امریکہ میں افغان جائزہ کمیشن کا قیام

روزنامہ آج۔ 2022-01-20
امریکہ میں افغان جائزہ کمیشن کا قیام
طاہر علی خان

امریکی کانگریس نے افغانستان میں امریکہ کی ناکامی اور طالبان کی فتح کے اسباب کا تجزیہ کرنے اور مستقبل میں ایسی ناکامیوں سے بچنے کی حکمت عملی مرتب کرنے کےلیے ایک تحقیقاتی کمیشن قائم کردیا ہے جس میں دونوں بڑی امریکی جماعتوں کے سولہ سولہ نمائندے ہوں گے اور یہ ایک سال بعد ابتدائی رپورٹ جبکہ تین سال میں حتمی رپورٹ پیش کرے گا۔

یہ کمیشن 2001 میں افغانستان جنگ شروع کرنے کی وجوہات اور اس جنگ سے پہلے افغانستان سے متعلق امریکی پالیسیوں کا بھی جائزہ لے گا۔

اس کمیشن کی بنیاد بننے والے نیشنل ڈیفنس اتھارائزیشن ایکٹ میں کہا گیا ہے، “کمیشن افغانستان میں جنگ کا جامع جائزہ لے گا اور مستقبل کی کارروائیو ں کے لیے حکمت عملی اور اسٹریٹیجک طریقہ کار کی سفارشات پیش کرے گا، جن میں فوجیوں میں اضافے و کمی اور مقررہ ڈیڈ لائن کی وجہ سے پڑنے والے اثرات بھی شامل ہیں۔”

اس قانون میں امریکی انتظامیہ کو کہا گیا ہے کہ وہ چین کے مقابلے میں تائیوان کی غیر متناسب دفاعی صلاحیتوں کوبہتر بنائے اور امریکی دفاعی اخراجات بھی گزشتہ سال سے 28 ارب ڈالر بڑھا دیئے گئے ہیں۔

اس کمیشن کے نکات کار میں مستقبل کی فوجی کارروائیوں کےلیے حکمت عملی اور تزویراتی طریقہ کار کی سفارشات کے الفاظ سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ امریکہ نے افغانستان میں اپنی ناکامی سے کوئ سبق نہیں سیکھا اور یہ آئندہ بھی دوسرے ممالک میں مداخلت کرتا رہے گا۔

افغانستان کی تعمیر نو کے لیے اسپیشل انسپکٹر جنرل کے دفتر SIGAR سیگار، جسے کانگریس نے 2008 میں افغان جنگ میں پیسوں کے ضیاع اور دھوکہ دہی کی تحقیقات کے لیے بنایا تھا، نے 2014 میں اپنے ڈائریکٹر جنرل جان سوپکو کی ہدایت پر “lesson learned سبق جو سیکھے گئے” کے عنوان سے افغان حکام، امریکی اور اتحادی اہلکاروں، سفارت کاروں اور امدادی کارکنوں سمیت تقریباً چھ سو افراد کے انٹرویوز کے بعد ایک رپورٹ تیار کی تھی جس کا مقصد افغانستان میں پالیسی ناکامیوں کا پتا لگانا تھا تاکہ اگلی بار جب امریکہ کسی ملک پر حملہ کرے یا منتشر ملک کے تعمیرنوکی کوشش کرے تو وہ ایسی غلطیاں نہ دہرائے۔

سیگار 2016 سے اب تک افغانستان کے مسائل اور ان کے حل پر سات رپورٹیں تیار کر چکا ہے۔

مشہور امریکی اخبار واشنگٹن پوسٹ نے کچھ عرصہ قبل سیگار کے دو ہزار صفحات پر مشتمل ان افغانستان پیپرز کے نقول تین سال کی قانونی جدوجہد کے بعد حاصل اور شائع کیے تھے جن میں افغانستان میں امریکی ناکامی کی وجوہات بیان کی گئ ہیں۔

ان تحقیقاتی رپورٹوں کی موجودگی میں مزید تحقیقات کی کیا ضرورت ہو سکتی ہے، وہ ہم سمجھنے سے قاصر ہیں۔

امریکہ چار صدور کی نگرانی میں افغانستان میں بیس برس گزارنے، تقریباً آٹھ لاکھ فوجی یہاں لگانے، ٹریلین ڈالرز خرچ کرنے، چوبیس سو امریکی فوجیوں کو مروانے اور بیس ہزار کو زخمی کروانے، چھیاسٹھ ہزار افغان سپاہیوں کو کھونے، پچاس ہزار افغانوں کو مارنے، اپنے اکیاون اتحادیوں کو جنگ میں شریک کرنے اور ان کے بارہ سو سپاہی ہلاک کروانے، ساڑھے چار سو انسانی حقوق کارکنوں اور پچھتر صحافیوں کو اپنی انا کی بھینٹ چڑھانے، پچیس لاکھ افغانوں کو ملک چھوڑنے پر مجبور کرنے اور تقریباً پینتیس لاکھ کو اندرون ملک بے گھر کرنے کے بعد بھی طالبان کو شکست نہیں دے سکا جنہوں نے محض دس دن میں افغانستان بھر پر قبضہ کرلیا۔

ماہرین کے مطابق افغانستان میں امریکی ناکامی کی بڑی وجوہات میں امریکی رہنماؤں کی حد سے زیادہ خود اعتمادی، متلون مزاجی، غلط ترجیحات، حقائق سے ناواقفیت یا چشم پوشی شامل ہیں۔

اگر امریکہ پہلے افغانستان کی خودمختاری اور عوام کی حق حکومت سازی کا احترام کرتا اور حملے سے اجتناب کرتا، یا پھر افغانستان پر حملے کے بعد اسے غلطی مانتا، طالبان اور دیگر جنگجو گروہوں کے ساتھ آزاد ماحول میں مذاکرات کرتا، بین الافغان تصفیہ کےلیے کوشش کرتا، افغانستان کے پڑوسیوں اور مقامی و بین الاقوامی طاقتوں کو افغان مسئلے کے حل کےلیے ساتھ لیتا، افغانستان کی بحالی و تعمیر نو کےلیے زیادہ وسائل مختص کرتا اور وہاں بدعنوانی اور طاقت کے استعمال پر جواب دہی کا بندوبست کرتا تو افغانستان تباہی سے اور امریکہ شکست وبدنامی سے بچ پاتا مگر امریکی رہنماؤں نے امریکی عوام کو گمراہ کیا اور ناکامی کے اسباب جان بوجھ کر نظرانداز کیے۔ نتیجہ یہ ہوا کہ امریکہ صومالیہ، ویتنام اور عراق میں تو ناکام ہوا ہی تھا اب افغانستان میں بھی ناکام ہوگیا۔

امریکہ کے بقول وہ افغانستان طالبان حکومت اور دہشت گردی ختم کرنے، جمہوریت قائم کرنے، منشیات کی پیداوار ختم کرنے اور عورتوں کو آزادی دینے کےلیے آیا تھا لیکن افغانستان پر طالبان کا قبضہ ہو چکا ہے اور وہ اپنے تزویراتی اہمیت کے ساتھ روس اور چین کے ہاتھوں میں جاچکا ہے۔ کابل کے تیز زوال نے 1975 میں ویت نام میں سیگون کے ذلت آمیز امریکی زوال کی یاد تازہ کردی۔ بدقسمتی یہ ہے کہ امریکہ شکست قبول کرنے اور اپنی غلطیاں ماننے کےلیے آمادہ نہیں تو ایسے میں وہ اس ناکامی سے کیا سبق حاصل کرے گا۔

جارح کی مزاحمت اور اپنے وقار، مذہب اور وطن کا دفاع افغانیوں کی سرشت میں شامل ہے مگر امریکہ نے بیرونی حملہ آوروں کے خلاف افغان عوام کی مزاحمت کی تاریخ نظر انداز کی اور ناحق چرھائ کردی۔ ان کا خیال تھا طالبان کو شکست دینا اور ایک متبادل مرکزی حکومت قائم کرنا ممکن ہے مگر یہ ممکن ہی نہیں تھا۔

افغانستان پر حملہ کرنے کی ضرورت ہی نہیں تھی۔ بات چیت سے القاعدہ کا مسئلہ حل کیا جانا ممکن تھا مگر طاقت کے زعم میں افغانستان پر چرھائ کردی گئی۔ طالبان روپوش ہوگئے۔

ان کی حکومت کے خاتمے دو سال بعد امریکی سنٹرل کمانڈ نے انہیں” ختم شدہ طاقت” قرار دیا۔ رمز فیلڈ نے 2003 کے اوائل میں اعلان کیا کہ مشن پورا ہوگیا ہے اور پھر بش اور اس کی ٹیم نے عراق پر حملہ کرکے ایک فاش غلطی کردی۔

اس دوران طالبان سے بات چیت کا راستہ بند رہا اور فروری 2006 میں ہزاروں طالبان نے پورے اضلاع پر قبضہ کرنا اور صوبائی دارالحکومتوں کا گھیراؤ کرنا شروع کردیا۔ اگلے تین سالوں کے دوران طالبان نے ملک کے بیشتر جنوبی اور مشرقی حصوں پر قبضہ کرلیا۔ اس دوران امریکی فوجیوں کی تعداد 100،000ہو گئ مگر فوج بڑھی تو جانی و مالی نقصان بھی زیادہ ہوا۔ اس دوران امریکی اخراجات 110 بلین ڈالر سالانہ تھے۔ اپنی یاداشتوں میں بش نے لکھا ہے”افغان حکومت کے غیر معمولی خرچ سے روکنے کی کوشش میں ہم نے افغان فوج کی تعداد بہت کم رکھی تھی۔”

https://www.dailyaaj.com.pk/column/54980

دو ہزار تیرہ تک امریکہ نے 350،000 افغان فوجیوں کی تربیت کی مگر اکثر افغان سکیورٹی فورسز اپنی عددی و اسلحہ برتری اور رسد کے باوجود مقابلہ کرنے کے بجائے پیچھے ہٹ گئیں کیوں کہ طالبان شہید یا غازی بننے کے لئے لڑ رہے تھے جبکہ فوج اور پولیس پیسوں کی خاطر۔

پھر افغان حکومت اور اس کے جنگجو اتحادی اکثر بدعنوان تھے۔ انہوں نے افغانیوں کے ساتھ برا سلوک کیا، زمینیں ہتھیائیں، سرکاری ملازمتوں کی بندربانٹ کی اور اکثر امریکی اسپیشل آپریشن فورسز کو اپنے سیاسی حریفوں کو نشانہ بنانے کے لئے استعمال کیا اور یوں مزاحمت مضبوط ہوتی گئی۔

امریکہ نے جنگجو سرداروں اور اشرافیہ کا ایک ایسا استحصالی طبقہ افغان عوام پر مسلط کردیا جس نے اربوں ڈالرز کی رقم ضرورت مندوں پر خرچ کرنے کے بجائے خوردبرد کرلی۔
باقی اگلے کالم میں

https://www.dailyaaj.com.pk/column/54980

امریکہ میں افغان پناہ گزین

https://www.dailyaaj.com.pk/

روزنامہ آج۔ 2021-11-12
امریکہ میں افغان پناہ گزین
طاہر علی خان

افغانستان میں طالبان حکومت کے قیام کے بعد غیر ملکی افواج اور سفارت کاروں کے ساتھ ہزاروں افغان شہری بھی امریکہ چلے گئےتھے۔ اگرچہ طالبان نہیں چاہتے تھے کوئ افغانی ملک چھوڑے اور انہوں نے سب کےلیے عام معافی کا اعلان بھی کیا اور جانے والوں کو اپنے ملک واپس آنے کی دعوت بھی دی مگر یہ لوگ بوجوہ نہیں آنا چاہتے اور اب امریکہ میں بھی ان پناہ گزینوں کو ان گنت مسائل کا سامنا ہے۔

امریکی محکمہ دفاع کے اہلکاروں کے مطابق ان کے انخلاء آپریشن میں امریکیوں، غیرملکی اتحادیوں اور افغانیوں سمیت تقریباً 125,000 افراد کو نکالا گیا اور اقوامِ متحدہ کی ایجنسی برائے پناہ گزین کا اندازہ ہے کہ پانچ لاکھ افغان 2021 کے اختتام تک افغانستان چھوڑنے کی کوشش کرسکتے ہیں۔

اب تک ستر ہزار سے زائد افغان امریکہ منتقل ہو چکے ہیں۔ یہ ایک بڑی تعداد ہے اور امدادی گروہ اور ادارے انخلاء میں اتنی بڑی تعداد کی توقع کررہے تھے نہ اس کے لیے تیار تھے۔

یہ لوگ افغانستان سے امریکہ میں ایک شاندار زندگی اور سہانے مستقبل کی امید لے کر امریکہ گئے تھے۔ انخلاء کے دوران بھی انہیں بڑی تکالیف اٹھانا پڑیں لیکن وہاں بھی اکثر کو سکون اور عزت کی زندگی تاحال نصیب نہیں ہوسکی ہے۔

ان ستر ہزار افغانیوں میں سے چھپن ہزار افغانی، جن میں نصف بچے ہیں، تاحال عارضی طور پر امریکہ کے 8 فوجی اڈوں پر بیرکوں اور خیموں میں رہائش پذیر ہیں۔ یہ سب مستقل گھروں میں آباد ہونے کے منتظر ہیں تاہم سست امیگریشن و تصدیقی عمل، گھروں کی قلت، بے روزگاری اور باہر گذر اوقات کے لیے نقد رقم کی عدم موجودگی ان افغان پناہ گزینوں کے بڑے مسائل ہیں۔ رہائشی سہولیات کی کمی یا بہت زیادہ کرائے ان کی آباد کاری میں ایک بڑی رکاوٹ ہیں اور اب تک صرف 6 ہزار مہاجرین کے لیےگھروں کا انتظام کیا جا سکا ہے۔آبادکاری کے عمل کو تیز کرنے کی خاطر امریکی حکومت نے امریکیوں کو افغان مہاجرین کی نجی طور پر سرپرستی کرنے کی اجازت بھی دے دی ہے۔

اپنے گھر بار چھوڑ کر کسی دوسرے ملک اور کلچر میں سکونت اختیار کرنا ویسے بھی خاصا تکلیف دہ عمل ہے لیکن ان افغان پناہ گزینوں کی صورتحال عام مہاجرین سے کہیں زیادہ خراب ہے کیوں کہ ان کی اکثریت مہاجرین کی قانونی حیثیت نہیں رکھتی جس کےتحت انہیں مہاجرین کے طور پر مراعات مل سکتی تھیں۔ پھر ان کا مستقبل بھی غیر واضح اور غیر یقنی ہے۔ اس وجہ سے خدشہ ظاہر کیا جا رہا ہے کہ یہ سب، خصوصا ان میں بچے اور خواتین، بے خوابی اور شدید ذہنی امراض میں مبتلا ہو سکتے ہیں۔

چند افغان پناہ گزینوں کو بیرکوں ہاسٹلوں میں جگہ مل گئی تھی لیکن باقی خیموں میں رہ رہے ہیں جہاں ہر خاندان کے درمیان صرف کپڑے کا ایک پردہ ہوتا ہے۔ اس پر مستزاد یہ کہ اخباری اطلاعات کے مطابق ان کی ڈیجیٹل نگرانی بھی شروع کر دی گئ ہے۔ جن افغان باشندوں کو مشتبہ قرار دے دیا گیا ہے، ان سب کو بچوں عورتوں سمیت چپس پر مشتمل ریڈیو کالرز پہنائے گئے ہیں تاکہ ان کی ڈیجیٹل نگرانی کی جاسکے۔ ان کو ملٹری بیس سے باہرجانے کی اجازت نہیں اور ایسا کرنے والے کو واپس افغانستان بھیجنے کی دھمکی دی گئ ہے۔ سینکڑوں افغان پناہ گزین، خبروں کے مطابق، امریکیوں کے رویے، سخت نگرانی اور اپنے تاریک مستقبل کے حوالہ سے بے یقینی اور پریشانی کی وجہ سے ذہنی مریض بنتے جارہے ہیں۔

اس وقت امریکہ میں ویزہ درخواستوں کے لاکھوں کیسز لاینحل ہیں اور امیگریشن عمل میں کئ محکمے اور ایجنسیاں شامل ہونے کی وجہ سے اس کی رفتار سست ہوتی ہے۔ گویا افغان پناہ گزینوں کو اپنی قانونی حیثیت کے تعین کےلیے ابھی لمبا انتظار کرنا ہو گا۔

مسئلہ یہ ہے کہ امریکی امیگریشن ایجنسیاں ابھی تک وہ کاغذی کارروائی مکمل نہیں کرسکیں جو ان پناہ گزینوں کی رہائش اور روزگار میں مدد سمیت دیگر فوائد کی فراہمی اور حفاظتی نقطہ نظر سے ان کی تصدیق کےلیے ضروری ہے۔ پھر آبادکاری کےلیے درکار وسائل اور لاگت پر بھی سوالات اٹھائے جا رہے ہیں۔ کئ افغان “مہاجرین” کو آنے سے پہلے مشکوک قرار گیا تھا مگر کچھ اس سے پہلے ہی امریکہ پہنچ گئے تھے۔ کہا جارہا ہے غلط اور نامکمل جانچ پڑتال امریکہ کے لیے بہت سے مسائل پیدا کرسکتی ہے۔ صدر بائیڈن پر تنقید کی جارہی ہے کہ ہزاروں کی تعداد میں غیر تصدیق شدہ افغانوں کو امریکہ لاکر انہوں نے اندرونی تباہی کے بیج بودئے ہیں۔ صدر بائیڈن کے اس وعدے کے باوجود کہ ہم امریکی سرزمین پر قدم رکھنے سے پہلے ہر افغان کی سخت جانچ پڑتال کریں گے، یہ خیال ظاہر کیا جارہا ہے کہ انخلاء کے دوران افراتفری میں آنے والے ہر بندے پر اعتماد نہیں کیا جاسکتا اور خدشہ ہے کہ کچھ انتہا پسند اور دہشت گرد عناصر بھی ان میں چھپے ہوئے ہیں۔ کچھ ماہرین افغان مہاجرین کی امریکہ میں نقل مکانی سے ‘شہریت کی جنگ’ شروع ہونے کے خدشات بھی ظاہر کررہے ہیں۔

سینیٹر ٹام کاٹن نے اپنے ایک کالم میں لکھا ہے کہ جو بائیڈن کے افغان درآمدی بحران کے باعث صرف جرائم اور انتہا پسندی ہی کے مسائل پیدا نہیں ہوں گے بلکہ ملک بھر میں فوجی اڈوں پر مقیم کئی افغانوں پر پہلے ہی نابالغوں اور امریکی فوجیوں کے خلاف جرائم کے لیے فرد جرم عائد کی جا چکی ہے۔ ایسی متعدد رپورٹیں بھی موصول ہوئی ہیں کہ کچھ بالغ مرد انخلا کے وقت اپنی “بہو” بھی ساتھ لے آئے ہیں اور ان میں وہ نوجوان خواتین بھی شامل ہیں جن کا ان بڑی عمر کے مردوں سے انخلاء سے پہلے کوئی تعلق نہیں تھا۔ وبائی بیماریاں پھیلنے کا خطرہ بھی ظاہر کیا جارہا ہے۔ مثلا اکتوبر میں شمالی ورجینیا کے ڈلس ہوائی اڈے پر پانچ افغانوں میں خسرہ کی تشخیص ہوئی چنانچہ خسرہ کی وبا پھیلنے کی وجہ سے جرمنی کے رامسٹین ایئر بیس سے امریکہ آنے والی افغانیوں کی پروازیں روک دی گئیں۔ ان کے بقول جو باائیڈن انتظامیہ نے ہزاروں غیر تصدیق شدہ افغانوں کو امریکیوں اوراتحادیوں سے پہلے نکال کر سخاوت نہیں بلکہ بڑی لاپروائ دکھائ ہے جس کے اثرات افغانستان میں شکست کی بے عزتی کے بعد طویل عرصے تک امریکیوں کا پیچھا کریں گے۔

پناہ گزینوں کی اکثریت ان لوگوں پر مشتمل ہے جنہوں نے بیس سالہ جنگ کے دوران امریکہ کی مدد کی تھی۔ امریکہ میں اس پر اتفاق ہے کہ ہزاروں افغانوں نے بطور مترجم، ہنرمند اور ملازم امریکی فوجیوں کے ساتھ وفاداری نبھائ اور ان کی مدد کرنے کے لیے جو کچھ ہو سکتا ہے وہ کرنا چاہیے تاکہ وہ محفوظ رہیں تاہم نقادوں کے مطابق امریکی انتظامیہ افغانستان میں حالات کا صحیح اندازہ لگانے میں ناکام رہی جس کی وجہ سے اسے پھر ایمرجنسی میں انخلا کرنا پڑا اور افغانستان میں موجود امریکی شہریوں, سفارت کاروں، سپیشل امیگرنٹ ویزہ یا گرین کارڈ کے حامل افغان اتحادیوں کو امریکہ لاتے وقت غیر تصدیق شدہ افغان بھی امریکہ لائے گئے جن کے پاس کوئ دستاویزات نہیں ہیں۔

