crisis in the province and action should be taken against those responsible for the financial mess;
8. The process of all ongoing and future development projects be made transparent by taking the Cabinet into confidence;
9. All corrupt and inefficient officers in Punjab be identified and punished besides observing the principle of merit and seniority in postings and transfers of officers;
10. Certain actions taken to benefit certain persons during the floods be identified and action should be taken;
11. Effective measures should be taken to check growing incidents of ransom for kidnapping, dacoities and thefts besides formulating a comprehensive strategy to prevent these crimes in future;
12. All political appointments made in autonomous institutions be undone and rules be followed in this regard;
13. All task forces be dissolved and their funds be spent on public welfare;
14. The trend of changing political loyalties in Punjab must be discouraged by implementing CoD;
15. Toeing the footsteps of Federal government, all women legislators in Punjab be allowed to identify development schemes;
16. Local Bodies elections should be held immediately so that benefits of local governments could reach the people;
17. Essential commodities be made available for the poor by evolving an effective price control mechanism;
18. All DCOs should be asked to ensure minimum wages amounting to Rs 7000 to the labourers and
19. Provincial Ministers should be allotted 10-marla houses as official residence and the remaining amount be spent on the welfare of class-VI employees.

19-point agenda for PML-N: A taste of its own medicine

LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Thursday came up with its own set of proposals for the Punjab government to counter PML-N’s 10-point agenda that the latter had handed to the federal government with a 45-day deadline. In effect, the junior partner in the Punjab government let the PML-N have a taste of its own medicine.

Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed told a press conference that the provincial parliamentary party of PPP had sent a 19-point agenda to the chief of PML-N Mian Nawaz Sharif for improving the performance of the Punjab government.

The PPP has asked Sharif to remove corrupt provincial ministers whose portfolios were changed in the recent past over corruption and negligence charges.

The party has also demanded holding of local government elections as early as possible and action against officials responsible for failure of Sasti Roti and food stamp schemes.

All contractual appointments made on the basis of political affiliations of retired officers should be terminated immediately.

The party’s agenda document also notes ruefully that the performance of provincial departments was zero. It demands that the provincial ministers should be fully empowered to run the given departments independently. The chief minister should hold monthly cabinet meetings which is mandatory under the law.

Development funds should be distributed among the coalition partners according to the agreed formula and appointments of Zakat and Market committee members should be made on merit and in a transparent manner. A strong strategy should be outlined to overcome the financial crisis faced by the government.

Action should be initiated against officials with bad reputation and future postings should be made on merit and seniority basis, Punjab’s senior minister said.

It was observed that a lobby benefited from the relief and rehabilitation operation launched in the flood-stricken areas. It should be held accountable over misuse of funds.

It was pointed out in the PPP agenda that the crime rate had jumped in the province. The government should take practical steps to curb criminal activities in the best interest of the public, it said.

It was further demanded that all task forces should be abolished immediately and the government should discourage turncoats to strengthen political culture in the province.

Development funds on the pattern of federal government should be provided to female legislators and prices of edibles should be strictly monitored. The minimum wages should be fixed at Rs7,000 per month.

Raja said the PPP Punjab chapter had not set a deadline but if these demands were not considered, “then we could explore all options, including approaching the people”.

He said PPP was a coalition partner of the Punjab government but Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif “did not take the issues pointed out by our ministers seriously”.

He said now PPP was demanding that Nawaz intervene in the affairs of the Punjab government for the best interest of the public.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2011.

PPP gives 19-point agenda to Punjab

Source: OUR STAFF REPORTER Submitted 1 day 15 hrs ago LAHORE – The PPP’s Parliamentary party in Punjab Assembly has written a letter to PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif asking him to provide guidance and leadership to Punjab government for implementation of its 19-point agenda to ensure good governance in the province.

The contents of the letter were made public at a news conference addressed by Punjab Senior Minister, Raja Riaz alongwith other PPP Ministers at his residence on Thursday. Ashraf Sohna, Farooq Yousuf Ghurki and Dr Tanvirul Islam accompanied him. Raja Riaz told reporters that following a dismal response from Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to address peoples’ problems, his party had decided to seek PML-N Quaid’s help by identifying 19 major problems faced by the people in Punjab.

He complained that despite sincere cooperation from PPP side, Shahbaz Sharif had failed to resolve peoples’ problems, who, he believed, were unhappy with the Punjab government.

‘In view of growing price hike, deteriorating law and order situation, increased number of dacoities and thefts and other numerous issues, it has become essential that Nawaz Sharif should provide guidance and leadership to Punjab govt’, he said.

‘I am attaching some suggestions in the form of 19-points and as you expect implementation of certain things from Federal government for welfare of the people, I hope you will play your due role in Punjab as well’, reads an extract from Raja Riaz’s letter written to Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Raja said PPP had given no deadline for implementation of its 19-points because his party had no personal or political motives behind the underlined problems.

