Adil Najam
This was another bad week for Pakistanis. Our closest international ally continued bombing our territory. The self-style custodians of our morality kept up the indiscriminate killing of our citizen. One of our most popular television show anchors incited murder in the name of religion through television.
Once again, this was a week when Pakistanis died. Pakistanis cried.
The political machinations in the country continue to be a distraction that is keeping many, too many, glued to the soap opera quality twists and turns in the story of Pakistan’s tortured democratic experiment. But the real story in the country remains what it has for the last two years: a divided society which is at war. Niether the self-styled custodians of our internal identity nor our self-styled freinds abroad seem to be helping. Indeed, they keep making things worse for Pakistanis everywhere.
Meanwhile, Pakistanis continue to die. Pakistan continues to cry.
Whether it is pre-US-election posturing or a deeper shift in US policy, it is clear that the American forces have increased their military incursions into Pakistani territory. Beyond the fact that this is clearly a violation of the sovereign territory of a country they claim to be their ‘closest all,’ one cannot even imagine what the strategic logic of these incursions could possibly be since each incursion only strengthens the hand of the extremist elements that are supposedly after, angers Pakistani public opinion, and pushes the Pakistan goevrnment into a tighter corner. There is no real evidence that they have hit any important militant target but innocent Pakistanis, including children, women and even Pakistani soldiers have certainly been killed; 15 killed this Wednesday; 12 more on Friday.
Meanwhile. Pakistanis continue to die. Pakistan continues to cry.
Meanwhile, the merchants of murder and mayhem thrive even more in this condition and continue their war against Pakistan. Indeed, they seem now to be targetting the places of worship themselves. Only today an alleged suicide bomber was caught in Islamabad. On Thursday, 25 died in a grenade attack at a mosque in the Banai area of Dir during taraweeh prayers. Last Saturday, even as Asif Ali Zardari was being elected President, 31 people were killed and another 81 others injured as a suicide bomber blew himself and his vehicle up at the Zangali police post at Kohat Road, Peshawar.
Meanwhile. Pakistanis continue to die. Pakistan continues to cry.
And those who one might have wanted to bring calm and lessons of peace, are themselves engrossed in preaching hate, and in this case murder, to mass audiences. On September 7, Aamir Liaquat Hussain – GEO TV’s popular religious talk-show anchor, former MQM Minister, a holder of multiple fake degrees, and religious instigator extraordinaire – in his GEO TV Show Alim Online presided over a long discussion instigating that those holding Ahmadiyya beliefs were ‘wajib ul qatl’ (i.e., liable to death). The next day, Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi – a 46 year-old Ahmadi in Mirpurkhas and a US-trained cardiologist who had retruned to work in his community – was murdered in broad daylight while working at his local hospital. The next day, Seth Muhammad Yousuf of Nawabshah was also murdered brutally. Whether there is a direct link between the two or not, the preaching of hatred and the practice of hatred both thrive in our land of the pure.
Meanwhile. Pakistanis continue to die. Pakistan continues to cry.
One sits here, shaken by sadness at this waste of human life, and wonders: at how many hands and for how many reasons should Pakistanis die? How long must Pakistan cry?
Mr. Ibrahim, so if a non-Muslim cannot preach in a Muslim country, then logically I assume that you would want Muslims not to preach in non-Muslim countries (for you to claim otherwise would be your arguing that Islam is hypocritical, and I certainly do not think it is, even if you might believe that).
By the way, do you ever ‘preach’ to non-Muslims living in a non-Muslim country? Shouldn’t they be killing you for that?
AbuMaleeha, you are completely right, no doubt! I don’t like this fake scholar Amir Liaquat either, but he spoke the truth in this case. Yes, the suggestion is not about those who are born as Qadiyanis, but they aren’t allowed to preach their ideology in a Muslim country. Just as people are asking for the removal for Amir Liaquat because he overstep the bounds of freedom of speech, in their minds, then same people should also accept Islam’s rule of restricting others from preaching their ideologies in a Muslim country. This only goes to show that there is no such thing as freedom of speech….speech is always limited; the limit differs from region to region and religion to religion.
Mian sahib, selective memory doesn’t help in such discussions. Those who left Islam during the time of Rasoolullah (saw) used to run away from Medinah and go back to their (non-Muslim) tribes. I will leave it to your intelligence to figure out why they would leave Medinah. As for the munafiqoon of Medinah, please go over your argument to see if it makes sense. It’s very stupid. Since they were munafiqoon, i.e. they didn’t actually accept Islam, would it be relevant in this discussion about punishment for murtaddeen (apostates)?
If you’re talking about the munafiqoon for their blasphemy, then know that sahabah wanted to do away with the munafiqoon, for playing with the religion/Muslim (not because they were apostates), but out of maslahat Rasoolullah (saw) didn’t allow them; not that he disagreed with them. Please read some history and then talk. Please, we beg of you!