چونکہ ان “مہاجرین” کو سرکاری حیثیت دینے کا وقت نہیں تھا اس لئے انہیں پیرول پر امریکہ آنے دیا گیا۔ یہ ایک عارضی حیثیت ہے جس کی بنیاد پرانہیں کچھ عرصہ رہنے کی اجازت دی گئ ہے۔ عام طور پر پیرول کوئ مراعات ملنے کی ضمانت نہیں تاہم ایک خبر کے مطابق پچھلے دنوں ان پیرول پناہ گزینوں کو غیر معینہ مدت تک کےلیے رہائش، خوراک اور دیگر سہولتیں فراہم کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا گیا ہے۔ اس پر بھی تنقید کی گئ ہے کیوں کہ سپیشل امیگرنٹ ویزہ والوں کو، جو امریکی فوج کے مددگار تھے، یہ مراعات آٹھ مہینے تک ملتی ہیں۔ سینیٹر ٹام کاٹن نے پیرول پناہ گزینوں کی مراعات کو 18 ماہ تک محدود کرنے کے لیے ایک ترمیم پیش کی تاہم سینیٹ کے ڈیموکریٹ ارکان نے اسے مسترد کر دیا۔

ان پناہ گزینوں میں کچھ ایسے خوش قسمت بھی ہیں جن کا خاندان یا دوست پہلے سے یہاں موجود تھے۔ یوں انہیں آبادکاری میں مدد مل سکتی ہے لیکن اکثر اس سہولت سے محروم ہیں۔ کئ ایک آزاد روانگی کی سہولت کے تحت اپنی مرضی سے اڈوں کو چھوڑکر باہر چلے گئے ہیں۔ اب انہیں فوائد کے لیے درخواست دینی ہوگی۔ امریکی انتظامیہ، شہریوں اور امدادی اداروں کو امیگریشن کے امور و دیگر مراحل پر ان کی رہنمائ اور صحت، تعلیم، ملازمت اورآبادکاری میں مدد کرنی ہوگی۔ اب تک امریکی عوام نے افغانستان سے چالیس ہزار پروازوں کا خرچہ اٹھانے کےلیے چندہ دیا ہے اور منتظمین اور بائیڈن انتظامیہ اسے دوگنا کرنے کی کوشش کر رہی ہے۔ امریکی حکومت کو ان پناہ گزینوں کی آبادکاری کو تیز اور سہل بنانے کےلیے ایمرجنسی ریفیوجی اینڈ مائگریشن اسسٹنس کے اکاؤنٹ سے کافی رقم دینا ہوگی اور ان کی مستقل بحالی کےلئے کسی طویل المیعاد ٹھوس پالیسی بھی بنانا ہوگی۔

افغان پناہ گزین صرف امریکہ میں ہی نہیں ہیں بلکہ کینیڈا نے بیس ہزار تک، برطانیہ نے پہلے سال میں پانچ ہزار اور پھر بیس ہزار تک، آسٹریلیا نے سالانہ تین ہزار اور جرمنی نے بھی ہزاروں افغانی مہاجرین کولینے کا وعدہ کیا ہے۔ اس کے علاوہ بھی کئ ملکوں نے اس سلسلے میں تعاون کا یقین دلایا ہے۔ اقوام متحدہ کی ایجنسی برائے مہاجرین کو ان ساری کوششوں کو مربوط کرنے کےلیے آگے آنا ہوگا۔

مہاجرین کنونشن 1951 کے تحت مہاجر وہ فرد ہے جو نسل، مذہب، قومیت، یا کسی سماجی گروپ کی رکنیت یا کسی سیاسی رائے کی بنیاد پر ظلم و زیادتی کے خوف کی وجہ سے اپنے اصلی وطن واپس آنے کے قابل یا رضامند نہیں۔ انسانی حقوق کے عالمی قانون کے تحت ہر ایک فرد کو اپنا ملک چھوڑنے کا حق ہے۔

یہ سب افغان سہانے مستقبل کی آس میں امریکہ چلے گئے کیوں کہ افغانستان میں انہیں اپنا مستقبل تاریک نظر آرہا تھا یا وہ خوفزدہ تھے۔ اگرچہ امریکہ اور اس کے اتحادیوں نے یہاں بیس سال گزارے اور کھربوں ڈالر سے زیادہ خرچ کیے مگر اس کے باوجود بھی افغانستان بدامنی، غربت اور پسماندگی کا نمونہ ہے جہاں کسی کو اپنا اور اپنے بچوں کا مستقبل روشن نظر نہیں آتا اور موقع ملتے ہی اس سے نکل جاتا ہے۔

افغانستان کو اس حالت تک پہنچانے میں امریکہ کے حملے اور قبضے ۔کابھی کردار ہے۔ اب اس کی اخلاقی ذمہ داری ہے کہ وہ ان پناہ گزینوں کو عزت کے ساتھ رکھے یا طالبان حکومت کے ساتھ ان کی بحفاظت حوالگی، آبادکاری اور خوشحال مستقبل کےلیے معاہدہ کرے اور اس کےلیے وسائل بھی مختص کرے۔

بے شمار افغان ماہرین اور ہنرمند ملک چھوڑ کر چلے گئے ہیں اور طالبان کو حکومت چلانے کےلیے تجربہ کار لوگوں کی ضرورت ہے۔ سوال یہ ہے کہ اگر انہیں سلامتی اور خوشحال مستقبل کی ضمانت دی جائے تو کیا یہ واپس افغانستان آ جائیں گے؟

https://www.dailyaaj.com.pk/columnisit/tahir-ali-khan

ایران، طالبان اور افغانستان

روزنامہ آج۔ 2021-07-26

ایران، افغانستان اور طالبان
طاہر علی خان
افغانستان سے امریکہ کے انخلاء کے بعد جو نئ صورتحال سامنے آئ ہے اس میں ایران اور طالبان دونوں اپنی تلخ ماضی کو دفن کرنے اور نئ شروعات کرنے کےلیے آمادہ نظر آرہے ہیں۔

افغان طالبان اور دیگر افغان گروہ ایران میں مذاکرات کررہے ہیں

ایران اور طالبان دونوں ماضی میں اپنے اپنے مسلک سے وابستگی کے زیراثر ایک دوسرے کے خلاف اقدامات اٹھاتے رہے ہیں جن سے دونوں کا نقصان بھی ہوا اور ان کے باہمی تعلقات سردمہری اور نفرت کا شکار رہے۔

مگر اب دونوں کو احساس ہو گیا ہے کہ اپنی ماضی کی تلخ یادوں کو بھلا کر احترام، اعتماد اور مفاہمت کی بنیاد پر خوشگوار تعلقات قائم کریں۔ دونوں ماضی کی کدورتوں کو بالائے طاق رکھتے ہوئے حقیقت پسندی اور اعتدال پسندی کی طرف آگئے ہیں۔ ایران ماضی میں طالبان کو سعودی عرب کا اتحادی اور اہل سنت کے انتہاپسند طبقہ فکر کا علمبردار سمجھتے ہوئے ان سے نالاں تھا لیکن اب وہ افغان حکومت اور طالبان کے مابین امن مذاکرات کی میزبانی کر رہا ہے۔ پہلے ایران کی ایما پر افغانستان میں ایران نواز شیعہ گروہ طالبان کے ساتھ کھلم کھلا برسرپیکار تھے تو اب یہ گروہ طالبان کے ساتھ مل رہے ہیں یا بغیر مزاحمت کے اپنے علاقے ان کے حوالے کررہے ہیں۔ ایران نے اگر افغانستان میں مداخلت، طالبان کی مخالفت اور وہاں شیعہ گروہوں کی مدد چھوڑ دی ہے تو طالبان کی موجودہ قیادت بھی ماضی کے مقابلے میں مخالف فرقوں، ہمسایہ ملکوں اور بین الاقوامی تقاضوں بارے زیادہ رواداری اور حساسیت دکھا رہے ہیں۔ وہ ماضی میں اہل تشیع بارے انتہاپسندی کا شکار تھے لیکن اب پچھلے دنوں طالبان کے ترجمان ذبیح اللہ مجاہد نے خبر رساں ایجنسی تسنیم کو بتایا کہ ’ہم اپنے شیعہ بھائیوں کو یقین دلاتے ہیں کہ ان کے خلاف کسی قسم کا امتیازی سلوک نہیں برتا جائے گا، اور ہم اس کی اجازت نہیں دیں گے۔ انہوں نے پہلی طالبان حکومت کے قیام کے بعد ایران کے ساتھ غیر خوشگوار تعلقات کا ذمہ دار ملک میں خانہ جنگی اور ناتجربہ کاری کو قرار دیا۔

یاد رہے اگست 1988 میں مزار شریف میں ایران نواز کمانڈروں نے طالبان کے سیکڑوں اہلکار مار دیئے۔ اس کے بعد جب مزار شریف پر طالبان کا قبضہ ہوا تو انہوں نے ایرانی قونصلیٹ پر دھاوا بول کر دس ایرانی سفارتکاروں اور ایک ایرانی صحافی سمیت شہر میں اہل تشیع کے سیکڑوں افراد قتل کر دئیے اور ایران نواز حزب وحدت کے سربراہ کو مبینہ طور پر ہیلی کاپٹر سے نیچے گراکر مارا تھا۔ تب ایران نے طالبان کو دھمکانے یا عملی جنگ کےلیے 70 ہزار فوجی افغانستان کے سرحد پر مجتمع کیے۔ طالبان نے اس پر افغانستان میں کجکی ڈیم سے ایران کو پانی کی سپلائ کم کر دی جس سے ایران کو بڑا نقصان ہوا۔ واضح رہےافغانستان سے ایران کی طرف دو بڑے دریا دریائے ہلمند اور ہری رڈ بہتے ہیں۔ یہاں سے پانی کم یا بند ہو جائے تو نیچے رہنے والی ایرانی برادریوں کو بہت زیادہ نقصان پہنچتا ہے۔

اگرچہ ایران افغانستان میں امریکی موجودگی کا مخالف تھا اور اسے اپنےلیے خطرہ سمجھتا تھا مگر طالبان کے ظہور اور ان کے دور حکومت میں ایران کے ساتھ افغانستان کے تعلقات غیر خوشگوار تھے چنانچہ ایران نے طالبان کے خلاف اکتوبر 2001 میں امریکی کارروائ کی مزاحمت نہیں کی۔ مگر پھر جب امریکہ کے خلاف طالبان کی مزاحمت مزاحمت مضبوط ہوگئ اور روس اور چین بھی ان کی پشت پناہی کرنے لگے تو مشترکہ دشمن امریکہ کے خلاف رفتہ رفتہ سب قریب آتے گئے۔ ماضی میں افغان حکومت، امریکہ اور نیٹو کئ مرتبہ ایران اور اس کے پاسداران انقلاب پر الزام لگاچکے ہیں کہ وہ طالبان کو مالی اور فوجی مدد فراہم کررہے ہیں۔

ایران کو خدشہ ہے افغانستان میں افغان گروہوں کے درمیان مفاہمت نہ ہوسکی اور وہاں خانہ جنگی شروع ہوئ تو ایران کی طرف مہاجرین کا سیلاب آئے گا۔ دوسرا خدشہ یہ ہے کہ طالبان کی واپسی کے بعد داعش پھر افغانستان میں مضبوط ہوجائے گی جو ایران کےلیے پریشانی کا باعث ہوگی۔ ایران طالبان کو زمینی حقیقت اور انہیں خانہ جنگی یا داعش کے مقابلے میں کم تر برائ سمجھتا ہے۔ ایک طرف چنانچہ یہ طالبان سے تعلقات بہتر بنانے اور دوسری طرف افغان مصالحت کےلیے کوششیں کررہا ہے۔ تاکہ ان دونوں منفی اثرات سے خود کو ںچا سکے۔

ایران افغان تصفیہ کےلیے جو دوڑ دھوپ کررہا ہے پاکستان،چین اور روس بھی اس کے حامی ہیں۔ تہران میں 9 جولائ کو ہونے والے بین الافغان مذاکرات کے بعد مشترکہ اعلامیہ میں فریقین نے اتفاق کیا کہ افغان مسئلے کا حل جنگ نہیں بلکہ مذاکرات ہیں، پرامن سیاسی حل اور اسلامی ریاست کے قیام کےلیے مذاکرات جاری رہیں گے۔

ایران نے چا پانچ سال قبل افغان فریقین کے مذاکرات شروع کرنے کی کوشش کی تھی جس کےلیے افغان حکومت نے درخواست کی تھی۔ طالبان کے امیر ملا اختر منصور شاید ایران اسی مقصد کےلیے گئے تھے اور پاکستان واپس آتے ہوئے امریکی ڈرون حملے میں مارے گئے تھے۔ مگر تب طالبان نے مگر افغان حکومت پر امریکی اثرورسوخ کے باعث مذاکرات سے معذوری ظاہر کردی۔ پھر جب امریکہ طالبان معاہدہ کے بعد افغانستان سے نکلنے کا اعلان کیا تو افغان گروہوں اور طالبان کے مذاکرات کی راہ ہموار ہو گئ۔ تب ایران نے افغانستان میں قیام امن کیلئے قومی حکومت کی تشکیل کا منصوبہ پیش کر دیا تھا لیکن امریکہ نے بین الافغان مذاکرات اور تصفیہ سے قبل طالبان سے براہ راست مذاکرات و معاہدہ کرکے اور بین الافغان مذاکرات سے پہلوتہی کرکے معاملہ خراب کردیا۔ مگر اب امریکہ یہ سوچ سوچ کر پریشان ہوتا رہے گا کہ اس کا مخالف ایران، جسے وہ گھیرنا اور پریشان رکھنا چاہتا تھا، اب افغانستان میں ایک اہم عامل بن گیا ہے۔

ایران اور افغانستان کے مابین 945 کلومیٹر سرحد ہے۔ ایران میں لاکھوں افغان مہاجرین قیام پذیر ہیں۔ اب ایران کی سرحد پر واقع کئ افغان اضلاع اور اہم گزرگاہوں پر طالبان کا قبضہ ہوگیا ہے۔

چین اور ایران دونوں امریکہ کے خلاف مشترکہ نفرت اور مفاد کےلئے ایک دوسرے کے قریب آئے ہیں۔ برسوں سے عائد امریکی پابندیوں نے ایران کو چین اور روس کی طرف دھکیل دیا ہے۔چین نے ایران کے ساتھ اگلے پچیس برسوں میں چارسو ارب ڈالرز کے منصوبے شروع کرنے کا معاہدہ بھی کیا۔ چین کے پاکستان اور طالبان کے ساتھ بھی اچھے مراسم ہیں۔ اس طرح چین کے تعلقات سے ایران کو فائدہ پہنچے گا۔
نئ صورتحال میں بھارت بھی ایران کے ذریعے طالبان سے راہ و رسم بڑھانا چاہتا ہے۔ لیکن ایران بہرحال بھارت کو سہولت دینے کےلیے چین اور پاکستان دونوں کو ناخوش کرنے کا متحمل نہیں ہوسکتا۔

ان حقائق کے پیش نظر طالبان اور ایران کے باہمی تعلقات امکان ہے کہ خوشگوار رہیں گے بشرط یہ کہ ایران اور طالبان دونوں اپنے اپنے مسالک سے تعلق رکھنے والے انتہا پسندوں اور فائر برانڈ رہنماؤں کو کنٹرول کر سکیں۔

https://www.dailyaaj.com.pk/columnisit/tahir-ali-khan

دنیاکیسی ہوگی 2021

دنیاکیسی ہوگی 2021

طاہرعلی خان

مستقبل کے بارے میں پیشن گوئی کرنا آسان نہیں۔ مثلاً ایک سال قبل کسی کو کیا پتا تھا کہ ایک وبائی بیماری دنیا کی ہیئت مکمل تبدیل کرکے رکھ دے گی۔ آج نئے سال کا پہلا دن ہے۔ اس سال میں دنیا میں کیا کیا وقوع پذیر ہوسکتا ہے، اس پر لکھا جارہا ہے۔ امکان ہے کہ ہمیشہ کی طرح اس سال بھی کبھی خوش کن اور کبھی مایوس کن واقعات جاری رہیں گے۔

کورونا وائرس نے 2020 میں دنیا کو تبدیل کردیا ہے۔ دنیا بھر میں ہلاکتوں کی تعداد 1.7 ملین ہوگئی یے اور کروڑوں اس سے لڑ رہے ہیں۔ وائرس کی نئی خطرناک شکلیں سامنے آرہی ہیں۔ عالمی معیشت کو بہت بڑا دھچکا لگا ہے۔ دنیا کو معمول پر لوٹ آنے میں خاصا وقت لگے گا۔ خوشخبری یہ ہے کہ دو انتہائی موثر ویکسین استعمال کے لئے منظور کرلی گئ ہیں اور مزید بنائ جارہی ہیں۔ مگر ویکسین کو وسیع پیمانے پر تقسیم کرنے میں بڑی مشکلیں پیش آئیں گی۔ اگرچہ دو ارب ویکسین لگائے جانے کا منصوبہ ہے مگر اس بارے سازشی نظریات، مالی مسائل اور ترسیل میں مشکلات کی وجہ سے یہ ٹارگٹ آسان نہیں۔ لگتا ہے ماسک پہننے، معاشرتی دوری، وائرس کی تشخیص اور علاج وغیرہ سے متعلق خبریں 2021 میں بھی چھائ رہیں گی۔

علاج معالجے،  نقل و حمل، پیغام رسانی ، ڈی این اے  اور برقی کاروں وغیرہ میں عالمی سطح پر  سائنس کی حیران کن ترقی کاسلسلہ جاری رہے گا۔ امریکہ میں ماحول دوست جو بائیڈن کی کامیابی اور اس سال انتخابات کے بعد جرمنی میں گرین پارٹی کی حکومت سازی میں متوقع اہم کردار سے امید کی جارہی ہے کہ ماحولیاتی تبدیلی پر بھی اب تیزی سے کام ہوگا۔

جو بائیڈن بیس جنوری کو ریاست ہائے متحدہ امریکہ کے 46 ویں صدر بننے کی تیاری کر رہے ہیں۔ انہیں ایک منقسم امریکہ ملا ہے۔ افغانستان اور چین وغیرہ جیسے خارجہ پالیسی چیلنجز، پیرس موسمیاتی معاہدے اور ورلڈ ہیلتھ آرگنائزیشن کے ساتھ دوبارہ جا شامل ہونے، ایران سے جوہری پروگرام کے معاہدے کی تجدید، ششمالی کوریا کے میزائل یا جوہری تجربات اور امریکی حکومت اور کارپوریشنوں کے روس کی ہیکنگ سے پیدا شدہ مسائل وغیرہ انہیں درپیش ہیں۔ بائیڈن کو امید ہے وہ چین کے ساتھ معاملات ٹھیک کرلیں گے اور مرہم اور معافی کے اپنے اندرونی ایجنڈے پر بھی پیشرفت کرسکیں گے۔ کیا ان کی سرکردگی میں امریکہ ایک ہمدرد اور ذمہ دار ملک کےںطور پر ان سب امور پر مثبت کردار ادا کرسکے گا؟ اگر ہاں تو پھر امریکہ اور دنیا دونوں کو فائدہ ہوگا۔ انہیں اندرون ملک کانگریس کی طرف سے اپنے ایجنڈے پر عمل درآمد میں مسائل بھی ہوں گے تاہم اگر بائیڈن چھ جنوری کو جارجیا میں ہونے والے سینیٹ کے انتخابات میں ڈیموکریٹس کو جتوا سکیں تو کانگریس کی طرف سے وہ مطمئن ہو جائیں گے۔ امکان بہرحال یہ ہے کہ ٹرمپ اور ان کا سیاسی ورثہ بائیڈن کے لیے مستقل درد سر بنے رہیں گے۔

 ماہرین کے مطابق امکان ہے کہ اس سال سعودی عرب کی جانب سے اسرائیل کو تسلیم کرنے کا اعلان سامنے ائے گا جو مشرق وسطیٰ  میں ایک اہم پیش رفت ہوگی۔