The 19-points as highlighted by PPP include:1-Termination of corrupt provincial ministers whose departments had been reshuffled in the past; 2-Empowerment of ministers and holding of monthly review meetings to evaluate performance of departments;3-Periodic Cabinet meetings as required under the Constitution; 4-The formula for allocation of funds as agreed between the two parties be implemented in letter and in spirit; 5-Process of appointments in Zakat and Market Committees be made transparent and people with impeccable integrity be appointed to fill the slots; 6-Reasons behind failure of sasti roti scheme and food stamp scheme be made public and looted money be brought back from responsible persons; 7-Immediate steps should be taken to tackle ongoing financial crisis in the province and action should be taken against those responsible for the financial mess; 8-The process of all ongoing and future development projects be made transparent by taking the Cabinet into confidence; 9-All corrupt and inefficient officers in Punjab be identified and punished besides observing the principle of merit and seniority in postings and transfers of officers; 10-Certain actions taken to benefit certain persons during the floods be identified and action should be taken; 11-Effective measures should be taken to check growing incidents of ransom for kidnapping, dacoities and thefts besides formulating a comprehensive strategy to prevent these crimes in future; 12-All political appointments made in autonomous institutions be undone and rules be followed in this regard; 13-All task forces be dissolved and their funds be spent on public welfare; 14-The trend of changing political loyalties in Punjab must be discouraged by implementing CoD;15-Toeing the footsteps of Federal government, all women legislators in Punjab be allowed to identify development schemes; 16-Local Bodies elections should be held immediately so that benefits of local governments could reach the people; 17-Essential commodities be made available for the poor by evolving an effective price control mechanism; 18-All DCOs should be asked to ensure minimum wages amounting to Rs 7000 to the labourers and 19-Provincial Ministers should be allotted 10-marla houses as official residence and the remaining amount be spent on the welfare of class-VI employees.

Raja Riaz has said that Abdul Qadir Gilani, son of PM Gilani, has resigned from the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee-II of Punjab Assembly due to personal reasons. He said that Maj. (R) Zulfiqar will be the new chairman of the said committee in place of Abdul Qadir.

In the Punjab Assembly session of January 19, some MPA’s lashed out at Chaudhry Nisar for wielding undue powers over the appointments and transfer/posting of patwaris in Rawalpindi district. Rawalpindi, as you know, has valuable land in it, which has been commercialized at a very fast pace in the last 2 decades.  One can imagine why patwari plays an important role in the scheme of things. Rawalpindi district also has the tehseels of Taxila, Murree and Gujjar Khan in it where a lot of real estate activity has taken place. Off course, it’s not Krupshion. According to Rana Sanaullah:

“It is the right of elected representatives to monitor the performance of officials appreciate the competent and hardworking and get the irresponsible transferred,” and also blamed the previous regime for destroying every department.

Mr. Bean isn’t as innocent as he may seem.

Nisar comes under fire over reshuffle of patwaris, Sana leaps to his defence

Dawn, January 20, 2011

LAHORE, Jan 19: Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s comments in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday first prompted the women legislators elected on reserved seats to boycott the session and then he defended his party’s opposition leader in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, for his alleged role in transfer and posting of patwaris in Rawalpindi division.

PPP’s Saghira Islam on a point of order said the women MPAs had not been given development funds for the last three years.

She said whenever the issue was raised the women legislators were asked to submit the proposed development schemes. “When we submit them we are told that the funds have lapsed.” Ms Islam said the law minister made “false” promises in this respect. She was backed by her party and PML-Q women.The house was echoed with the slogans calling for funds.

Sanaullah said he never made a “false promise”. The law minister asked the women legislators to tell the house about their constituencies (taunting them for being elected on reserved seats). He went on saying that they should better consider the whole province their constituencies and present the proposals for development schemes. As a result the women MPAs got angry and boycotted the session. They pro tested outside the assembly building and chanted slogans against the law minister.

Speaker Rana Iqbal asked minister Neelam Jabbar of the PPP to bring the protesting legislators back and also formed a five-member committee (headed by Ms. Jabbar) to look into the matter.

The law minister also offered the women legislators to arrange their meeting with the chief minister over the issue but they refused. The PML-Q women legislators became disappointed when Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said the function of MPAs was legislation and development work was the job of the local government. But Mr. Zaheeruddin also contradicted at the same time that funds should be given to the women legislators.

During Question Hour, the law minister fully defended Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan when opposition members talked of his involvement in postings and transfers of patwaris in Rawalpindi division, the constituency of Mr. Khan.

In reply to a question, Revenue Minister Haji Muhammad Ishaq (PPP) admitted that “powerful” MNAs and MPAs were involved in the posting and transfer of revenue officials in Rawalpindi. He said 75 patwaris were performing duties against 106 approved posts. “Some 12 patwaris are having additional charge of extra constituencies,” he said, conceding that the parliamentarians in Rawalpindi were “very powerful” and they took important administrative decisions.

Mr. Ishaq said now after the ruling of the Supreme Court the deputy district officers (revenue) were authorised in posting and transfers of patwaris.

PML-Q’s Dr Samia Amjad took exception to the matter and said every one knew “no administrative decision is taken in Rawalpindi without the approval of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan”. She was backed by Ghulam Shabbir Awan saying that he hailed from Rawalpindi and knew that every important decision was taken by Chaudhry Nisar.

Seemingly angry over their comments Rana Sanaullah said: “It is the right of elected representatives to monitor the performance of officials appreciate the competent and hardworking and get the irresponsible transferred,” he said and also blamed the previous regime for destroying every department. On a point of order PML-Q’s Mohsin Leghari said under the law the federal and provincial finance ministers should monitor the implementation of the NFC Award bi-annually and submit their reports to both the houses. He pointed out that the NFC Award report could not be submitted to the Punjab Assembly and the chair should take note of it.