Additionally, don’t mix up the timeline. When the Prophet was being abused and trash was being thrown at him, this was pre-hijrah; when Musilm were few and far between. And, a Muslim society had not been formed, which was eventually established in Medinah. I challenge you to bring one event where the Prophet or any aspect of this religion was mocked after hijrah and that person stayed in Medinah and escaped punishment.
What you say about Abu Bakr, Mian, is a lie; a complete lie. Not only did he consider those who didn’t pay zakat kuffar, he considered all those fake prophets and their supporters kuffar. It’s a very well known event in Muslim history as to how Abu Bakr dealt with the fitnah of ridda (apostosy) after Rasoolullah (saw)’s death. You either don’t know what you are talking about or you lied through your teeth.
May Allah humiliate the liars!
Very lively indeed! This is the motto of Geo, the infamous TV network of Pakistan. This 4 word phrase serves as an emblem of tolerance, peace and harmony. I have always commended this motto, especially since Pakistani society has developed into one of the most intolerant societies of the world. I thought that this breath of fresh air in the form of Geo and other channels would revitalize the weary souls of Pakistan. I had thought that the days of monotonous Pakistan Television are over; we will now see the world from a different angle by taking off the specs of prejudice and hatred. I had so many hopes on Geo being the pioneer of free media in Pakistan.
And then alim online with his hateful approach and instant killing of two Ahmadis woke me up.
Is this what “Geo aur Jeenay Do” means? Is that what “Live and let live” stands for?
If that’s what freedom of the media is then I must admit that we were better off before Geo. If Geo TV actually believes in the concept of “live and let live”, they will not only replace the host of Alim online for his hateful remarks against a peaceful and law-abiding community of Pakistan but also condemn the killing of two innocent Ahmadis.
Amir Liaquat is a nut case and should be, nah, cant wish for anyone to die…but he is responsible….hated him from day one, the way he smiles….sheesh!
Now then, whats the fault of a person born into a Ahmadi family, of which he had no control over? Is he somehow supposed to become sunni?
He isnt an apostate so why be killed for it, he was born in to it. If they doesnt preach their views or proselytize leave them alone. Should have killed the guy who started it all and his cronies…but second and third generation….no way.
Preach to thim and pray for them and show them the books that Ghulam Ahmed wrote. Prophecies in punjabi and english..grammatical errors. First a mahdi, then Maseeh then a Prophet….the guy wasnt stable…
A news report claimed that Ashfaq Kiyani had asked for minds to defend the country. Good first step, IMHO. Another report claimed that a drone vanished after the flight of a Pakistani Mirage jet. Seems like someone’s mind began working. This is an excellent way to deter these strikes. Several steps seem to be in order, in order of severity of circumstances:
1. Initially, it might take simply chasing off the drones and keeping a presence in the Pakistani skies.
2. Then it might entail threatening withdrawal of logistical support for America’s war of terror against the third world, or actually doing so with or without declaring it. (the drone attacks aren’t declared US actions).
3. Then expel diplomats from the offending country from Pakistan and recall Haqqani (you’ve got to give this to Prez. Chavez, who did just that in support of Prez. Morales – he’s a man of action, not just words).
4. A la # 3, strengthen alliances with nearby countries, to deny the US the option of using their territory to launch ground operations against Pakistan. (Prez Zardari might be 10%, but his goodwill gestures toward Prez Karzai are welcome moves). Need closer ties with Iran, Iraq (oil), India (security) and China (new technology).
5. Later it might require downing of a few intruding drones (no lives threatened there).
6. Missile capabilities must quickly be enhanced to engulf the Diego Garcia base, and, of course those in Afghanistan and Iraq, and possibly Tel Aviv (deterrence).
7. Meanwhile acquire better anti-aircraft defense equipment from China or Russia (will likely be needed soon if the situation worsens and McCain wins). Russian technology might be inferior, but one F117A stealth fighter was downed by Serbians, a feat, IMHO.
8. Proxy
America doesn’t seem to be the sakka of anyone, no matter how much they call one an ally. So to think that all these drone flights are simply to locate the Taliban may be an oversimplification. They may also be chalking out plans/gathering intelligence about the terrain for a full-fledged attack on Pakistan to take out Kahuta and other key sites. They are venturing deeper and deeper and are maintaining a longer and longer presence in Pakistan. The US might not attack Pakistan itself, but I don’t think any of you reading would believe that the intelligence being gathered by drones will not be shared with Israel (two birds in each flight). To think that Israel doesn’t think a lot about Pakistan’s declaration of nuclear capability is foolhardy.
Bottomline is that America is taking serious Panga with Pakistan and it’s up to Pakistan to tread with caution on the one hand to avoid full-blown conflict, but to be prepared for the worst if worst comes to worst. Or remain blissfully ignorant.