چین تیزی سے اپنا اثر ورسوخ پھیلا رہا ہے۔ 2020 میں بھارت کے ساتھ اس کا سرحدی تصادم ہوا۔ اس نے ہانگ کانگ پر ایک نیا قومی سلامتی قانون نافذ کیا جو برطانیہ سے کیے گئے معاہدے کے بظاہر خلاف تھا اور جس سے وہاں منظم عوامی احتجاج اب مشکل نظر آرہا ہے۔ اس نے تائیوان کو بار بار امریکہ سے تعلقات مضبوط کرنے پر دھمکانے کی کوشش کی۔ وہ عالمی سیاست اور معیشت پر اجارہ داری کی طرف بڑھ رہا ہے۔ اس سلسلے میں مشرق وسطی اس کی دلچسپی کا ایک اور میدان ہے۔ اندازہ ہے کہ وہ اگلے سات برس میں امریکہ سے آگے نکل کر دنیا کی سب سے بڑی معیشت بن جائے گا۔ سوال یہ ہے کہ کیا امریکہ چین کے ساتھ ماحول ٹھنڈا  رکھے گا  یا چین کا مقابلہ کرے گا۔ آنے والے مہینوں میں اس حوالے سے سرد و گرم دونوں کی توقع کی جاسکتی ہے۔

غربت اور بے روزگاری میں بھی عالمی سطح پر اضافہ متوقع ہے۔ کوویڈ ۔19 نے 2020 میں عالمی معیشت کو سخت نقصان پہنچایا۔ اس سال عالمی پیداوار 5.2 فیصد تک سکڑنے کا امکان ہے۔ وبا سے پہلے  شرح نمو  2.5 سے 3.4 فیصد تھی۔ بین الاقوامی مالیاتی فنڈ نے 2022 کے بعد عالمی معاشی نمو کے لئے اپنے تخمینے کو کم کردیا ہے اور متنبہ کیا ہے کہ عالمی غربت میں اضافہ 2020 سے بھی آگے بڑھ سکتا ہے۔ غریب ممالک  معاشی بدحالی سے سب سے زیادہ متاثر ہوئے۔ ایک اندازے کے مطابق وبائی امراض کی وجہ سے دنیا بھر میں انتہائی غربت میں ڈوبے لوگوں کی تعداد میں 120ملین کا اضافہ ہوا ہے۔

چین واحد واحد بڑی معیشت ہے جس نے 2020 میں ترقی کی۔ کم ملکی قرضے، سمجھدار معاشی نظم و نسق ، اور کورونا وائرس پر موثر کنٹرول کے اشاریوں پر چینی معیشت 2021 میں دنیا  کی ایک تہائی حصہ بن سکتی ہے۔ اس کے برعکس ، یورپ اور شمالی امریکہ کی معیشتیں  پیچھے رہنے اور ڈالر کا عالمی اثر و رسوخ کم ہونے کا امکان ہے۔ عالمی بینک نے کہا ہے کہ ابھرتی ہوئی معیشتیں، جو تجارت، سیاحت اور ترسیلات زر پر انحصار کرتی ہیں، خاص طور پر سخت نقصان میں ہوں گی۔ خوراک اور صاف پانی کی کمی بھی ایک بڑا مسئلہ بن رہا ہے۔ امکان اور خدشہ یہ ہےکہ معاشی پریشانیوں اور غربت سے مزید سیاسی تنازعات پیدا ہوں گے، چاہے ملکوں کے اندر ہوں یا ملکوں کے مابین۔

بھارت میں مودی سرکار مسلمانوں اور پاکستان کے خلاف نفرت پھیلانے میں اپنی کامیابی دیکھ رہی ہے۔ یہ بہت خطرناک بات ہے اور کسی بھی لمحے وہ اپنے سیاسی مقاصد کےلیے جنگ کی آگ بھڑکا سکتے ہیں۔

ستمبر گیارہ کو امریکہ کے ورلڈ ٹریڈ سنٹر اور پینٹاگون پر حملوں نے دنیا کو تبدیل کر دیا تھا۔ مبصرین کو  خدشہ  ہے کہ جلد گیارہ ستمبر جیسا  ایک بڑا دہشت گرد حملہ ہوسکتا ہے جس سے پھر دنیا میں نئ صف بندی اور نفرت پیدا ہوگی۔

افغانستان میں امن کی کوششیں جلد کامیاب ہونے کا امکان نظر نہیں آرہا۔ ایسے میں افغانستان پاکستان پر اپنی ناکامی کا ملبہ گرانے کےلیے الزامات کاسلسلہ جاری رکھے گا۔ پاکستان کو  ایک طرف چین اور امریکہ کے درمیان اور دوسری طرف عرب ممالک اور ترکی و ایران کے ساتھ اپنے تعلقات کا توازن برقرار رکھنے کےلیے محنت  کرنی ہوگی۔ صدر ٹرمپ تو بغیر کسی بین الافغان معاہدے کے جون 2021  تک امریکی فوج  افغانستان سے نکالنا چاہتے تھے۔ اگر ایسا ہوا تو افغانستان ایک مرتبہ پھر خانہ جنگی کا شکار ہوجائے گا۔ اگر جو بائیڈن نے تمام علاقائی ملکوں اور نیٹو حلیفوں کی مدد سے افغان مذاکرات کی کامیابی کےلیے مخلصانہ کوشش کی تو وہاں امن آسکتا ہے۔

نگورنو کاراباخ، ایتھوپیا، مراکو کے صحراوی قوم، اسرائیل  فلسطین تنازعہ، روہنگیا مسلمانوں پر ظلم، افغان طالبان کا کامیابی، کشمیرمیں بھارتی اقدام وغیرہ جیسے واقعات طاقت کو مسائل حل کرنے کےلیے ایک بڑا عامل ثابت کیا ہے اور سفارت کاروں اور مصالحت کاروں کی وہ بات غلط ثابت کردی ہے کہ سیاسی مسائل کا کوئ فوجی حل نہیں ہوتا۔ دعا ہے کہ اس سال پرامن جمہوری تحریک آزادی و کامیابی کا واحد راستہ ثابت ہوجائے۔

اگلے سال جرمنی،  ہالینڈ، ایران سمیت دس ممالک میں انتخابات ہو رہے ہیں لیکن ماہرین کہتے ہیں دنیا بھر میں جمہوریت کو بھی لاحق خطرات بڑھ رہے ہیں۔ انتہاپسندی کےلیے اگر پہلے تیسری دنیا بدنام تھی تو اب امریکہ، فرانس اور بھارت جیسے بڑے بڑے بزعم خود جمہوریت کے علمبردار ممالک میں بھی تنگ نظری اور انتہاپسندی بڑھ چکی ہے۔ یہ سلسلہ اگلے سال مزید تیز ہونے کا امکان ہے۔ فریڈم ہاؤس نے بھی اطلاع دی ہے کہ مسلسل چودہ سالوں سے پوری دنیا میں سیاسی حقوق اور شہری آزادیاں سکڑ تی جارہی ہیں۔ برازیل ، ہنگری ، فلپائن ، پولینڈ ،  ترکی  اور بھارت جیسے ممالک میں پاپولسٹ رہنماؤں نے  ایسی پالیسیاں نافذ کیں جن سے جمہوری اداروں کو نقصان پہنچا ہے۔ چین ہانگ کانگ میں بھی احتجاج اور اختلاف کو ںہت مشکل بنا رہا ہے۔ میانمار میں ماضی کی جمپوریت نواز آنگ سان سوچی کی حکومت کی چشم پوشی یا تلویث کی وجہ سے مسلمان اقلیت پر ظلم ڈھائے گئے۔ بیلاروس کے لوگ  انتخابات میں دھاندلی کے خلاف سڑکوں پر نکل آئے۔ آنے والے امریکی صدر جو بائیڈن نے جمہوری اقدار کی بحالی کے عزم کا اظہار کیا ہے۔ مگر  مسئلہ یہ ہے کہ امریکہ میں ہی ٹرمپ کی جانب سے انتخابی نتیجہ تسلیم کرنے سے انکار ، بڑے پیمانے پر انتخابی دھوکہ دہی کے جھوٹے دعووں، نتائج تبدیل کرنے کی لامتناہی کوششوں اور مختلف سازشی نظریات پھیلانے سے وہاں جمہوریت، سرکاری نظام اور میڈیا پر عوامی اعتماد کو بڑا دھچکا لگا ہے۔ ایسا نہ ہو جب بائیڈن نے دنیا بھر میں جمہوری اقدار کی بحالی کےلیے آواز اٹھائیں تو ان کو یہ کہا جائے “میاں پہلے اپنے گھر کی خبر لو اور اسے ٹھیک کرو۔”۔

Extremism will destroy India

Extremism will destroy India

Tahir Ali Khan

Although the major countries of the world are showing carelessness towards the phenomenon for their own interests and most in India are also denying its existence, the truth is that India has become a center of Hindu nationalism, racism, bigotry, extremism and violence. In the words of the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, an embarrassing fact is that Dalits, Muslims and tribes are not considered human beings herenin India.

Violence against minorities, the weak and women is common in most countries but in India it is happening under government umbrella.

India, a nuclear-armed country with a population of 1.5 billion, has been occupied by the Nazi-influenced RSS. Extremist Hindu militias armed with spears and sticks with overt or tacit support from the government have cut loose a reign of terror against minorities.

Extremism and intolerance in India pose a serious threat to the security of all minorities, especially Muslims. India’s path of hatred, religious extremism and racism has resulted in and will further entail bloodshed and destruction.

History shows that every nation that has taken this path has suffered loss, chaos and destruction. Everyone in Nazi Germany, Rowanda, Myanmar, the former Yugoslavia, etc. has seen the result of this policy. If India doesn’t correct its behaviour, it is bound to meet the same catastrophic fate.

Mahatma Gandhi writes in his book, “The India of My Dreams: “I am convinced that India will emerge as a beacon for the whole world. If India accepts the ideology of violence, it will be a test for me. My religion doesn’t need any geographical boundaries. My patriotism is subject to my religion. My whole life (through the philosophy of non-violence) is dedicated to the service of India. The day India declares its belief in violence, I would prefer to leave India. Then I will not be proud of India. “

If Gandhi were alive today, he would surely have shed tears of blood over the extremist transformation of India and he would have surely left it because violence has now become the basic identity and policy of the Indian government. Given the persecution of the weak, women and minorities in today’s India, the souls of Gotham, Nanak, Chishti and Kabir may surely be weeping blood.

India has long been proud of its democracy and secularism. Peaceful coexistence, tolerance and respect for the beliefs and customs of all religions is the only way but unfortunately India has not been able to get rid of racial, national, sectarian and religious prejudices. If India wants to play a leading role in the region and the world, it must be a model of love, forgiveness and compassion instead of hatred, narrow-mindedness and oppression.

Democracy and tolerance are essential for peace in India,l but the BJP and Modi are promoting hatred, Hindu nationalism and extremism for their political interests.

The Bharatiya Janata Party may have won the government twice with its narrative of hatred and extremism but the face of Indian secularism and democracy has got distorted in the process.

Indian Hindus, despite being a majority, consider themselves in danger. They are indulging in continuous false propaganda which is fueling fear, reactionary psyche and extremism in them. This is nothing short of a message of doom for India’s secular state, politics and pluralistic democracy.

Earlier, India was a secular society that prided itself in its diversity and plurality. Indian constitution also spoke of a secular India. Indian citizenship was available not on the basis of blood, caste and creed but on the basis of a person’s birth. Hindutva leaders existed in Indian society even before the formation of Pakistan and called India only the land of Hindus, but until 1980 they were in minority.

But the campaign for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and construction of the Ram Mandir in the 1990s turned the extremist BJP into a major party, it grew stronger and stronger as much as winning 282 seats in Parliament in 2014 and 303 in 2019.

When RSS activist Narendra Modi became Gujarat’s chief minister, 2,000 people were killed in government-sponsored anti-Muslim riots there. Due to the involvement of Modi government in this, the doors of America were closed on Modi.

It was a turning point on which the free world should have boycotted India altogether but all remained silent.

Modi and the BJP, in order to gain power, blamed Pakistan and Muslims for all the ills of India and thus spread hatred against them, spearheaded terror campaigns against them and declared preserving Hindu Dharma and making India a pure Hindu state as their main agenda.

For several years now, campaigns of hatred and extremism have been carried out with support of the Modi government, government agencies and popular news channels, and the courts are often sympathetic to this populist tide by making inappropriate and biased decisions or not hearing human rights appeals.

It is pertinent to mention that the BJP has appointed Chief Justice Ranjan Gokoi a member of the Rajya Sabha who ruled on the petitions filed in the Babri Masjid case and the Rafale warplane deal with France, which is a clear indication of conflict of interest. Many of his decisions have benefited Modi politically.

The journey towards intolerance, narrow-mindedness and violence in India has been going on for a long time. Since December 2019, the Modi government has let loose a reign of terror and oppression over Kashmiris and has turned Kashmir into jail since then.

Minorities and Dalits continue to be treated inhumanly in India. Here are a few examples.

In October, India’s popular jewelery company Tanshik ran a 45-second advertisement featuring an interfaith wedding, showing how a Muslim family performs Hindu rituals to please their pregnant Hindu daughter-in-law. An organized campaign called “Love Jihad” was immediately launched against the ad and threats were hurled at the company and the actors who worked in the ad. The company, hence, withdrew the advertisement within 24 hours for the safety of its workers.

In October, Amnesty International had to close its offices in India because of Indian government’s displeasure and outrage over its demands for transparency in government affairs, its scathing reports on police support for Hindu rioters in the anti-Muslim riots in Delhi and the role of the Indian government in rights violations in Kashmir and its briefing in the US Congress against the Indian government.

The Modi government wants to make India a one-party state. After his arrival, India has lost its tolerance for dissent and criticism and those who criticize the government are called traitors and agents of Pakistan.

A treason case has been registered against a professor at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University for speaking out against the Modi government’s discriminatory laws and he has been sent to jail.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kashmiri student Safora Zargar, who is pregnant, is also in jail for speaking out against the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The prosecution also mentioned in the treason case against Sharjeel Imam that he was reading a book by Paul Brass, a well-known writer, which it said made him an extremist.

Many liberal leaders who spoke out against narrow-mindedness, such as MM Kalbergi, Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansari and Gauri Lankesh, were allegedly assassinated by right-wing Hindu extremists.

The BJP’s student wing targets liberal academics. Movies and books are banned. That is why the graph of civil liberties, freedom of expression, rule of law and academic freedom in India has come down almost three times since the formation of the Modi government.

In October, popular Indian actress Deepika Padukone was questioned by the Narcotics Control Board of India for six hours. The reason was apparently a drug investigation but in fact it was that Deepika had expressed solidarity with the student movement against the controversial citizenship law in January.

The move sent a message to her and other Bollywood workers toe the line. A BJP member in Parliament last month termed Bollywood as a drug den. A well-known actress said at this that it was an attempt to discredit and silence Bollywood because we have the potential to influence the masses.

On Gandhi’s birthday this year on January 30, a Hindu youth opened fire on a peaceful rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act at the Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. But the police stood by as silent spectators. Like last year’s New Zealand shooter, he showed some of his actions live on Facebook. In the cover photo, he stood with a sword and wrote in his feed that he wanted revenge on the protesters in Shaheen Bagh. He chanted slogans to kill traitors on Facebook and wrote that if he died killing nationalist opponents, his body must be covered with saffron.

In the Delhi election campaign, Anurag Thackeray, a minister in the Modi government, chanted slogans like “Shoot the traitors of the country” After that, Amit Shah, Modi’s expected successor, also told a public meeting that you should press the election button so angrily that the people of Shaheen Bagh come to know about it. It should be noted that Muslim women were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Shaheen Bagh.

Obviously, this shooter was also motivated by the same hatred that led to Gandhi’s assassination. It may be recalled that a Hindu nationalist Nathuram Godse, who was an activist of the RSS –the ideological source of today’s BJP— assassinated Gandhi accusing him of showing leniency towards Muslims. Godse is now remembered as a martyr and hero of Hindu Dharma.

Protests by women against the controversial citizenship law were attacked in the Mojpur area of ​​Delhi, and BJP and RSS extremists and police joined forces to crack down on protesters, while Muslim houses, shops and vehicles were set on fire.

When Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, he was very careful. He spoke of “all together and progress for all.” Although there was talk of a Hindu state and he did not condemn the anti-Muslim measures taken by Hindu extremists in the name of protecting “Gao Mata”, when he got an overwhelming majority in 2019, he took off all the veils and is now bent upon making India purely and completely a Hindu state.

Keeping the UN resolutions at bay and repealing Kashmir’s sovereign status in the Indian Constitution, the Modi government made it a normal part of India and turned Kashmir into a virtual prison. Nehru had said, “If Kashmiris do not want to live with us, let them go their own way and we shall go ours. We do not want forced marriages and forced unions.” But Modi ended Kashmir’s socalled autonomy in the Indian constitution and began working to turn the Muslim majority there into a minority.

In December 2019, India’s citizenship law was amended to allow aspirants for Indian citizenship from six neighboring countries but Muslims were excluded.

He then launched a national register campaign in various Indian states. It stoked fears of revoking the citizenship of those who converted from Hinduism to Islam.

The RSS has long been saying that India should be a Hindu state. It asks Muslims to convert to Hinduism again or leave India. It is defaming Muslims with propaganda of “Corona Jihad” and “Love Jihad”.

At present most Hindus in India hate or fear Muslims. The media in India is also engaged in spreading Islamophobia and appeasing the Modi government.

Subramanian Swamy, a BJP leader, termed Muslims a threat to India, refused to recognize them as equal citizens of Hindus and demanded that they be deprived of the right to vote. He said that a country with a Muslim population of more than 30% is always in danger.

Obviously, situation becomes extremely dangerous for minotities when there is so much hatred and intolerance in majority ranks for them.

That is why the well-known Indian writer and political activist Arun Dutti Rai also said a few months ago that the situation for Muslims in India is heading towards genocide.

All these incidents make it clear that India is on the path to becoming a Fascist state. We see how President Trump, in his hunger for power, has put American democracy under extreme stress and threat. Even his friend Modi has no concern for India’s international reputation and democratic features.

Well known Indian journalist Khushwant Singh had rightly said in a column that “a group formed on the basis of hatred maintains its existence by creating fear and terror. In India, those who consider themselves safe not being Sikhs and Muslims are living in fool’s paradise. Soon time will come when organizations born with the ideology of Hindu supremacy will be a threat to everyone except themselves.”

Popular newspapers such as The Economist, The Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, etc. have been sharply critical of Modi’s divisive agenda and intolerance but Modi’s stubbornness and populist extremist rhetoric is growing stronger. He speaks of Gandhi’s peaceful teachings abroad but is a propagandist of extremism at home. Recently, Modi called the newly elected US President Joe Biden. Biden’s team said, among other things, that the two leaders discussed their common vision for strengthening democracy at home and abroad. However, this part was missing in the pressnote issued by Modi’s office.

The writer is an academic and writer who can be contacted at tahirkatlang039@gmail.com

تو کیا ہوجائے گا؟

by Tahir Ali Khan (Official) Jan 15, 2023

بدگمانی کا خاتمہ

by Tahir Ali Khan (Official) Jan 15, 2023

2022

by Tahir Ali Khan (Official) Dec 19, 2022

Afghan Negotiations: Problems and Concerns

Afghan Negotiations: Problems and Concerns

Tahir Ali Khan

Negotiations are underway in Qatar between the Taliban, the Afghan government and Afghan civil society. All want an early agreement for peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan, but for several difficulties and concerns, it seems distant dream at the moment.

There are lots of differences of mind and preferences, mistrust and misgivings between the two sides. Neither the United States and the Afghan government have full confidence in the Taliban, not the Taliban have in them.

These differences and misgivings exist between the rival groups as well as within each group itself. For example, when the purpose of dialogue, which is part of the 23-point code of conduct, was being written, the government wanted it to be end of the war, while the Taliban were in favor of the word jihad. Someone called for an end to the problems, but after much discussion, the words the end of the conflict were agreed upon. Or when the two sides started talks, Masoom Stanekzai, a key member of the Afghan negotiators, said, “Let’s start introduction from the left.” At this, Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s chief negotiator, said, “You guys do everything from the left, while we Mujahideen always start from the right.” It meant that from the very outset, the parties were soon mentally in the atmosphere of forty years ago when the division of the right and the left was deep and there was a tussle between the communists and the Islamists that culminated in USSR intervention in 1979.

US President Donald Trump wants a ceasefire and an Afghan peace deal in Afghanistan ahead of the November 3 US presidential election. The Afghan government also wants a ceasefire and a halt or reduction in violence, but the Taliban are not ready for any at the moment. They want to determine the future system of the government and the details of the interim government before these things happen.

The question is who will join the interim government and how will the next government be elected? Will the Taliban accept democracy and the current democratic system and contest elections as a political group? If they opt for democracy and elections, will they be able to satisfy their hardline leaders and supporters? Will they be able to give a policy regarding women, minorities and other religious sects that is acceptable to all Afghans and the world? What will be the role of Al Qaeda, ISIS, Haqqani Network and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar etc.? What will happen to the current Afghan army and former Mujahideen and their commanders? Will they get a general amnesty and be integrated into the Afghan army or will they be prosecuted?

The Taliban say that women and minorities will be given all rights according to Sharia, but they want to make Hanafi jurisprudence the law of the land. Does it have a place in the current constitution of Afghanistan and will other groups agree to it?

In addition, issues such as rule of law, permanent and interim judiciary, formation and strengthening of other institutions, accountability, distribution of resources, etc. remain to be decided.

It remains to bebseen whether the role of regional and global powers be constructive or destructive? Afghans have also to agree on a common Afghan culture and the future structure of the Afghan state?

And if President Trump loses the election, will the new president adopt his policy or will the process come to an end?

In the February 29 Taliban-US agreement, the Taliban promised not to pose a threat to the United States and its allies, not to cooperate with armed groups intent on attacking tge US, and to negotiate with the Afghan government and groups.

After fulfillment of the above promises made by the Taliban, the United States has promised to withdraw all foreign forces, including its army, lift sanctions on the Taliban, provide resources for the reconstruction of Afghanistan with the cooperation of all allies and the United Nations and not to interfere in Afghanistan in future.

This agreement was followed by the signing of a four-point declaration between the United States and the Afghan government which included the statement of Taliban’s anti-terrorism pledges, the withdrawal of foreign troops, intra-Afghan talks, a ceasefire and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a bastion of terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS.

These points are interconnected and interdependent. But no joint document has emerged on the details of their interrelationship.

So what if the Taliban declare a ceasefire tomorrow, will all its commanders accept this decision? Or if the United States says that the conditions for evacuation have not been met so the US troops will not leave and the sanctions on the Taliban will remain intact, then what will be the reaction of the Taliban?

There are concerns inside and outside the country about the future contours of Afghan government system. It is also feared that Afghanistan will again become a threat to regional and global peace. But these concerns should not be an obstacle a to constructive dialogue.

In order to pave the way for the February 29 Taliban-US agreement and the ongoing inter-Afghan talks, the Taliban, the United States and the Afghan government had to step back from many of their declared positions and make concessions to the other side. Without patience, understanding, sacrifice and sincerity, it is still difficult to succeed in negotiations.

It is hoped that through a dialogue held with a spirit of compromise and in an atmosphere free from outside foreign occupation and interference, all Afghan groups will ensure that Afghanistan is a responsible country of the international community, a center of peace and stability and not a threat to any country. Rehabilitation and reconstruction require the continued support of the international community. Other countries should also respect its independence and integrity and make it a field of cooperation, and not of a competition for pursuing their strategic interest.

At present, negotiations and violence are going on simultaneously. It is feared that a major attack could break up the talks at any time so that the parties will do good to reduce or end the violence for the success of the talks.

And until all the important Afghan ethnic, political and religious groups reach on a consensus Afghan peace agreement and Afghanistan’s own forces aren’t able to keep the whole country safe, foreign forces must stay here or else Afghanistan will be prone to a civil war again just as it did in 1989 when the Red Army had left without such Intra-Afghan agreement.

Tahir Ali Khan is a Pakistan based academic who can be reached at tahirkatlang039@gmail.com

الوداع ونگ کمانڈر ابھے نیندن!

یہ سطریں شائع ہونے تک بھارتی پائلٹ ونگ کمانڈر ابھے نیندن پاکستان سے اپنے وطن اور گھر پہنچ چکے ہوں گے۔ ہندوستان کے باشندے اور ان کے گھر والے ان کی واپسی پہ یقیناً خوش ہوں گے لیکن ہم پاکستانی ان کے جانے پرخوشی، دکھ اور فخر کے ملے جلے جذبات و احساسات سے سرشار ہیں۔ خوشی ان کی رہائی پر ہے، دکھ ان کی جدائی پر اور فخر ان کی بہترین رکھوالی پر۔

ابھے نیندن جی نہ صرف ایک بہادر فوجی نظر آئے بلکہ تعصبات سے بالاتر اور جلد گھل مل جانے والے ایک محب وطن، زیرک اور بے باک انسان کے طور پر بھی سامنے آئے۔

پیراشوٹ کے ذریعے زمین پر آئے تو انہوں نے ایک حقیقی فوجی کے طور پر اپنے حواس بحال رکھے، مقام کا پتہ لگانے کی کوشش کی، پھر پیچھا کرنے والوں کو پستول کی ہوائی فائرنگ سے ڈرانے اور اس میں ناکامی پر بھاگنے کی کوشش کی۔ جب اس میں بھی ناکام ہوئے تو اپنے ساتھ موجود اہم سرکاری مواد کو نگلنے اور پھر دریابرد کرنے کی تگ و دو کی۔ پھر ہتھیارپھینکنے سے پہلے لوگوں سے اپنی زندگی کا وعدہ لیا۔ ایک دو بندوں نے جب تھپڑ مارے تو بھی وہ نہ چیخے چلائے نہ فریاد کی بلکہ وقار کے ساتھ کھڑے رہے۔ پھر جب پاکستانی فوج کے دو سپاہی پہنچے تو انہیں اپنا سرکاری نمبر بتایا اور جب سپاہی نے اپنے افسر کو نمبر بتانے میں غلطی کی تو انہوں نے، باوجود یہ کہ انہیں زمین پر گرا کر ان کی گردن دبوچی گئی تھی، بلند آواز سے جرأت کے ساتھ غلطی کی دو دفعہ تصحیح کی تھی۔

اگرچہ انہوں نے پاکستانی فوج کی پیشہ ورانہ صلاحیت اور اپنی بہترین رکھوالی پر ان کا شکریہ ادا کیا، چائے کا لطف اٹھایا، ہمارے فوجی افسر کے ساتھ بے تکلفی سے بات چیت کی لیکن کوئی پیشہ ورانہ معلومات دینے سے صاف انکار کیا۔

ابھے نیندن ایک محب وطن ہندوستانی کے طور پر پاکستان ”شکار“ کی تلاش میں آئے تھے لیکن ان کا جہاز خود شکار ہوگیا۔ وہ خود بچ گئے اور زیادہ خوشی کی بات یہ کہ کہ ان کی زندگی اور امن کے نام پر رہائی کے ساتھ جنگ کے امکانات بھی کم یا ختم ہوگئے۔

واہگہ سرحد پر جس خندہ پیشانی اور فوجی وقار کے ساتھ وہ کھڑے تھے اس سے بالکل پتہ نہیں چلتا تھا کہ یہ ہندوستان کی نظر میں ایک دشمن ملک کی سرزمین پر اور ایک ”دشمن“ فوج کے درمیان کھڑا کوئی جنگجو تھا بلکہ جیسے کوئی اپنے پیاروں کے درمیان کھڑا ہوا ہے۔

ابھے نیندن جی آئے، دکھائی دیے اور اپنے رکھ رکھاٶ سے پاکستانیوں کو اپنا گرویدہ بنا کر چلے گئے۔

ابھے نیندن جی نے تو پاکستانی فوج کی محبت اور پیشہ ورانہ انسان دوست انداز و اطوار دیکھ لیے۔ امید ہے باقی ہندوستانی بھی جلد ماضی کی باہمی نفرت اور غلطیوں کو بھلا کر پاکستان کو اپنا ایک ہمدرد اور پیارا پڑوسی سمجھنا اوراس کے ساتھ امن سے رہنا شروع کر دیں گے۔

ابھے نیندن جی بڑے خوش قسمت نکلے کہ نہ ان کے پردھان منتری نریندر مودی نے ان کی رہائی کے لیے کوئی اپیل کی اور نہ اس ضمن میں ہمارے وزیر اعظم عمران خان کی طرف سے کی گئی کالز کا جواب دیا لیکن پھر بھی صرف امن اور صلح کے نام پر وزیر اعظم عمران خان نے ان کو رہا کرنے کا اعلان کیا۔ اب یہ بڑی بدقسمتی کی بات ہوگی اگر ہندوستانی حکومت اور میڈیا اس کو مجبوری میں لیا گیا اقدام قرار دے۔ اس سے صرف امن کی آشا کو ہی نقصان پہنچے گا۔

ابھے نیندن جی نے کہا تھا میں واپس جاکر پاکستانی فوج کی تعریف والا اپنا بیان واپس نہیں لوں گا۔ ایسا ہوگیا تو وہ قول و قرار کے پکے بھی ثابت ہو جائیں گے۔ دعا ہے کہ ان کی رہائی مستقبل میں دونوں پڑوسی ملکوں کے درمیان امن اور دوستی پروان چڑھانے میں معاون ہو۔

پاکستانی فوج کے جن جوانوں کے ساتھ وہ رہے وہ اور پاکستانی عوام ان کو مس کریں گے۔ امید ہے وہ بھی وہاں پاکستان اور ہندوستان کے درمیان پرامن بقائے باہمی کے علمبرداروں کی نحیف آواز کو مضبوط بنائیں گے.

 

حالیہ پاک بھارت کشیدگی کے چند مظاہر

حالیہ پاک بھارت کشیدگی کے چند مظاہر

طاہرعلی خان

https://www.humsub.com.pk/217342/tahir-ali-khan-22/

پاکستان اور ہندوستان کے درمیان حالیہ کشیدگی کے دوران جہاں چند افسوسناک چیزیں دیکھی گئیں وہاں کچھ قابل فخر مظاہر بھی سامنے آئے ہیں۔ پلوامہ میں ایک کشمیری نوجوان نے ایک فوجی کانواٸے پر خود کش حملہ کیا تو ہندوستانی حکومت اور ذراٸع ابلاغ کی اکثریت نے بلاتحقیق پاکستان کو مورد الزام ٹھہرانے اور اس کو سزا دینے کی باتیں شروع کردیں۔

بی جے پی حکومت بظاہر آٸندہ انتخابات میں پاکستان مخالف جذبات پیدا کرکے فاٸدہ اٹھانا چاہتی تھی چنانچہ ہندوستانی وزرإ اور صحافی منہ سے آگ برساتے رہے۔ یہ ایک غیر منصفانہ اورمعیوب طرزعمل تھا۔ ان کے برعکس پاکستانی وزرا، صحافی اور فوجی ترجمان وقار، تمکنت اور ہوش مندی کے قابل فخر نمونے دکھاٸی دیٸے۔ انہوں نے سرحد پار انتقام پر تلے پڑوسیوں کو جنگ کی تباہ کاریوں کا احساس بھی دلایا اور دلاٸل سے ان کے الزامات کو تہس نس بھی کر دیا۔

ہندوستانی حکومت نے جب پاکستان میں فضاٸی کاررواٸی کا مضحکہ خیز دعویٰ کیا تو اس کے بعد ان کے وزرا اور میڈیا نے پاکستان کا جس طرح مذاق اڑایا اور اپنے ”کارنامے“ پر جس طرح اتراتے رہے، وہ حد درجہ معیوب اور قابل افسوس تھا۔ اس کے برعکس پاکستان نے ان کے دو جہاز گراٸے اور پاٸلٹ پکڑا تو ان کی طرح شیخی خوری کے بجاٸے وقار و عاجزی دکھاٸی اور پاکستانی وزیراعظم نے پھر تحقیقات میں مدد اور امن مذاکرات کی پیشکش کا اعادہ کیا۔ یہ پاکستان کی اخلاقی فتح اور فخر کی بات تھی۔

اس پورے بحران کے دوران دنیا کی ”بڑی جمہوریت“ نے بریفنگ میں کسی صحافی کو سوال کرنے کا موقع نہیں دیا۔ اس کےبرعکس پاکستانی وزرإ اور فوج کے ترجمان ہر قسم کے سوال و جواب کے لیے دستیاب رہے۔ پاکستان یہاں بھی نکھر کر سامنے آیا۔

اگرچہ کٸ سال سے پاکستان باربار ہندوستان کو مذاکرات کی دعوت دیتا آرہا ہے لیکن ہندوستان رعونت سے مذاکرات سے انکار حتیٰ کہ پاکستان سے کھیلوں تک میں باٸیکاٹ پر اتر آیا۔

پاکستان نے پلوامہ حملے پر دکھ کا اظہار کیا اور تحقیقات میں مدد اور مذاکرات کی پیشکش کی تو ہندوستان نے اسے پاکستان کی کمزوری یا بزدلی گردانتے ہوٸے توجہ ہی نہیں دی اور انتقام انتقام کی لاگ الاپتا رہا۔ اس کے باوجود ہمارے وزرا اور فوجی ترجمان یاد لاتے رہے کہ جنگ میں صرف انسانیت ہی ہارتی ہے۔ یہ ایک باعزت قوم کا طرزعمل تھا۔

پاکستانی سپاہی مقبول حسین جو 1965 کی جنگ میں ہندوستان کا قیدی بنا تو اس کی زبان کاٹ دی گٸ اور جب 40 سال کے بعد وہ رہا ہوا تو جسمانی طور پر معذور تھا۔ اس کے برعکس پاکستانی فوج نے بھارتی پاٸلٹ ونگ کمانڈر ابھی نیندن کو عوام کے غیظ و غضب سے بچایا اور عزت دی۔ پاکستان یہاں بھی جیت گیا۔

اور اب امن اور خیر سگالی کے جذبے کے تحت پاکستانی وزیراعظم نے گرفتار بھارتی پاٸلٹ کو یکم مارچ سے رہا کرنے کا اعلان کردیا۔ یہ ریاست پاکستان اور سرحد کے دونوں جانب موجود امن پسندوں کی بڑی اخلاقی فتح ہے۔ لیکن اس اعلان کا خیر مقدم کرنے کے بجاٸے بعض ہندوستانی صحافی اسے پاکستان پر دباؤ کا نتیجہ قرار دیں یا کہیں کہ ہم نے پاکستان کو ابھی نیندن کو رہا کرنے پر مجبور کردیا ہے تو یہ ہندوستانی قوم کے لیے کوٸی قابل فخر طرزعمل نہیں ہے۔

پاکستان نے اپنے طرزعمل سے ثابت کردیا کہ یہ امن و انسانیت سے پیار کرنے والے، باعزت اور قومی سالمیت کےبارے میں حساس لوگوں کی سرزمین ہے۔ یہ جنگ سے نفرت کرتے ہیں لیکن اگر ان پر مسلط کی جاٸے تو اس میں کودنے کو سعادت سمجھتے ہیں۔ کیا وزیراعظم نریندر مودی کو ایسے پیارے پڑوسی کو دشمن کی جگہ غنیمت نہیں سمجھنا چاہیے؟

اس بحران کے دوران پاکستان کی پوری سیاسی ومذہبی قیادت، حزب اختلاف اور صحافی حکومت اور فوج کے پیچھے کھڑے رہے۔ یہ ایک قابل فخر مظہر ہے۔ اس میں موجودہ حکمران جماعت کے لیے بھی سبق ہے جو ماضی میں بعض ایسے مواقع پر قومی اتفاق راٸے دکھانے میں مانع رہی۔

موجودہ حزب اختلاف نے وزیراعظم عمران خان کو ہندوستان اپنا ایلچی بھیجنے پر، نہ ہی مذاکرات کی بار بار پیشکش پر اور نہ ہی غیر مشروط طور پر، بغیر وزیر اعظم مودی کی اپیل کے، اچانک گرفتار بھارتی پاٸلٹ کی رہاٸی کے اعلان پر غداری اور ملک دشمنی کا طعنہ دیا۔ یہ ایک قابل رشک روایت ہے۔ کیا برسراقتدار جماعت اس سے سیکھنے کے لیے تیار ہے؟

To PM Modi and India

To Modi and India

We remind you of wisdom and sense but find you always indulging yourself in suspense and nonsense.

We talk of poverty alleviation but your every act leads to tension aggravation.

We talk of construction but you conspire for destruction and obstruction.

We remind you of civility and responsibility but you only like vanity and insanity.

Byt Remember that he who hatches mischief is ultimately caught by mischief.

And that outbreak of war, like a devil, is easy to raise but difficult to lay and subdue.

Take pity on your morally and politically ailing and demoralized forces and civil population fed up with your interminable and insatiable love for blood.

But if you are not ready to heed our love for peace and bent on bringing havoc to your country and the region,

And consider our patience as weakness or cowardice, which it is not,

Then listen! you will come to grief when we respond but responsibility thereof will rest only at your shoulders.

So, step back, express a remorse over what you have done, seek forgiveness and behave as a normal human being.

Taken with edition and addition from FB wall of Prof Fazal Hanan

سعودی عرب، پاکستان اور ہندوستان

سعودی عرب، پاکستان اور ہندوستان

طاہر علی خان

سعودی عرب کے ولی عہد شہزادہ محمد بن سلمان کے حالیہ دورہ پاکستان میں سعودی عرب نے پاکستان میں 20 ارب ڈالر کی سرمایہ کاری کے مفاہمتی یادداشتوں پر دستخط کیے۔ اس کے بعد مگر ان کے دورہ ہندوستان میں سرکاری شعبے میں 28 ارب ڈالر کے مفاہمتی یادداشتوں پر دستخط سمیت سعودی عرب جنرل انوسمنٹ اتھارٹی نے ہندوستان کے نجی شعبے کے ساتھ اربوں ڈالرز کے 11 مزید مفاہمتی یادداشتوں پر دستخط کیے۔ شہزادہ محمد نے ہندوستان میں ایک تقریب میں یہ بھی کہا کہ اگلے دوسالوں میں انہیں سعودی عرب کی طرف سے ہندوستان میں 100 ارب ڈالر سے زیادہ کی سرمایہ کاری کے امکانات نظر آ رہے ہیں۔

یاد رہے ہندوستان اور سعودی عرب کے باہمی تجارت کا حجم 18۔ 2017 میں تقریباً 28 ارب ڈالر تھا جبکہ سعودی عرب ہندوستان کا چوتھا بڑا تجارتی پارٹنر بھی ہے۔ اس کے برعکس پاکستان اور سعودی عرب کے باہمی تجارت کا حجم محض 3.4 ارب ڈالر ہے۔ 2010 میں یہ حجم 4 ارب ڈالر تھا۔ سعودی عرب کی طرف سے پاکستان میں براہ راست غیرملکی سرمایہ کاری کا حجم پچھلے مالی سال میں صرف 17.4 ملین ڈالر تھا۔

شہزادہ محمد نے دورے کے دوران نہ صرف ہندوستانی وزیراعظم نریندر مودی کو اپنا بڑا بھائی قرار دیا بلکہ ان کی درخواست پر ہندوستان کا حج کوٹہ دو لاکھ تک بڑھانے اور سعودی عرب کی جیلوں میں قید تقریباً 900 ہندوستانیوں کو رہا کرنے کا اعلان بھی کردیا۔

ہمارے ہاں عام خیال ہے کہ پاکستان کو اہم گردانتے ہوئے ہی ولی عہد شہزادہ محمد نے خود کو سعودی عرب میں پاکستان کا سفیر قرار دیا جبکہ ہمارے وزیراعظم کی کرشماتی شخصیت ہی کی وجہ سے وہ پاکستان کا حج کوٹہ بڑھانے اور 2000 پاکستانیوں کو قید سے رہا کرنے پر آمادہ ہوئے تھے۔

کیا ہندوستان اور اس کے وزیراعظم نریندر مودی کو اتنی زیادہ اہمیت دینے کا مطلب یہ ہے کہ سعودی عرب اورجناب محمد بن سلمان کی نظر میں پاکستانی وزیر اعظم عمران خان اور ان کے ہندوستانی منصب مودی یا پاکستان اور ہندوستان یکساں مقام رکھتے ہیں؟

اور یہ اس کے باوجود کہ پاکستان ان کا ایک برادر اسلامی ملک اور ہندوستان مسلمانوں کے دشمن اسرائیل کا قریبی دوست، کشمیر کے لاکھوں مسلمانوں کا قاتل اور ”کافروں“ کاملک ہے ؟ اگرچہ ہمارے انقلابی یہ بات نہیں مانتے لیکن حقیقت یہ ہے کہ سب ممالک اپنے بین الاقوامی تعلقات مذہبی رشتے نہیں بلکہ اپنے مفادات کی بنیاد پر بناتے اور رکھتے ہیں۔ دوسرے ممالک ہماری طرح بیگانی شادی میں عبداللہ دیوانہ نہیں ہوتے۔ جہاں سے بھی ان کو فائدہ ملتا ہو اس ملک یا ممالک سے راہ و رسم بڑھانا اور تجارت کرنا ان کے حکمران اپنا قومی فریضہ سمجھتے ہیں۔

اس میں کوئی شک نہیں کہ سعودی عرب نے تقریباً ہر تکلیف اور ضرورت کے وقت پاکستان کی مدد کی ہے اور وہاں موجود پاکستانی تارکین وطن ہر سال تقریباً 5 ارب ڈالرز کا زرمبادلہ بھیجتے ہیں لیکن پاکستان نے بھی تقریباً ہر مسئلے پر ان کا ساتھ دیا ہے۔ پاکستانی تارکین وطن نے سعودی عرب کی جدید تعمیر و ترقی میں اہم کردار ادا کیا جبکہ پاکستانی فوج نے ان کی فوجی استعداد بڑھانے اور دفاع کو یقینی بنانے کے لیے خود کو وقف کیا ہوا ہے۔ یعنی اس تعلق میں دونوں کا ہی فائدہ تھا اور ہے اس لیے یہ برقرار رہا اور پروان چڑھتا رہا۔ اس کی کوئی دوسری وجہ نہیں۔

تاہم پاکستان کے لیے ان کے دورہ ہندوستان میں خوشی کی خبر یہ ہے کہ ہندوستان کی خواہش کے باوجود شہزادہ محمد نے اپنے دورے کے دوران یا اختتام پر سرکاری اعلامیہ میں پاکستان یا اس کی کسی تنظیم کو پلوامہ حملے میں موردالزام ٹھہرانے سے اجتناب برتا۔ اس کے برعکس اعلامیہ میں مودی نے ان کے ساتھ مان لیا کہ

”The two sides stressed the importance of regional stability and good neighbouring relations۔ “

یعنی دونوں ملکوں نے علاقائی استحکام اور اچھے پڑوسی تعلقات کی اہمیت پر زور دیا۔
وزیراعظم مودی جس انداز میں پاکستان کے خلاف بولتے ہیں اس کو مدنظر رکھتے ہوئے اس اعلامیہ پر دستخط ان کے لیے یقیناً ایک سخت مشکل اور ناخوشگوار فیصلہ ہوا ہوگا۔

Lessons from Quaid’s life

Lessons from Quaid´s Life

By Tahir Ali Khani
The nation celebrated the Birth anniversary of Quaide Azam (May Allah grant him the highest of paradises) yesterday.

This celebration must also be a will to learn from his life.

Here are some of the characteristics of his character we all need to follow and a few lessons from his life we must learn and remember.

The Quaid´s life, character and mindset can be summarized as follows.

1. He was a man of great honesty. integrity, intellect and sagacity.

2. He could neither be deceived nor intimidated nor bribed.

3. He was sincere and strongly committed to his nation and cause and did all he could to win Pakistan.

4. He was a great believer in a constitutional, legal and peaceful democratic political struggle. He believed in democracy, freedom, respect of other´s rights and rule of law. He always followed laws and never violated them.

5. He neither believed nor ever resorted to militancy, underground struggle and extremism. He was above narrow religious sectarianism, regional or linguistic tendencies. That´s why all sections of society rallied behind him.

6. He never indulged himself in corruption. Rather, he dedicated all his personal wealth to schools and colleges.

7. He worked with a great passion but with patience. He never abused his political opponents. he was strong and firm but very polite and respectful.

8. He believed in hardwork. He would think before speaking and taking a decision. And once he reached at a decision after careful deliberation, none and nothing could move him from his chosen path.

9. He always took decisions in the light of ground realities and opted for the best possible path open to the nation. He never opted for emotionalism and populism.

10. So, the nation, our leaders and rulers need to learn the ideals of democracy, integrity, honesty, constitutional and peaceful political struggle, respect of rule of law, passion and patience, hardwork, sincerity, respect for others, tolerance and moderation from his life.

West’s Double Standards

West’s Double Standards: An Unending threat for the World?

Tahir Ali Khan

-https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wests-double-standards-an-unending-threat-for-the-world/

May 7, 2018

 

When the Syrian regime was accused of using chemical weapons in Syria in April this year, US President Trump immediately issued a tweet describing the Syrian President Basharul Asad as “an animal” who gassed his own people.

And when anti-government demonstrations erupted in several Iranian cities earlier this year, the US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley was quick to embrace their cause. “The Iranian regime’s contempt for the rights of its people has been widely documented for many years,” she told the UN Security Council session.

However, the US, conversely, has been keeping mum over human rights violations perpetrated by its allies; Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt. The US, instead, supported them with money, weapons and deals despite their anti-democracy agendas and ruthless suppression of political opponents. The United States even continues to assist Saudi Arabia in its atrocity-ridden military intervention in Yemen.

As Israel’s biggest ally, the US has used its UN Security Council veto dozens of times to protect the Jewish state from resolutions condemning illegal settlements to violence against Palestinians.

Most of the big powers take pains to portray themselves as humane, lovers and protectors of rights and democracy, yet the reality is quite different. They often indulge themselves in double standards and selective morality, unmatched with their known commitments to justice and liberties.

Read more: Syrian imbroglio

The United States, particularly, has been supporting extremely repressive regimes like the Shah of Iran, Nicaragua’s Somoza family, Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek, and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and military dictators like Egypt’s Abdul Fatah Alsisi and Pakistan’s Zia-ul-haq. The discriminatory US policy on intended Indian and Pakistani membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is another classic case of double standard.

Pakistan and India applied for NSG membership in 2016. Though the signing of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a prerequisite for entry and India is yet to sign it, the US is spearheading efforts to waiver the NPT- signing exemption for India. And the United States has added seven Pakistani companies to a list of foreign entities that are subject to stringent export control measures, a move that could hamper Pakistan’s bid to join NSG.

The US has also signed nuclear deal with India but Pakistan has been denied the same deal. The pact between the US and India exempts military facilities and stockpiles of nuclear fuel from scrutiny by the International Atomic Energy agency which has enabled India to sign nuclear cooperation agreements with Japan, Russia, France, Britain, South Korea, Canada, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Namibia.

India rejects this line, insisting Kashmir is a bilateral dispute between the two countries.

The abuse of Veto power

The constitution of the UN Security Council is anything but justice. There is no equality of opportunity to every member state. Veto power given to big powers, therein gives undue leverage to them in getting things done as against the smaller ones. Which means that if any P-5 member or its ally is the aggressor or wrongdoer, no adverse action is possible against it as the P-5 member vetoes any such move. As Israel’s biggest ally, the US has used its UN Security Council veto dozens of times to protect the Jewish state from resolutions condemning illegal settlements to violence against Palestinians.

Read more: Germany’s Syria Strategy

While Israel is allowed to stockpile loads of nuclear arms and no hostile military action is initiated against it even if it blatantly and arrogantly rejects UN resolutions on halt of extension in settlements, Iraq is attacked and its cities turned into heaps of debris under the false pretext that it’s preparing/piling weapons of mass destruction despite report to the contrary by UN inspectors who had been deputed there.

And while there is continuous silence on blatant heinous human violations by “allies” such as Israel, there is a strong reaction to similar incidents perpetrated by “others” such as Saddam Hussain’s era Iraq.

Selective morality and double standards

And it is nothing but double standard and selective morality if Israel that openly violates/rejects international laws, UN resolutions and any serious effort for peaceful solution of its issues with Palestinians is equated with/ preferred over Palestinians whose lands have been usurped and who are being displaced and denied human rights.

Veto power given to big powers, therein gives undue leverage to them in getting things done as against the smaller ones.

Catalonia’s recent example, where Spain arrested an elected leader Carles Puidgemont for holding a separatist referendum, is ironic how the western world, across Europe, has united to extradite an elected Spanish leader, with popular mandate, yet is often seen providing asylums (and perhaps other help) to violent insurgent leaders from Baloch insurgency in Pakistan.

Read more: Wrath for separatists in Spain but sympathy for Baloch insurgents from Pakistan: Europe’s Double Standards?

Another example is their take on Pak- India relations. With both being nuclear powers, a war between the two can have dangerous repercussions for global peace. But the US and  Britain famously urge Pakistan and India to resolve their issues through mutual negotiations.

As India is not ready to talk to Pakistan, accusing Pakistan of state terrorism, Pakistan rightly urges major powers for mediation on Kashmir. India rejects this line, insisting Kashmir is a bilateral dispute between the two countries.

When the US and Britain insist India and Pakistan should resolve their dispute through mutual dialogue and refuse to mediate or condemn India for its atrocities in Kashmir, they are actually toeing Indian lines.

An extremist Hindu fundamentalist party, is voted to power with a clear majority in the 2014 Indian General Elections

It is but injustice if India which is clearly the wrongdoer being violator of several UN resolutions on Kashmir and whose leaders openly admit helping breaking up Pakistan in 1971 and vowing to drying up Pakistan against all international norms – is treated at par with Pakistan -which is trying its level best to bring India to the negotiation table for resolution of its disputes with it though unsuccessfully so far.

Read more: Russia, Turkey, Iran to hold Syria talks

One fails to understand how can Pakistan and India resolve their disputes peacefully and through mutual discussions when India is not ready to talk to Pakistan and powerful nations are silent spectators lest any offer for mediation or any criticism of perpetrated state-violence by India in Kashmir displease India – a big economic market.

The US and Britain say they are perturbed over violence in Kashmir and urge patience. It is welcome but what is objectionable is when the oppressor is not asked to refrain from using brute force against the peaceful demonstrators and the unarmed oppressed Kashmiri civilians are not openly supported in their fight for self-determination allowed and promised to them by UN resolutions in 1948, 1949 and by the Indian leadership till 1957 before Kashmir was made an integral part of Indian federation.

Stereotyping Muslim Nations

Another example of this double standard is the stereotype mindset that eyes all Muslim nation/states as extremists. Never has any extremist political or religious group obtained absolute majority in any Muslim country in any general elections. Such groups either don’t have the courage to take part and if they do, they have the lowest popular support base, often standing at less than one percent.

Iraq is attacked and its cities turned into heaps of debris under the false pretext that it’s preparing/piling weapons of mass destruction despite report to the contrary by UN inspectors who had been deputed there.

While Pakistan is considered an intolerant and extremist society, no  extremist group ever has obtained absolute majority here. For example, the Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan, an Islamic fundamentalist party, obtained only 0.4 percent of the total polled 46 million votes in the 2013 elections while Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek Insaf having tolerant, democratic and anti-extremism credentials jointly polled around 30 million of the total votes.

Read more: Syrian government forces announce Yarmouk camp evacuation agreement

But India is considered one of the biggest democratic and liberal society in the world despite the fact that Prime Minister Narendara Modi’s Bharatia Janata Party, an extremist Hindu fundamentalist party, is voted to power with a clear majority in the 2014 Indian General Elections –it contested on 437 seats of the total 543 seats in the LoK Sabha and grabbed 282 seats, polling over 31 percent of the total polled votes.

The US and other states may have plausible arguments and reasons for persisting in such double standards. But they need to be candid and acknowledge that their decisions are based on cold calculations of national interest, not ethical considerations. They should at least spare us the pretense that they care about human rights and liberties.

Tahir Ali Khan is an academic with over 28 years experience and blogger. He has written over 700 articles. He blogs at http://www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahirkatlang039@gmail.com

Pak-US ties: A tale of one-sided love

Pak-US relations: A tale of one-sided love
By Tahir Ali Khan

https://dailytimes.com.pk/236047/pak-us-relations-a-tale-of-one-sided-love/

Pakistan is an ally of the US in the War on Terror (WoT). Despite having done more than any other ally in the WoT, it is accused of not having done enough to wipe out terrorism.
Feeling neglected, Pakistan has responded with its improved relations and alliance with China and Russia. And it now says it has done enough and it is the US that has to do more now on that front.
A comparative study of what Pakistan and the USA have been doing for each other show the relationship has been a sad story of one-sided love.
Ignoring the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)’s invitation for a visit in 1951, Pakistan’s then Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan flew to the USA. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower requested Pakistani Prime Minister Mr Suhrawardy to lease Peshawar Air Station to the American Army for keeping an eye on the USSR and its ballistic missile programme. Pakistan accepted. All this annoyed the Communist regime. It threw its entire weight later in India’s favour, armed it tooth and nail and supported it abundantly.
Pakistan opted for the US and the “Free World” but had been left to tackle eventualities on its own. It joined the SEATO and CENTO thinking that the US/West would come to its rescue but it did quite the opposite. In 1965, when India attacked Pakistan, the USA, instead of supporting it militarily or financially being an ally, slapped sanctions on supply of military equipments to Pakistan. And in 1971, USA’s Seventh Fleet “couldn’t arrive in time” to defend it against USSR supported Indian aggression leading to its dismemberment.
Pakistan had successfully negotiated a deal between USA and China in 70’s. A Chinese leader during these parleys had reportedly told the US envoy not to neglect Pakistan but the US quickly abandoned its ally and silently allowing India to dismember it with the support of the USSR.
In April 1979, the US administration that had whole-heartedly supported the Israeli atomic programme and the “Jewish” Bomb, accusing Pakistan of trying to have an “Islamic” Bomb and citing military dictatorship, imposed sanctions on Pakistan.
However a few months later, when it needed Pakistan’s help against the Red forces in Afghanistan, the US changed course, forgot about dictatorship and the “Islamic Bomb” and sent Dr. Berznisky with a package to Pakistan. Pakistan fought for the West. But when their interests were safeguarded with the defeat and withdrawal of USSR from there, the US/the west left it to bear the sinister aftermath of the militancy alone. Agonisingly, the threat of Pakistan’s nuclear programme surfaced again. And in 1990, as the country by then had lost its strategic importance, the US, under the Pressler amendment, imposed sanctions on Pakistan, whereby every kind of military assistance was banned again to Pakistan. During those years, it did everything to deprive Pakistan of its indigenous nuclear and missile development programme.
This US indifference and double standards with Pakistan continued until the tragedy of 9/11 again made vital Pakistan’s help. Musharraf, the very man who was not entitled to a Photo-session with the US President for being a dictator, became their ‘friend’ overnight. All sanctions were lifted against Pakistan. Pakistan jumped into the WoT. But even then it was made just Non-NATO ally. While Pakistan was denied any atomic energy, with India a civilian nuclear deal was finalised.
The US administration was so selfish vis-à-vis Pakistan that though Pakistan had paid for F16s aircrafts, it neither handed over the F16s to it nor returned the money it had paid for them. Instead, it took from it the maintenance expenditures for these F16s which were held back by the US for sanctions.
Pakistan has come to help/rescue the US twice in Afghanistan. In 1980s, it joined hands with it to defeat the invaders –the USSR. In 2001, it supported it though the US was itself an invader. Then it fought the puppet regime in Kabul; now it supports their ‘puppet regime’ there. Then, they dubbed ‘Mujahideen’ as freedom fighters and Pakistan accepted. Now they dub them terrorists and it accepts even now. Pakistan allowed American army to use its military bases for launching attacks on Afghan soil.
Pakistan even killed its citizens the US considered as its enemies. The US said Dr. Abdul Qadeer is “guilty” of nuclear proliferation and he was immediately put under house arrest. Pakistan even arrested Mulla Zaeef- Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan- for the US for the first time ever in world’s history. It had arrested more than 500 top Alqaeda associates and handed them over to it. Alqaeda since then has attacked Pakistani leaders frequently. Alqaeda had done no harm to Pakistan till then. Pakistan became their enemy when it supported the US in WoT.
The WoT and the resultant militancy and terrorism have badly impacted Pakistan’s economy. Careful estimates put the overall loss at around $120bn. It has resulted into the deaths of thousands of its valiant security personnel and civilians in terrorist acts. But despite all this, it openly questions Pakistan’s commitment to WoT and is still far from being satisfied.
Pakistan arrests and kills the enemies of the US –like Alqaeda, Daesh and Afghan Taliban –considering them its own enemies. But the US openly befriends Pakistan’s enemies and renders them every diplomatic, military, scientific and financial help. It has had ignored and didn’t target the militants fighting against Pakistan until recently. It attacks its territory (the Silala attack), meddles in its internal affairs and thus creates problems for its leaders.
Pakistan needs to be dealt fairly and respectfully as an ally. The policy of doubting its intentions and demanding more from Pakistan will hardly do the US any favour. It only will push Pakistan away towards more reliable allies in China and Russia.

Tahir Ali Khan is an academic and researcher. He blogs at http://www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahirkatlang039@gmail.com

Appeasement or Constitutionalism

Appeasement or constitutionalism?

https://dailytimes.com.pk/149023/appeasement-or-constitutionalism/

The government, no doubt, mishandled the situation. It should have called a meeting of all political parties, a joint session of Parliament and a meeting of the powerful national security council to discuss and devise a strategy on how to dislodge the TLY dharnas.

Tahir Ali Khan

NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Following the government’s failure to disperse the Faizabad sit-in and later the countrywide sit-ins by the Tahreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasoolullah (TLY) it is obvious that the government would have to talk to the agitators and submit to some of its demands. If any talks were to be held between the government and TLY, the former won’t be talking from a position of strength and it would have to submit to demands of the latter.

The wording of the mutual pact brokered by the establishment clearly gives the non-state actor TLY an upper hand on several counts.

The agreement has been signed with a party that has flouted court orders, broken laws with impunity, and openly indulged in hate-speech. It is an agreement between law breakers and law-enforcers but the latter representing the state have been admonished one-sidedly.

As per the agreement, the non-state actor TLY has been cleared of all charges. It neither has to express remorse nor seek apology from the millions of Pakistanis who were drastically affected by their dharnas.

All of its workers have to be freed within three days, cases and orders for their home-confinement have to be withdrawn and no legal action has to be taken against them. How would the government be able to release TLY agitators who have been booked under Anti-Terrorism Act remains unclear.

According to the agreement, it was the government that made things worse. The TLY is a ‘peaceful’ party but it is the government that aggravated the situation by use of force. It has to fulfill all the private and public damages caused duringdharnas. But why the provincial and federal government has to pay for damages caused by the dharnaholders is inconceivable.

The government has also committed itself to form an enquiry board, taking TLY into confidence, to ascertain the culprits for the November 25th action and to punish those responsible within 30 days. However, no such enquiry is to be conducted against the TLY for violation of laws and damaging public or private properties.

An ideal situation would have been that the agitators had called off their dharna within the deadline given first by the Islamabad High Court and then by the Islamabad administration, but it was ultimately the government that had to succumb to political pressure, renege on its basic responsibility to restore the writ of the state and to prosecute all those who were arrested during this legal campaign.

These are not welcome signs for rule of law and the sovereignty of the state. Anyone who believes in rule of law and infallibility and non-divisibility of sovereignty of the state must have been shocked.

Though the resignation of law minister, as per the agreement, is likely to set a very dangerous precedent, the matter will not come to an end with this. Such appeasement will embolden the TLY and its demands will continue rising after this. A group of TLY has already asked for resignation of Sanaullah, Punjab law minister. Such appeasement has neither worked before nor will be of any benefit towards solution of the current problem.

It was expected that no political, religious or social figure would support these agitators and instead openly support the state institutions but though there had been no criticism by some leaders -like Imran Khan, Sirajul Haq etc- of the prolonged illegal blockade of roads by the TLY, the government has been continuously and severely criticised all these days by them.

Opposition politicians even went a step ahead of the TLY. While it demanded only resignation of the law minister, they were demanding resignations of interior minister and even prime minister for “mishandling the situation.” Emboldened by this backing, the TLY too was seen pressing for the resignation of entire federal cabinet.

The Pakistan Army spokesman too had reported the Army chief to have asked the government “to handle the issue peacefully avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in national interest and cohesion.”

The advice may have stemmed from a sincere wish to bring peace, but it cannot be denied that only the state has the authority to use force — which is called the monopoly of violence — and no non-state actor — group or individual — has any such privilege vis-à-vis the state.

While the state has had all legitimate right to use force to disperse the dharna after peaceful attempts to do so failed, the other side- a non-state actor- must have obeyed the law. When it confronted the state, and continued with its intransigence, it should have been openly criticised, opposed and clearly asked to behave. Rather than equating the two and urging both to avoid violence, all democratic forces and constitutional institutions must have openly and clearly voiced support for the state. How can the state and a non-state actor be dealt equally when the former is trying to establish writ of the state while the latter is trying to resist and refuse to submit to the law of the land and the court decisions?

The two sides of the present situation cannot be dealt with equally. Whereas on one side is the state and its institutions, on the other one is a non-state actor. The latter was not ready to pay any heed to allow people free movement despite repeated requests from intermediaries and orders from courts. But when the government -the executive organ of the state and representative of its sovereign power- started operation to ensure free movement on the roads, some politicians, who had remained tight-lipped thus far on the illegal blocking of roads by the TLY, started severely criticising the government for resorting to violence.

Criticising the government alone for not solving the issue through peaceful talks and resorting to use of force is sheer injustice. In fact, ever since the sit-in began 20 days ago, the government had been using all available channels to talk to the TLY leadership and tried its level best to make it call off the dharna. It was the TLY leadership that was not ready to budge even an inch from its stated position or to accept any request by mediators and orders from court to disperse peacefully. What would the government do in such a situation? To remain silent spectator and thus not only deviate from its foremost responsibility of ensuring law and order and establishment of writ of the state but also risk annoying the IHC and SCP that were calling for ending this illegal dharna quickly?

Another thing that merits attention is the way the “workers” of the TLY battled with the law enforcement agencies’ personnel. They were not ordinary workers and looked like highly trained individuals. It is never easy for ordinary political workers to confront, tease and defeat the trained and experienced LEA personnel. And where did they get gas masks, gas guns and other apparatus must also be investigated.

The government, no doubt, mishandled the situation. It should have called a meeting of all political parties, a joint session of parliament and a meeting of the powerful national Security Council to discuss and devise a strategy on how to dislodge the TLY dharna. It didn’t.

And it was naturally reluctant to use force as it felt this would fetch it against the powerful and now resilient Brelvi school of thought to which the TLY belongs. As always, it was groping in the dark pinning hopes on religious personalities that had no influence on the TLY to change its mind on demands and dharna. The official powerful civilian cum military channel was not considered on time. The result is that its reluctance to use the above official channels and to use force unless ordered to do so by court and that too in a haphazard manner has endangered the authority of the state vis-à-vis a non-state actor.

Change in government and policies must be brought and allowed only through popular vote and parliament. Dharnas cannot and must not be allowed to dictate terms and force ministers and governments to resign. Constitutionalism and Rule of law must not be compromised. Submission and Appeasement to one such group is tantamount to giving up constitutionalism forever which will have dangerous repercussions for the country.

The writer is an academic and researcher who has written extensively on political and social issues. He blogs at http://www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahir_katlang@yahoo.com

Published in Daily Times, November 29th 2017.

Selective morality of powerful states

Selective morality by powerful states

https://dailytimes.com.pk/145407/selective-morality-powerful-states/

“Morality and justice demand that one must have the moral strength to call a spade a spade” — Plato

Tahir Ali Khan

NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Though inter-state relations are predominantly governed by national interests, powerful states are not justified in the exhibition of selective morality and being unfair in their foreign relations.

Unfortunately, most of the global powers — like the US, Russia and Britain follow policies that aren’t consistent with their known commitments to justice and liberty. This injustice — or selective morality- is clearly visible in the constitution of the UN Security Council. Veto power in the hands of the great powers means that if any P-5 member or their allies is the aggressor or wrongdoer and the entire world unites against it in the UN, no adverse action is possible as the P-5 member vetoes any suggestion.

Another example is their take on Pak- India relations. Their relations, with both being nuclear powers, just cannot be allowed to deteriorate because if a war breaks out between the two, it can have dangerous repercussions for global peace. The US famously urges Pakistan and India to resolve their issues through mutual negotiations. Britain too urges Pakistan and India to find a lasting solution for Kashmir. But none of them is prescribing a solution or acting as a mediator.

When major world powers — The US and Britain for example, insist India and Pakistan should resolve their dispute through mutual dialogue and refuse to mediate or condemn India for its atrocities in Kashmir, they are actually toeing Indian lines.

Justice means rendering everyone their due, as famous Greek philosopher Plato reported his mentor Socrates to have said. Morality and justice demand that one must have the moral strength to call a spade a spade.

It is but injustice if India, which is clearly the wrongdoer in Kashmir, being the violator of several UN resolutions on Kashmir and whose leaders openly admit helping breaking up Pakistan in 1971 and vowing to cause a permanent drought in Pakistan against all international norms — is treated at par with Pakistan — which is trying its level best to bring India to the negotiation table for resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

As India is not ready to talk to Pakistan, accusing Pakistan of state terrorism — an accusation not substantiated as yet and for which Pakistan is ready for any international investigation — Pakistan rightly urges major powers for mediation on Kashmir. India rejects this line, insisting Kashmir is a bilateral dispute between the two countries.

One fails to understand how Pakistan and India can resolve their disputes peacefully and through mutual discussions when India is not ready to talk to Pakistan and powerful nations are silent spectators lest any offer for mediation or any criticism of perpetrated state-violence by India in Kashmir displease India -a big economic market.

The US and Britain say they are perturbed over violence in Kashmir and urge patience. It is welcome but what is objectionable is when the oppressors and oppressed are literally dealt with equally, the oppressor is not asked to refrain from using brute force against the peaceful demonstrators and the unarmed oppressed Kashmiri civilians are not openly supported in their legal fight for self-determination.

What else can continuous silence on blatant heinous human tragedies caused by brute force used by “allies” such as Israel and strong reaction to similar incidents perpetrated by “others” such as Saddam era Iraq be called if it isn’t plainly apparent double standards and selective morality?

While Israel is allowed to stockpile loads of nuclear arms with active connivance and no hostile military action is initiated against it even when it blatantly and arrogantly rejects UN resolutions on the halt of extending settlements, Iraq is attacked and its cities turned into heaps of debris and hundreds of thousands of its innocent civilians are killed under the false pretext that it is stockpiling WMD’s despite report to the contrary by UN inspectors.

It is unfair if Palestinians— whose lands have been usurped and who are being displaced and denied human rights are dealt on equal terms with Israel, which openly violates and rejects international laws, UN resolutions and any serious efforts for peaceful solution of its issues with Palestinians.

Reluctance shown by the World Bank — the designated mediator on the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWR) between India and Pakistan — to mediate on the issue is another case of this selective morality. While Pakistan — being the aggrieved party for India’s purported violation of IWT terms — repeatedly requested that the WB set up a court of arbitration as per the terms of IWT and asked it and the US to help resolve its IWT dispute with India, the WB remained disinterested and eventually suspended all its processes. The setting up of a court of arbitration or the appointment of a neutral expert on the issue when India asked it not to rush in to resolve the issue. As things unfolded, the State Department too said it wanted India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues bilaterally (without any third party mediation) which were but only toeing the Indian line.

Equally unjust is the stereotype that all Muslim states are radical and rogue nations. Extremist political or religious groups have never obtained absolute majority in any Muslim country in any general elections. Such groups either don’t have the courage to take part in democracy and if they do, they have the lowest popular support base, often standing at less than one percent.

Strangely enough, it is the commonly known “democratic” nations like India, USA and Israel where extremists groups like Modi, Trump and Netanyahu are voted to power by the electorate while their rivals are defeated.

For example, the Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan envisions an ideological Islamic state and often talks of Jihad against India but it doesn’t have any worthwhile political support base that could land it in the corridors of power in Pakistan — it obtained only 0.4 percent of the total polled 46 million votes in the 2013 elections and won just 4 seats in the 342-member National Assembly.

And notwithstanding the fact that India is praised as one of the biggest democratic and liberal societies in the world and Prime Minister Narendara Modi’s Bharatia Janata Party bases its electoral campaign on narrow Hindu Nationalism and dangerous anti-Pakistan rhetoric, it has a big public following and was voted to power with a clear majority in the 2014 Indian General Elections. It contested 437 seats of the total 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and grabbed 282 seats, polling over 31 percent of the total polled votes.

Against this, most of the voters in Pakistan who are often ‘chastised’ as intolerant and extremist have been historically supporting two and recently three parties. These are the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The three parties jointly polled around 30 million of the total 42 million votes in the 2013 general elections.

The writer is a Pakistan-based academic and researcher who has written extensively on social issues. He blogs at http://www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahir_katlang@yahoo.com

Published in Daily Times, November 23rd 2017.

کلبھوشن، ویانا کنونشن اور اقوام متحدہ کا چارٹر

کلبھوشن، ویانا کنونشن اور اقوام متحدہ کا چارٹر

طاہرعلی خان

http://daanish.pk/6971/

بین الاقوامی عدالت انصاف کی طرف سے کلبھوشن یادیو کیس میں عبوری فیصلے پر پاکستان میں لوگ اپنی سمجھ بوجھ اور سیاسی وابستگی کی روشنی میں تبصرے کر رہے ہیں۔ کوئی اسے جندال کے دورے سے جوڑ رہا ہے، کسی کے خیال میں پاکستانی وکلاء ٹیم کی کارکردگی مایوس کن تھی، کوئی کہتا ہے پاکستان کووہاں جانا ہی نہیں چاہیے تھا اور کسی کے مطابق بین الاقوامی عدالت انصاف کے فیصلے ماننا لازم نہیں اس لئے کلبھوشن کو فوراً پھانسی چڑھالینا چاہیے۔

پاکستانی وکلاء کی عالمی عدالت میں کارکرگی اور وزیراعظم نواز شریف اوران کے دوست بھارتی تاجر سجن جندال کی ملاقات سے اس کو جوڑنے والے نکات پر ایک سے زیادہ رائے ہو سکتی ہیں۔

اقوام متحدہ کے چارٹر کی دفعہ ۹۴ کے مطابق بظاہر اس بات میں وزن دکھائی دیتا ہے کہ پاکستان کے پاس یہ اختیار تھا کہ وہ عالمی عدالت نہ جاتا تو پھر اس کا فیصلہ ماننے کا پابند نہ ہوتا۔ اب چونکہ دانستگی یا نادانستگی میں پاکستان عالمی عدالت میں چلا گیا ہے اس لیے اس پر مزید بات کرنے کا کوئی فائدہ نہیں تاہم آخری نکتہ کہ عالمی عدالت کے فیصلے بائینڈنگ نہیں اس لیے اب کلبھوشن کو پھانسی دے دینی چاہیے، متعلقہ قوانین اور بین الاقوامی ذمہ داریوں سے واضح لاعلمی پر مبنی ہیےاس لیے اس کی وضاحت ضروری ہے۔

اقوام متحدہ کے چارٹر کی دفعہ ۹۴ کےالفاظ یہ ہیں۔ ‘‘اقوام متحدہ کا ہر ممبر وعدہ کرتاہے کہ وہ ہر اس کیس میں عالمی عدالت انصاف کے فیصلے پر عمل کرےگا جس میں وہ فریق ہے۔ اگر کیس کا کوئی فریق عالمی عدالت کے فیصلے کے تحت عائد ذمہ داریوں کو پورا کرنے میں ناکام ہوجاتا ہے تو دوسرا فریق سیکورٹی کونسل سے رجوع کر سکتا ہےجو اگر ضروری سمجھے تو فیصلے پرعمل درآمد کے لئے سفارشات تجویز یا اقدامت کا فیصلہ کرسکتا ہے۔’’ چارٹر کی اس دفعہ کا انگریزی متن یہ ہے۔

UN Charter Article 94

1. Each Member of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party.
2. If any party to a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to the Security Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to give effect to the judgment.

یہ بات تو واضح ہے کہ اب اس فیصلے سے روگردانی ممکن نہیں کیونکہ پاکستان امریکہ جیسی طاقت نہیں رکھتا جس نے کم ازکم دو مرتبہ عالمی عدالت کے اسی طرح کے فیصلوں کے باوجود ملزموں کو پھانسی چڑھا دیا تھا اور کوئی اس کا کچھ نہ بگاڑ سکا تاہم پاکستان کے پاس راستہ کھلا ہے کہ وہ عالمی عدالت سے کلبھوشن کیس کا حتمی فیصلے اپنے حق میں کروانے کے لیے خوب تیاری کرے۔ اس کے لیے چند نکات پیش خدمت ہیں۔

ہندوستان نے ویانا کنونشن کی دفعہ ۳۶ کی روشنی میں پاکستان پر کلبھوشن تک قونصلر رسائی نہ دینے اوراسکی گرفتاری سے بروقت مطلع نہ کرنے پر مقدمہ کیا اور آفشنل پروٹوکول کے آرٹیکل ۱ کی بنیاد پر مطالبہ کیا تھا کہ عالمی عدالت انصاف ویانا کنوشن کے مفہوم اور اطلاق سے پیدا ہونے والے تنازعات پرچونکہ فیصلے دینے کا لازمی دائرۂ اختیار رکھتا ہےا س لیے وہ کلبھوشن کے مقدمے کو سنے تاہم پاکستان نے کہا کہ بھارت اور پاکستان کے مابین ۲۰۰۸ میں قونصلر رسائی کا ایک معاہدہ ہوا تھا جس کی دفعہ ۶ کے مطابق سیاسی اور سیکورٹی بنیادوں پر گرفتاری، حراست اور سزا کی صورت میں ہر ریاست کو کیس کی میرٹ پر خود فیصلہ کرنے کا اختیار دیا گیا ہے۔

دیکھنا یہ ہے کہ آیا ۲۰۰۸ کا یہ پاک بھارت معاہدہ اقوام متحدہ کے چارٹر کے آرٹیکل۱۰۲ کے شق ا کے مطابق اقوام متحدہ کے ساتھ رجسٹرڈ کیا گیا تھا یا نہیں۔ اگرہاں تو پھر پاکستان کا کیس مضبوط ہے تاہم اسے یہ ثابت کرنا ہوگا کہ کلبھوشن ایک غیرقانونی مداخلت کار اور جاسوس ہے۔ اگریہ رجسٹرڈ نہیں تو اسی آرٹیکل کے شق ۲ کے مطابق اقوام متحدہ کے کسی عضو کے سامنے ایسے کسی معاہدے سے مدد نہیں لی جا سکتی۔

انڈیا نے اگر یہی لائن لے لی تو پھراگر پاکستان کشمیر میں بھارتی فورسز کے ہاتھوں انسانی حقوق کی پامالیوں پرعالمی عدالت انصاف میں کیس کرلیتا ہے تو انڈیا بھی شملہ معاہدے کی آڑنہیں لے سکے گا کہ یقیناً یہ بھی اقوام متحدہ کےساتھ رجسٹرڈ نہیں کیا گیا ہوگا۔

تاہم ویانا کنونشن کے آپشنل پروٹوکول کے آرٹیکل ۱سے پہلے چند الفاظ آئے ہیں جن کی بنیاد پر پاکستان اپنا کیس بنا سکتاہے۔۔‘‘جب تک ایک معقول وقت کے اندر فریقین تصفیہ کی کسی اور شکل پرمتفق نہ ہوں، وہ کنوشن کی تفہیم یا اطلاق سے پیدا ہونےکسی بھی تنازع پر بین الاقوامی عدالت انصاف سے رجوع کرنے کی خواہش کا اظہارکرتے ہیں’’۔ یہ معقول وقت کیاہے اور تصفیہ کی اور شکلیں کیا ہیں؟ اور یہ کہ اس کے بغیر کیا کوئی فریق براہ راست عالمی عدالت میں جا سکتا ہے؟

اس کنونشن کے آرٹیکل ۲ کے مطابق‘‘فریقین چاہیں، تواس کے بعد کہ ایک فریق نے دوسرے کو اطلاع دے دی ہو کہ تنازع موجود ہے، دو مہینے کے اندر اندر عالمی عدالت نہیں بلکہ کسی ثالثی ٹریبیونل سے رجوع کرنے پر متفق ہو جائیں۔ اس مدت کے اختتام پر کوئی بھی فریق ایک درخواست سے اس تنازع کو عالمی عدالت میں لا سکتا ہے’’۔

اس کنونشن کے آرٹیکل ۳ کے ذیلی شق ۱کے مطابق اسی دو مہینے کی مدت میں فریقین چاہیں تو عالمی عدالت سے رجوع کرنے سے پیشتر اصلاح و تصفیہ کے کسی طریق کار پر رضامند ہوں۔ شق دو کے مطابق یہ مفاہمتی کمیشن اپنی تقرری کے پانچ ماہ کے اندر اندر اپنی رپورٹ دے گا۔ اگر اس کمیشن کی سفارشات کو کوئی فریق دو ماہ کے اندر اندر قبول نہ کرے تو دوسرا فریق ایک درخواست کے ذریعے عالمی عدالت کے سامنے یہ تنازعہ لاسکتا ہے۔ دیکھنا یہ ہے کہ عالمی عدالت میں جانے سے قبل یہ شرائط ہندوستان نے پوری کی تھیں۔ کیا اس نے پاکستان کے ساتھ کسی ٹریبیونل یا مفاہمتی کمیشن کے لئے بات کرنے کی خواہش اور کوشش کی تھی؟ اگر نہیں تو وہ اس کنونشن کے تحت براہ راست رجوع کرنے کا حق نہیں رکھتا اور پاکستان کو پرزور انداز میں یہ دلیل پیش کرنی چاہیے۔

پاکستان کہتا ہے کلبھوشن ایک جاسوس ہے جو دہشت گردی کرانے غیرقانونی طریقے سے بھیس بدل کر پاکستان میں داخل ہوا تھا اور اسے ویانا کنونشن کے تحت حقوق نہیں دیے جا سکتے جبکہ انڈیا اسے ایک بےگناہ ہندوستانی گردانتا ہے جس کو قونصلر رسائی اور قانونی امداد کے حقوق حاصل ہیں۔ اب ایک طرف ویانا کنونشن ہے اور دوسری طرف اقوام متحدہ کا چارٹر جو دوسرے ممالک کے اقتداراعلیٰ اور سالمیت کے احترام اور ان کے اندرونی امور میں مداخلت کی اجازت نہیں دیتا۔ ایک طرف ہندوستان کی ویانا کنونشن کے تحت ذمہ داریاں ہیں اور دوسری طرف اقوام متحدہ کے تحت۔ ان میں کس کو فوقیت دی جائیگی؟ اقوام متحدہ کے چارٹر کے آرٹیکل ۱۰۳ کا اس سلسلے میں فیصلہ یہ ہے۔ ‘‘اقوام متحدہ کے ارکان کی اس موجودہ چارٹر یا کسی دوسرے بین الاقوامی معاہدے کے تحت ذمہ داریوں پر کوئی اختلاف واقع ہو جائے تو اس چارٹر کی تحت ان کی ذمہ داریوں کو فوقیت حاصل رہے گی۔’’

کیا اقوام متحدہ کا چارٹر عالمی ادارے کے ممبران کو ایک دوسرے کے اندر مداخلت یا جاسوسی کرنے یا ایسا کرنے والوں کی مدد یا پشت پناہی کی اجازت دیتا ہے؟

Writer’s intro

طاہرعلی خان فری لانس صحافی ہیں، رواداری ، احترام انسانیت اور امن کے پرچارک ہیں اور ان مقاصد کے حصول کے لیے ۔    کے نام سے بلاگ بھی رکھتے ہیں ۔ www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com لکھتے ہیں. وہ

CIVIC SENSE

What is civic sense? Do Pakistanis have/lack civil sense? Why do Pakistanis lack civic sense? What is needed for promoting civic sense?

By Tahir Ali

The writer is an academic who blogs at www.tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahir_katlang@yahoo.com

 

While being interviewed by a panel at the Federal Public Service Commission, I was, inter alia, asked these questions, “What do you understand by the term civic-sense? What are the causes of lack of civic sense in Pakistan and what are your suggestions for ensuring widespread civic sense in Pakistan?

I answered the questions and the subsequent counter questions put by the interviewers in detail.  I had then resolved to write a comprehensive article on the issue but the idea could not materialise for my pressing engagements. It might have delayed it further but an interaction with one of my friends last week pushed me to go for it.

Last week, the friend Islam Ghani visited me and in the course of our discussion, he told me. “Every day when I leave home for my office, I see the drainage system blocked by polythene bags/garbage because one of my neighbours is in the habit of sweeping out all his garbage into the drain. I often clean the drain myself. The person and his children usually see me doing that. I request them to be sensitive to the neighbours but to no effect. And last week, the person had this to tell me: “I have done that. Do what you want/can. Do you think my garbage was to lie in my house? Why don’t you approach the municipal workers to come and clean the mess instead of becoming sweeper yourself or asking me to?” says Islam Ghani.

Throwing out your garbage this way and the subsequent response by the guilty speaks a lot of our public morality and an acute lack of civic sense in our society, he adds.

WHAT IS CIVIC SENSE?

The word ‘Civic’ means of or related to a city or people who live there or the duties and responsibilities of citizens, and the word ‘Sense’ means sound practical judgement or awareness about something. The term, therefore, literally means an understanding of the way how people should live and behave in a society.

Civic sense is a consideration for the norms of society. It includes respect for the law and for the ease and feelings of others and maintaining etiquettes while dealing and interacting with others. For example, if we visit someone’s house, ethics demand that we knock at the door, ask for permission to go inside or that we avoid visiting someone at the time of meals or at bed/rest time.

It means we respect and help others, avoid spitting on roads, streets and public places, avoid listening to loud music, refrain from blowing pressure horns, adhere to traffic rules, obey laws, park vehicles at nominated places, avoid wall chalking, ensure economical use of the natural resources and public facilities, help reduce leakage/wastage/misuse of gas/water/electricity, pay taxes and utility bills, wait for our turn, be tolerant towards opposing views, respect minorities and ensure religious harmony and devote ourselves to welfare/community services.

One is considered to have Civic Sense if he is caring and sensitive towards the elderly, women, children, disabled persons, the poor, the needy, neighbours, companions, subordinates, officers, public and private property, the environment, the animals, natural resources, or in short is behaving better with everyone and everything everywhere. It is about keeping lane while driving, desisting from rash driving or from driving while not in senses, throwing garbage but in a dustbin or designated places and avoiding smoking at public transport/places.

DO PAKISTANIS HAVE or LACK CIVIC SENSE?

Pakistan has been abundantly bestowed with natural resources. It has a highly fertile land. It has plenty of water. Its people are very intelligent and hard-working who have proved their worth and competence in every corner of the world. But the lack of civic sense is tarnishing our image as a respectable nation in the comity of nations and making the country an inhospitable place for both humans and animals. Instead of utilising the abundant natural and physical resources with care, these are being destroyed/wasted with impunity.

Good manners are exceptionally important in life and at the workplace. Unfortunately, most Pakistanis lack civil sense. They generally spit here and there, throw litters on and dirty the roads/public parks/platforms, disturb others by playing high-pitched music; we don’t care for others; we freely tease and harm others if we can escape getting caught/punished; we want to please our Lord by doing Naat-Khaani on loudspeakers even if it does adds to the woes of the neighbours or the sick; we waste natural resources with impunity and do not pay the utility bills; we violate laws, especially the traffic rules; we drive recklessly–one-wheeling on motorbikes is frequently seen; we write advertisements/graffiti on walls especially those of the toilets; we give bribes; we smoke in public places/vehicles; we ridicule the poor; we are intolerant towards others; and suspect and abuse others for nothing; hardly a few amongst us have the courtesy to offer their seat to a woman or an old person in public transport; the heaps of garbage in public parks, sea views, lakes and gardens, waste of food in functions and profuse use of polythene bags in our society display how acutely we lack civic sense. The polythene bags are not only creating health hazards but have the potential to disturb life in cities and destroy agriculture by blocking the sewerage and irrigation systems.

The scourges of extremism and terrorism are extreme manifestations of this lack of civic sense. Extremism has been resulted by the lack of due regard and tolerance for opponents and opposing ideologies. And terrorism is the result of a callous and ruthless mindset which divides the world between “us and them” and where there right of security of life and property is available only to ‘us’ while death is reserved for ‘them’, the opponents. Obviously, a man having civic sense –or regard for the life, honour, peace, happiness and ease of others- can neither be an extremist nor terrorism.

We often see people parking their vehicles in front of ‘No Parking’ signboards and at the footpaths. Materialism, terrorism, sectarianism, extremism, intolerance, racism, mud- slinging and quarrelling on petty issues, a mad race to excel others in money and prestige and disregard for the rule of law are both causes and manifestations of this lack of civic sense. Instead of listening carefully and respectfully to what others say, most of us resort to taunting and vandalism. As a nation, it seems, we are ruled more by our emotions than mind.

We claim having a strong culture of discipline and decency but then our people forget everything when it comes to eating and swarm the food in festivals and programmes.

WHY DO PAKISTANIS LACK CIVIC SENSE?

The familiar stereotyped perception is that the illiterate and the poor have no civic sense but it is erroneous to associate the lack of civic sense to wealth or poverty as the rich and the mighty also display lack of civic sense. For example, they delay flights with complete disregard for other passengers.

Lack of civic sense could be either due to lack of education and awareness. It could also be resulted by the lack of sensitivity and disregard for one’s obligations either for sheer arrogance or for the fact that there is monitoring/accountability structure in a given society that is required for forcing compliance to law. It is rightly said that people who have no sense of duties also have no civic sense and they usually violate not only laws but ethical obligations as well.

Then, we Pakistanis are always in a hurry so lining up and waiting for one’s turn is rarely seen. Again, materialism is fuelling the mad race for self-aggrandisement and account for the vices of corruption, nepotism, favouritism and other malpractices in government departments and private/public dealings.

Many dream of bringing change in Pakistan. But hardly a few are ready to change themselves. We want to bring change but only by criticising/correcting others. We are least prepared for introspection and self-reformation. The basic principle –that we cannot bring change unless we change ourselves, our attitudes and our mindsets –is generally forgotten

There is a memorable quote that best describes our style of religiosity. It read: “Pakistan is facing problems because everyone here wants a hearty share from the temporal bounties for himself/herself but is worried for the life-hereafter of others”.

The media, the intelligentsia and the education curricula could have been more helpful in bringing home the importance of civic sense. It has, unfortunately, been neglected thus far.

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR PROMOTING CIVIC SENSE?

NOT GOVERNMENT ALONE?

All responsibilities and tasks should not be left to government. Citizens need to perform their due role in each walk of life. We will have to shun the mentality that we have the right to throw garbage and spit anywhere and that it is the government’s duty to clean it.

INTROSPECTION AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT

For things to change, we must change. For things to get better, we must get better. We need to change ourselves first if we want change, reform and improved services. Setting a good example is better than teaching/preaching others what to do and what not to do. The Quran also declares: “Do you ask others to do the right things and forget about yourself?”

EMPATHY

We must be empathic. Empathy is trying to feel what somebody else is feeling or look at something through someone else’s eyes so as to understand, help and console him/her if needed. We should always have capacity and penchant to put ourselves in other place and think what would I have felt if this and that had been done to me. We need to be more civilized and caring for others. He/she must respect and facilitate others at home, schools, offices, hospitals, parks, transport and thoroughfares and in dealings, interactions, engagements and functions.

RIGHTS IMPLY DUTIES

It must never be forgotten that rights imply duties. Our rights are duties for others and others’ rights are duties for us. If we have a right to good, clean and peaceful environment, resources, security of life and property, and to be treated respectfully, these rights also imply duties on our part towards others. We must remember that every citizen has the right to enjoy civic amenities like drinking water, electricity, transport facilities etc. It is the duty of every citizen to use these civic amenities properly/carefully and pay the bills and other taxes imposed by the government so that welfare –development and repair/maintenance expenditures of public facilities –could be financed.

CONCERTED EFFORTS BY DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS

Different stakeholders –government, law enforcement agencies, media, religious scholars, civil society, professionals, the intelligentsia, and all others –should be involved and need to play their roles in promoting civic sense among the people.

ADVOCACY/ AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

There is a great need to educate/motivate people, organize training sessions, and run advocacy campaigns. There print and electronic media, the ulema, the civil society and the intelligentsia should spread more awareness on the demands of urbanisation, social ethics and conservation of natural resources and our duties as predecessors to our successors –the next generations.

INCORPORATING CIVIC SENSE IN TEXTBOOKS

Government should include reading material regarding civic sense in textbooks. By educating the youngsters in schools through textbooks, pictures and videos on civic sense, we will not only be making him a better human being but also help rebuilding the country.

PICTURES AND VIDEOS ON CIVIC SENSE

Media could promote civic sense by telecasting/broadcasting short clips about positive and negative behaviours. There are quite a lot of useful and impressive videos already available on the internet on civic sense. In one of them, a person spit in front of neighbour’s door. The neighbour cleans it daily and smiles back whenever the guilty one passes by. At last, the guilty person repents and gives up the bad habit. In another, four youngsters dirty a wall. Usually, passersby warn and try to beat the boys and they disappear but reappear soon to start dirtying the wall again. This practice goes on until a boy with civic sense appears. He brings water and duster to cleanse the wall dirtied by the boys. He is soon joined by many passersby in his effort. At last, the trouble-makers too come and help wash/cleanse the wall.

COMPETITIONS ON CIVIC SENSE BETWEEN PERSONS, TOWNS, CITIES

The government and civil society should announce competitions on different aspects of civic sense like cleanliness, courtesy, humility, cooperation, following the law, paying taxes, helping the needy, caring for others, respecting others, tolerance, awareness and sensitivity to others’ rights, sense of duty and service to humanity etc. These competitions could be used to ascertain and reward the person with the best civic sense in offices, departments, institutions, localities. Similarly, this competition could be used to determine the best cities, villages, wards, Union councils, tehsils and districts on any of the above aspects.

BAN ON POLYTHENE BAGS

As regards the abundant use of polythene bags, the government should prohibit the carrying of daily items in plastic bags. The ban is already there but it needs to be implemented.

BAN ON ONE-WHEELING

One-wheeling has resulted in countless tragedies but it, nevertheless, continues. It is not only insensitivity for one’s own but also for others’ lives. Merry-making at the cost of human lives cannot be tolerated.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM

Government should announce that the shopkeepers and residents of a particular locality would have to dump their garbage at identified points only. It must also ensure that if someone is not throwing garbage in its proper place, he/she will have to pay a specific fine. The administration should bring to book the culprits destroying the natural resources and playing havoc with the lives and peace in society.

 

 

Reflections and Lessons

Reflections and Lessons
PTI Chief Imran Khan’s decision to postpone the lockdown of federal capital Islamabad on November 2 is a welcome step. The Supreme Court of Pakistan earlier gave PTI the much needed face-saving and the government a respite today after it asked the councils of the two parties to submit TORs for the formation of the commission before November 3 or else it will decide on them itself. The nation at large will also find itself at ease at last as the final outcome of PTI’s stubbornness to hold and the government’s strong resolve to stop the Dharna could be devastating for economy and democracy in the country.
Now that tension has subsided for the time being and the law is likely to take its course, there should be a reflection on what was being, and what needs to be, done for the last few weeks. That the Panama Leaks issue and corruption needed to have been addressed earnestly, quickly and comprehensively, no one could deny. A wayout between the opposing viewpoints of the government and opposition on the TORs and modalities of the investigation for the purpose would have been possible if there had been a genuine desire to do that. Unfortunately, the government opted for delaying tactics while the opposition wanted to make it PM-specific which was both immoral and unjust. The important issue of fighting, investigating and eradicating corruption justly and fairly was thus forgotten and made into an issue to settle scores against one’s political opponent (s).
And while the PM and his government could have enacted legislation and sent its own TORs for the commission or written again to the CJP to expedite the process for the formation of the commission, it played its own part in vitiating the political atmosphere by unleashing its media tigers on the equally resolute PTI leadership which had decided to hold a dharna in Islamabad neglecting the security threats facing the country as well as the norms of genuine democratic political struggle
The political leadership of the country will do extreme good to the country’s stability, prosperity and future if it decides to take care of a few principles. One, democracy demands more restraint, respect and sobriety when it comes to human rights. Two, there should be no more repetition of any unsubstantiated accusations. Three, no person can be punished or condemned unless proven guilty. Fourth, no one can be allowed to become an accuser and judge himself. Fifth, in a polity and democracy, it is the judiciary and not street power that is the ultimate third umpire between a plaintiff and an accused. Sixth, decisions of the judiciary must be respected even if it is against one’s expectations. Seventh, democratic forces need to talk in parliament and media and never take to dharnas for a few years to come.
TAHIR ALI

Qital in Pakistan?

Genesis of the Jamaat
Tahir Ali November 30, 2014

http://tns.thenews.com.pk/genesis-of-jamaat-e-islami/#.VaDmAomxVK0 Nov 30,2014

Is Jamaat-e-Islami switching over from its peaceful democratic struggle to violent means to achieve its objectives?

Genesis of the Jamaat
Does Munawar Hasan know the implications of his views?

Addressing last week’s Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) annual gathering in Lahore, former JI Ameer Munawar Hasan said that it was beyond the system based on elections to overcome the challenges being faced by Pakistan. “The problems of the society… can only be resolved through adopting and promoting the culture of jihad and qataal in the country. We need to wage jihad in the way of Almighty Allah along with democratic struggle to eliminate oppression and injustice from society.”
Does Munawar Hasan know the implications of his views? Will this qataal be against Pakistani security forces, political and religious leadership, parties or the entire system? Is the state on the wrong side and Taliban on the right or vice versa? Does JI support al-Qaeda?
It is ironical that he was the Ameer of JI and a successor of Maulana Maududi. Did Maududi write his famous book Aljehad Fil Islam on the strategy of qataal in a Muslim society? Munawar Hasan himself has never visited the battlefield himself or allowed his family members to go to the frontline. His assertion is likely to be misconstrued as an invitation/permission for violent reformation struggle.
Munawar Hasan represents a narrative in Pakistan that has many buyers. This narrative looks at democracy and electoral system as a hurdle in change. He dreams of an Islamic revolution, favours use of force to coerce compliance to Shariah, doesn’t accept the state boundaries and believes in Ummah as a political concept, sympathises with militants and considers them Mujahideen, thinks suicide attacks and terrorism are planned and executed by local agencies or Raw, CIA, Blackwater and attributed to Muslims to malign Islam, opposes military operations against militants and urges talks with them and so on.
Also read: The ameer and his party
He is not alone in these views. And there are many reasons — our dysfunctional system of justice and social services delivery system has disillusioned the masses. Private TV channels, intellectuals, religious class and state institutions have played their role to perpetuate and expand this disillusionment. Anti-democracy sentiments have spread especially in religious parties which have traditionally received negligible electoral success. The JUI F talks of democracy, for it has enjoyed sufficient electoral benefits.
JI at a crossroads
Earlier, Munawar Hasan had said that JI shared the same ideology with TTP and that the difference was in the tactics that JI employed. But how could JI, a political party that believes in democracy and constitutional rule within Pakistan, and al Qaeda and TTP, militant violent outfits that work for global khilafat, have same ideology.
Munawar Hasan represents a narrative in Pakistan that has many buyers. This narrative looks at democracy and electoral system as a hurdle in change. He dreams of an Islamic revolution.
There is no room for violent means in the JI strategy. Article 5 of the JI Constitution spells out that for the desired reform and revolution, the Jamaat shall use democratic and constitutional means, i.e., the use of advice and propagation of thought for reforming the mind and character, and preparing public opinion for accepting the desired changes and that this struggle for the realisation of its objectives shall be open and public, and not on the pattern of secret movements.
JI has several advantages vis-à-vis its rivals — discipline, countrywide support, internal democracy and simplicity. Even though Sirajul Haq, Ameer JI, says ballot paper is the only source of power and reformation, JI is at a crossroads. It has to decide whether it prefers the successful peaceful democratic Turkish model or the failed reactionary/violent Algerian and Egyptian models.
It has to decide whether it has to maintain status quo in its targets, ideology, structure and strategy. Or it has to become an ultra right militant group like al-Qaeda and TTP, or it reviews its plans and performances in the light of careful analyses of failure of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey’s Justice and Development Party, to shape anew its political vision and mission and become a modern party.
Private jihad not allowed
Jihad is not synonymous with terrorism but opinions differ on what constitutes true jihad. For example, al-Qaeda and TTP assert that they fight for Islam; what is jihad for them is terrorism for others. There is no concept of war without state permission. War has only to be declared and managed by the state and government.
Similarly, administration of justice and execution of punishment is also the sole authority of the state. Women, sick people, children, animals, crops and non-combatants cannot be targeted. And desecration of bodies and targeting of religious places is not allowed.
All big religious schools of thought agree over this. There is no exemption for anyone.
Maulana Maududi never approved of jihad by private outfits. He had even outlawed jihad in Kashmir in 1948 for Pakistan had infiltrated private fighters there without any formal declaration of war. Had he been alive, he certainly would not have liked JI’s militant leanings.
Covert war against state(s) having diplomatic relations with Pakistan?
Maulana Maududi refers to Surah Anfaal 8:72, which says that Muslims are not allowed to indulge in secret subversive activities against infidels. He explains: “If we get into a dispute with a nation we are associated in a treaty with, and we realise that dialogue or international arbitration is not helpful in resolving the conflict or that it is bent on using force, it is legitimate for us to use force for its resolution. But this verse makes us morally bound that this use of force should come after clear and open declaration. To undertake covert armed activities, which we are not ready to admit openly, is an immorality which is not taught by Islam.”
Muslim states responsible only for their own citizens
In this verse, it has also been mandated that Islamic state is in no way responsible for the Muslims living outside its border. Maududi explains: “The responsibility of the Islamic states, as per this verse, is restricted to those living inside its borders….thus Islam has uprooted the very dispute that often originates from international complexities because when a country takes it upon itself to support some minorities living in other countries, it creates such anomalies that cannot be even solved by recurrent wars.”
What is Ummah?
Ummah is a spiritual concept but it is unfeasible as a political ideology. Unity is witnessed in Hajj which is a religious gathering. However, when Muslims come together in UN, OPEC, OIC, ECO etc which are political or economic entities, each country tries to safeguard its own interests for the ruler of each is the guardian of his nation who is accountable to/for his subjects. And when religious sects/parties cannot tolerate their rivals in other sects and in political struggle/fields and don’t unite into one, how could they argue for global Muslim Ummah neglecting state boundaries.
Muslims live in different countries and though they have sympathies with Muslims, every state pursues its own national interests first.
Sirajul Haq as a political leader prefers his party interests. As KP Finance Minister, he is not ready to share KP benefits with other provinces. At individual level, a Muslim doesn’t let stranger “Muslim brothers” enter his house or let them construct house on his land. Can he travel to another country without a valid visa issued by the other state from the Muslim ummah? Where is ummah in this equation?
Confusion?
Religious parties are confused over the genesis of terrorism. Terrorism can either be the work of foreigners/non Muslims or of extremists who are unhappy with the foreign policy. It cannot be two things at the same time. If it is the work of the former, there should be no reason to attribute the rise of terrorism to our alliance with the West and to suggest withdrawal from the coalition or talks with them as the prerequisite for peace in the region. And if it is committed by extremists, foreign agencies get automatically absolved of the blame.
Even if, as they say, Pakistan’s alliance with the West is the only reason for terrorism in Pakistan, does this justify the violence perpetrated by the extremists? They are yet to openly declare the TTP’s strategy unjust and un-Islamic.

Tahir Ali
tahir ali
The author is an academic and a freelance columnist. He blogs at tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahir_katlang@yahoo.com.

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ORIGINAL TEXT OF THE ARTICLE

Jihad and Qital and democracy

By Tahir Ali

Addressing last week’s Jamaate Islami’s (JI) annual gathering in Lahore, Munawar Hasan, Ex Amir JI, ruled that it was beyond the system based on elections to overcome the challenges being faced by Pakistan. “I won’t mince my words in declaring that the problems of the society in which we live can only be resolved through adopting and promoting the culture of Jihad and Qital (war) in the country. “We need to wage Jihad in the way of Almighty Allah along with democratic struggle to eliminate oppression and injustice from society.”

When MH says Jihad and Qital is needed to support democratic dispensation which alone doesn’t suffice to solve problems, does he know what could be the implications of his views? Will this Qital be against Pakistani security forces, political and religious leadership, parties or the entire system? Is the state on the wrong and Taliban on the right or vice versa? Does JI support Alqaeda? Is it legitimate to wage war against Pakistan and its citizens? The nation awaits clarification.

It is ironical he was the Amir of JI and a successor of Maulana Madoodi who was famous for his constitutional mind. Did Maulana Maudoodi write his famous book Aljehad Fil Islam on the strategy of Qital in a Muslim society? And then MH has passed almost his entire life in the peaceful democratic political struggle. He doesn’t seem ever to have visited battlefield himself or allowed his family members to go to the frontline of Qital. Then why this assertion which could be misunderstood by Pakistani youth as an invitation/permission for violent reformation struggle.

By persisting with intermittent statements that often trigger controversies, Munawar Hasan has shown that the leftwing activist in him who joined the National Students Federation – a student body with a communist ideology- and was elected its President in 1959 is very much still there. In NSF, he seems to have contracted an extreme hatred for the ‘US Imperialism’ that still overwhelmingly shapes his thoughts. Whosoever that fights or claims to fight with the US becomes his hero. An acute hatred of this kind often leads one to deviate from the path of justice and fair-play.

Munawar Hasan represents a narrative in Pakistan that has, nevertheless, many buyers here. This narrative looks at democracy and electoral system as a hurdle in change’; dreams of an Islamic revolution; favours use of force to coerce compliance to Shariah; doesn’t accept the state boundaries and believes in Ummah as a political concept; sympathises with  militants and considers them Mujahideen in Allah’s path; thinks suicide attacks and terrorism are planned and executed by local agencies or Raw, CIA, Blackwater and attributed to Muslims to malign Islam; opposes military operations against militants and urges talks with them and so on.

He is not alone in these views. Many do so. Reasons thereof are many. Our dysfunctional system of justice and social services delivery system has disillusioned the masses. Private TV channels, intellectuals, religious class and state institutions played their role to perpetuate and expand this disillusionment. Anti-democracy sentiments have spread enormously especially in religious parties which have traditionally received negligible electoral success. JUI F talks of democracy for it has enjoyed sufficient benefits from its democratic manoeuvres so far.

JI at a crossroads

Earlier, Munawar Hasan had said that JI shared the same ideology with TTP and that the difference was in the tactics that JI employed. But how could JI, a political party that believes in democracy and constitutional rule within Pakistan, and Alqaeda and TTP, militant violent outfits that work for global khilafat, have same ideology, one fails to understand.

There is no room for violent means in JI strategy. Article 5 of the JI Constitution spells out that for the desired reform and revolution, the Jamaat shall use democratic and constitutional means, i.e., the use of advice and propagation of thought for reforming the mind and character and preparing public opinion for accepting the desired changes and that this struggle for the realisation of its objectives shall be open and public, and not on the pattern of secret movements.

JI has several advantages vis-à-vis its rivals like discipline, countrywide support, internal democracy and simplicity. Even though Sirajul Haq, Amir JI, says ballot paper is the only source of power and reformation, JI is at a crossroads. It has to decide whether it prefers the successful peaceful democratic Turkish model or the failed reactionary/violent Algerian and Egyptian models.

It has to decide whether it has to maintain status quo in its targets, ideology, structure and strategy. Or it has to become an ultra right militant group like Alqaeda and TTP, or it reviews its plans and performances in the light of careful analysis of failure of Egypt’s Muslim brotherhood and turkey’s  Justice and Development Party, to shape anew its political vision and mission and become a modern party.

Muslims should obey their rulers

Religion doesn’t prescribe a particular political system but it gives broad principles that the government of the Muslims be formed and run through consultations, that it should be obeyed in all matters except vices, that disobedience to it is a sin and revolt against it is not allowed unless a kufre bawah (open heresy like denouncing Quran or prayer or Haj for example) is witnessed, that baaghi (mutineers) and fasadi (mischief-mongers) will be with dealt severely etc.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “If someone ever hears some disgusting things from his ruler, he should observe patience because if anyone went out even a hand sized distance from the obedience of his government and died thus, he died in a state of jahiliant (ignorance) [Bukhari 7053]. But if he is ordered to commit a sin, he will neither listen to him nor obey him [Muslim 4763].

 

Private Jihad not allowed

Jihad is not synonymous with terrorism but opinions differ on what constitute true Jihad. For example, Alqaeda and TTP assert that they fight for Islam. What is Jihad for them is terrorism to others. There is no concept of war without state permission. War has only to be declared and managed by the state and government. Similarly administration of justice and execution of punishment is also the sole authority of the state. Women, the sick, the children, animals, crops and Non-combatants cannot be targeted which are. And desecration of bodies and targeting of religious places is not allowed. All big religious schools of thought agree over this. There is no exemption in this principle for anyone. When Allah didn’t even confer on His prophets the right to declare war without first gaining state/sovereign power, how can it be given to the Mujahideen of today?

Maulana Maudoodi never approved of Jihad by private outfits. He had even outlawed Jihad in Kashmir in 1948 for Pakistan had infiltrated private fighters there without any formal declaration of war. Had he been alive, he certainly would not have liked JI militant leanings. It is incomprehensible that MH learnt from his 40plus years of association with Maulana Maudoodi and JI that a culture of Qital needs to be spread in Pakistan. It deserves a better future than being subjected to and degenerated to be like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Labya by recourse to militancy?

Covert war against state(s) having diplomatic relations with Pakistan?

Muslims, in Anfaal 8:72, are not allowed to indulge in secret subversive activities against infidels, what to talk of Muslim governments. Maulana Maudoodi explains: “If we get into a dispute with a nation we are associated in a treaty with, and we realise that dialogue or international arbitration is not helpful in resolving the conflict or that it is bent on using force, it is legitimate for us to use force for its resolution. But this verse makes us morally bound that this use of force should come after clear and open declaration. To undertake covert armed activities, which we are not ready to admit openly, is an immorality which is not taught by Islam.”

Suicide attacks are also wrong and illegitimate from Islamic perspective for in a suicide attack, the attacker kills himself first with his own hands which is prohibited in Islam.

Muslim states responsible only for their own citizens

In this verse, it has also been mandated that Islamic state is in no way responsible for the Muslims living outside its border. Maudoodi explains: “the responsibility of the Islamic states, as per this verse, is restricted to those living inside its borders….thus Islam has uprooted the very dispute that often originates international complexities because when a country takes it upon itself to support some minorities living in other countries, it creates such anomalies that cannot be even solved by recurrent wars.”

Democratic and peaceful struggle

The situation is Pakistan is that to the extent of statute book, all laws (except the interest based bank transactions) are in consonance with traditional Islamic jurisprudence. If our system has failed to deliver it is because the laws are not being rightly followed, plaintiff and defendant lie in courts, witnesses either decline to give testimony or give wrong one, the police is corrupt, the lawyers use delaying tactics and the court officials seek bribes. There is room for improvement but the only way to remove the shortcomings and bring improvement in the government and individuals is the peaceful non-violent way comprising strategies of education, incitement, persuasion, encouragement, giving good tidings and informing/cautioning on vices. The violent strategy for that purpose leads only to disunity, injustices, anarchy and destruction.

Democracy may have its shortcomings but its benefits outnumber its drawbacks. It provides opportunity for gradual improvement. When peaceful change is possible (MMA, PTI mandate) why resort to illegal violent means?

Is coercion allowed?

 

Extremists advocate Jihad increases compliance with Islamic laws. But Muslims are not bound or entitled to force people or governments to come to the right path. Even the prophets of Allah were bound to preach and not to be dictators and force compliance. How could others be? Preaching should be done slowly, gradually, peacefully, affectionately and patiently. All the great Scholars of all Islam- Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad, Imam Shafi, Imam Bukhari etc never resorted to armed struggle against Muslim rulers who were more vicious and sinful than the rulers of today.

What is Ummah? Where is Ummah

Ummah is a spiritual concept but it is unfeasible as a political ideology. Unity is witnessed in Hajj which is a religious gathering. However when Muslims come together in UN, OPEC, OIC, ECO etc which are political or economic entities, each tries to safeguard its own interests for the ruler of each is the guardian of his nation who is accountable to/for his subjects. And when religious sects/parties cannot tolerate their rivals in other sects and in political struggle/fields and don’t unite into one, how could they argue for global Muslim ummah neglecting state boundaries. Muslims live in different countries and though they have sympathies with Muslims, every state pursues its own national interests first. Sirajul Haq as a political leader prefers his party interests and as KP finance minister is not ready to share KP benefits with other provinces. At individual level, a Muslim doesn’t let stranger “Muslim brothers” enter his house or let them construct house on his land. Can he travel to another country without a valid visa issued by the other state from the Muslim ummah? Where is ummah in this equation?
Gradual reformation?

Many Islamists who are eager and impatient to bring revolution are confusing two things: first, to desire and work for reformation; two, to be able to realise the dream. While Muslims are asked to work for bringing reformation, they are not bound to ensure it at any cost. They have to work for that and if they fail, they still will be rewarded for their sincere efforts. Forgetting this difference leads one to resort to hasty violent means for achieving objectives.

A collective system and its continuous reformation is the prerequisite for a civilised life but there is disagreement over whether reformation of society should precede that of the political system or follow it. One viewpoint argues when society and its people are reformed, governmental system will improve. The other says a competent and honest government automatically entails a transformed and honest society.

Confusion?

 

Religious parties are confused over genesis of terrorism. Terrorism can either be the work of foreigners/non Muslims or of extremists who are unhappy with the foreign policy. It cannot be two things at the same time. If it is the work of the former, there should be no reason to attribute rise of terrorism to our alliance with the west and to suggest withdrawal from the coalition or talks with them as the pre-requisite for peace in the region. And if it is committed by the extremists, foreign agencies get automatically absolved of the blame.

Even if, as they say, Pakistan’s alliance with the west is the only reason for terrorism in Pakistan, does this justify the violence perpetrated by the extremists? They are yet to openly declare the TTP’s strategy unjust and un-Islamic.

Tahir Ali

The author is an academic and a freelance columnist. He blogs at tahirkatlang.wordpress.com and can be reached at tahir_katlang@yahoo.com

KP Development budget 2014-15

No change in sight

Tahir Ali June 22, 2014 Leave a comment

 http://tns.thenews.com.pk/kp-development-target-2014/#.U6cxAKzOXp8

Will the KP government be able to meet ambitious development targets set in the budget?

 

“A status quo KP budget.”

 

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented its budget for 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs404.8 billion last week. The Rs139.8 billion annual development programme is 20 per cent higher than the current year. It also includes Rs39 billion foreign component of which 79 per cent are grants.

KP Finance Minister Sirajul Haq says the province has abundant human and natural resources but its population is living under poverty and backwardness due unfair distribution of resources and lack of good governance.

Major revenue receipts include Rs227.12 billion federal tax assignments, Rs12 billion net hydel profit plus Rs32.27 billion as NHP arrears, Rs29.26 billion oil/gas royalty, Rs27.29 billion war on terror grant, Rs35.35 billion as foreign assistance besides some others sources.

KP’s own revenue receipts estimated at Rs29 billion (up by 70 per cent against the current year) include Rs19.45 billion tax receipts and non-tax receipts of Rs9.3 billion. Rs12 billion as GST on services which rose by 100 per cent is inclusive of tax receipts. The province also earns Rs2.85 billion from own power plants. Current expenditure (welfare and administrative) will be Rs265 billion.

The government’s development priorities are right, people say, but they doubt it will be able to meet its defined goals. Our successive governments have failed to create jobs thus leaving Pakhtuns searching for even menial jobs in other provinces or abroad, they argue. Most of the development funds for the outgoing year largely remain unutilised, claims an industrialist.

Various hydel and alternate energy projects are being launched — Rs7 billion have been allocated to construct 350 small dams, while 400 megawatts of electricity will be produced through gas whose cheap energy will be given to industries.

The public-private partnership act has been approved. The private sector would be involved in the construction and maintenance of public sector development projects. New industrial zones will be established but there is no plan for the revival of the sick industrial clusters like Gadoon Industrial estate.

Various hydel and alternate energy projects are being launched — Rs7 billion have been allocated to construct 350 small dams, while 400 megawatts of electricity will be produced through gas whose cheap energy will be given to industries.

Zahidullah Shinwari, the president of the KP Chamber of Commerce and Industry, terms the budget a status-quo budget devoid of any vision and reform agenda. “KP is beset with flight of capital, rising unemployment, terrorism and energy shortage. Joblessness is on the rise — there is 14.8 per cent unemployment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against around 9.5 per cent at national level.”

“Emergency steps were needed for economic growth, industrial revival, infrastructure development, energy supply, revival of sick industrial units and improvement in law and order, but there is no proper roadmap. The government has failed to give new mineral, industrial, hydel, oil/gas and tourism policies reflective of its change agenda,” he said.

There is contradiction in the figures. The finance minister said the current ADP has 611 on going and 378 new projects of which 209 will be completed this fiscal. The remaining and ongoing project are therefore 780. But he said the next budget will have 1251 projects including 611 ongoing and 540 new projects.

In education sector, the government will upgrade schools, establish IT laboratories in high schools, provide furniture to 2300 schools, provide sports facilities in 2400 schools, provide scholarships to talented students and offer free education to special persons in all colleges of the province.

Agriculture is the mainstay of livelihood for over 70 per cent of KP people, acknowledges the minister, but for 46 projects, only Rs1.58 billion have been allocated. While the allocation has been marginally increased, it has in fact come down as percentage to the ADP — while the current year’s allocation was 1.8 per cent of local ADP, the new apportionment is 1.5 per cent.

In Rs39 billion foreign component of ADP, education again was the major beneficiary with Rs11.7 billion, followed by Rs7.6 billion for roads for five projects but agriculture gets only Rs0.8 billion, energy Rs2.6 billion and industries Rs1.6 billion.

The poverty and inability of farmers to use enough quality inputs to raise their produce is the biggest hitch, the minister says, but he comes up with only loans on easy terms for them.

The PTI fans and even some ministers are taking pride in ‘a record increase’ in education spending to Rs111 billion but critics say most of the allocation (over Rs80 billion) comprises current budget which is but natural for being the biggest employees-wise department of the province.

The detailed expenditure report for the current year also reveals that vital social and economic sectors of the ADP like social welfare, education, agriculture, energy/power and industries had been allocated Rs0.6 billion, Rs24 billion, Rs1.53 billion, Rs2.2 billion and Rs4.4 billion respectively, but actual utilisation remained at Rs.2 billion, Rs3.72 billion, Rs0.63 billion, Rs0.65 billion and Rs1 billion in this fiscal.

In a bid to increase KP’s own revenue receipts, the government intends to raise the ratio of provincial taxes and fees on stamp duty, professionals and professional institutions, business establishments, agriculture income and salaries. The rise in taxes/fees is expected to hit the consumers ultimately for it will be passed on to them. Strangely, a PTI-led government is to tax educational institutions including medical, engineering and law colleges.

As per the Finance Bill 2014-15, an annual tax of Rs330 will be levied on a person in any profession and trade who earns between Rs10,000-Rs20,000. While a person earning between Rs200,000-Rs500,000 will pay tax of Rs10,000.

The employees of grade 1-5 have been exempted from the tax and the minimum professional tax threshold has been increased from Rs6000/pm to Rs10000 a month which, the finance minister said, will provide relief to low income class. But does the assertion hold any ground on the face of the fact that minimum monthly pay has been already fixed at Rs12000/pm.

Twelve categories are suggested for urban immovable property (UIP) tax. For technical education, Rs3.7 billion have been allocated and a technical university will be established. Rs2.7 billion have been earmarked to give interest-free loans of Rs50,000-200,000 to jobless youth on their personal guarantee.

The government proposed ‘several austerity measures’ to bring down expenditure. No foreign treatment/training, no new cars and no posts to be allowed unless approved by the chief minister.

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ORIGINAL TEXT OF THE ARTICLE AS IT WAS SENT TO THE NEWS

KP budget 2014-15

By Tahir Ali

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented its balanced budget for 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs404.8bn last week.

The Rs139.8bn annual development programme is 20 per cent higher than the current year. It also includes Rs39bn foreign component of which 79 % are grants.

The KP finance minister Sirajul Haq says KP has abundant human and natural resources but its population is living under poverty and backwardness for unfair distribution of resources, flawed planning, joblessness, illiteracy, corruption, nepotism, weak accountability system and lack of good governance. He pledged making KP free of social, political and economic exploitation.

Major revenue receipts include Rs227.12bn federal tax assignments, Rs12bn net hydel profit plus Rs32.27bn as NHP arrears, Rs29.26bn oil/gas royalty, Rs27.29bn war on terror grant Rs35.35bn as foreign assistance besides some others sources.

KP’s own revenue receipts estimated at Rs29bn (up by 70 per cent against the current year) include Rs19.45bn tax receipts and non tax receipts of Rs9.3bn. Rs12bn as GST on services which rose by 100 per cent is inclusive of tax receipts. The province also earns Rs2.85bn from own power plants.

Current expenditure (welfare and administrative) will be Rs265bn. It needs to be checked or it will in future restrict room for development portfolio.

The government’s development priorities are right, people say, but they doubt it will be able to meet its defined goals. Our successive governments have failed to create jobs thus leaving Pakhtuns searching for even menial jobs in other provinces or abroad, they argue.

Most of the development funds for the outgoing year largely remains unutilised, claims an industrialist.

The public private partnership act has been approved. The private sector would be involved in the construction and maintenance of public sector development projects.

New industrial zones to be established but there is no plan for the revival of the sick industrial clusters like Gadoon estate.

Various hydel and alternate energy projects being launched. Rs7bn have been allocated to construct 350 small dams. 400 megawatts of electricity will be produced through gas whose cheap energy will be given to industries.

To bring down poverty and accountability, the government has promulgated the right to information law and established a commission for access to information, access to services’ commission and conflict of interest commission, ihtesab commission, a complaint cell in CM secretariat. And a public procurement regulatory authority established to make the procurement system of hiring of services, goods and construction transparent and corruption free and introduced the market rate system instead of the composite scheduled rates to ensure transparency in development schemes. .

Zahidullah Shinwari, the president of the KP chamber of commerce and industry terms the budget a status-quo budget devoid of any vision and reform agenda.

“KP is beset with flight of capital, rising unemployment, terrorism and energy shortage. Joblessness is on the rise –there is 14.8 percent unemployment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against around 9.5 percent at national level. Emergency steps were needed for economic growth, industrial revival, infrastructure development, energy supply, revival of sick industrial units, improvement in law and order, focus on technical and IT education but there is no proper roadmap for the areas. The government has failed to give a new mineral, industrial, hydel, oilg/gas and tourism policies reflective of its change agenda,” he said.

There is contradiction in the figures. The finance minister said the current ADP has 611 on going and 378 new projects of which 209 will be completed this fiscal. The remaining and ongoing project are therefore 780. But he said the next budget will have 1251 projects including 611 ongoing and 540 new projects.

In education sector, the government will upgrade schools, establish IT laboratories in high schools, provide furniture to 2300 schools, provide sports facilities in 2400 schools, provide scholarships to talented students and offer free education to special persons in all colleges of the province.

In Rs100bn provincial ADP, Education got Rs15bn but important economic sectors have been allocated paltry sums: Rs3.4bn for power sector against Rs1.4bn in current year, Rs4.7bn against Rs3.28bn for irrigation and agriculture Rs1.58bn against Rs1.53bn in current year.

Agriculture is the mainstay of livelihood for over 70 per cent of KP people, acknowledges the minister, but for 46 projects, only Rs1.58bnn have been allocated. While the allocation has been marginally increased, it has in fact come down as percentage to the ADP – while the current year’s allocation was 1.8 per cent of local ADP, the new apportionment is 1.5 per cent.

In Rs39bnforeign component of ADP, education again was the major beneficiary Rs11.7bn, followed by Rs7.6bn for roads for five projects but agriculture gets only Rs0.8bn, energy Rs2.6bn and industries Rs1.6bn.

The poverty and inability of farmers to use enough quality inputs to raise their produce is the biggest hitch, the minister says, but he comes up with only loans on easy terms for them.

The PTI fans and even some ministers are taking pride in ‘a record increase’ in education spending to Rs111bn but critics say most of the allocation (over Rs80bn) comprises current budget which is but natural for being the biggest employees-wise department of the province.

The detailed expenditure report for the current year also reveals that vital social and economic sectors of the ADP like social welfare, education, agriculture, energy/power and industries had been allocated Rs0.6bn, Rs24bn, Rs1.53bn, Rs2.2bn and Rs4.4bn respectively but actual utilisation remained at Rs.2bn, Rs3.72bn, Rs0.63bn, Rs0.65bn and Rs1bn could be utilised in this fiscal.

In a bid to increase KP own revenue receipts, the government intends to raise the ratio of provincial taxes and fees on stamp duty, professionals and professional institutions, business establishments, agriculture income and salaries. The rise in taxes/fees is expected to hit the consumers ultimately for it will be passed on to them. Strangely, a PTI-led government is to tax educational institutions including medical, engineering and law colleges.

As per the Finance Bill 2014-15, an annual tax of Rs330 will be levied on a person in any profession and trade who earns between Rs10,000-Rs20,000. While a person earning between Rs200,000-Rs500,000 will pay tax of Rs10,000. There are such slabs.

The employees of grade 1-5 have been exempted from the tax and the minimum professional tax threshold has been increased from Rs6000/pm to Rs10000 a month which, the finance minister said, will provide relief to low income class but does the assertion hold any ground on the face of the fact that minimum monthly pay has been already fixed at Rs12000/pm.

Twelve categories are suggested for urban immovable property (UIP) tax. An owner of upto 5 marlas house (other than self-occupied) in category A, B and C will pay Rs1000, Rs 900 and Rs750 in UIP respectively. Owners of over 5 marlas will pay UIP tax of Rs1700, Rs1600 and Rs1500, owners of 10 marlas will pay Rs2200, Rs2100 and Rs2000, owners of 15 marlas house will deposit Rs3300, Rs3200, and Rs3000 while those with 18-20 marlas houses and flats will pay UIP tax of Rs10000, Rs9000 and Rs8000 in the three categories respectively. Similarly other eight categories have different tax slabs for the immovable properties.

For technical education Rs3.7bn have been allocated and a technical University will be established. Rs2.7bn have been earmarked to give interest free loans of Rs50,000-200,000 to jobless youth on their personal guarantee.

The mineral sector could be used for poverty alleviation but only Rs0.62cbn have been allotted to it in the ADP.

The government intends to set up stock exchange in Peshawar to support the progress of industry and trade sectors.

The government proposed ‘several austerity measures’ to bring down expenditure. No foreign treatment/training, no new cars and no posts to be allowed unless approved by CM. But he didn’t specify what happened to similar measures in the current budget. The minister said the government has formed committees for monetization and economy which are working with far reaching consequences, though he failed to identify any.

The construction of houses for officials and ministers on 20 marlas and 110 per cent raise in salaries of minister, advisors etc however is being resented.

Rs7.9bn has been allocated for a pro-poor initiative under which various welfare programs, such as health insurance, long-term loan for development of industries, and provincial youth technical education scheme etc would be launched. Rs6bn more allocated for a special relief package program for giving subsidized edible items to the poor.

The education budget was Rs13.87bn in current fiscal while this year it will be Rs14.31bn for the next year.