Silence of the Sharifs - by Dr Nazir Ahmed

Dr Nazir Ahmad, an eminent psychiatrist from Cheshire and an overseas Pakistani who is hurting at the political situation in Pakistan wrote the following piece for Bazm-e-Iqbal on the inefficiency of the political opposition in current political crisis in Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif [most popular political leader in Pakistan, if polls are to be believed] appears to be in a daze and confused. His inactivity and inefficiency as leader of the opposition is shocking. He gropes for responses to simple questions [in media interviews]. For example when asked whether he support the military action [against Taliban in North West Pakistan] He appears completely lame, blank and devoid of ideas.

Any claim that this mysterious behaviour is actually a positive attribute - an attempt to avoid destabilising the political system is yet another joke that no one is buying. This is in fact is an insult to the intelligence of Pakistani public.

When his brother’s government [of Punjab province] was toppled [by an executive order of the President] the reaction by Sharif [brothers] was way over the top, one political rally after another followed repeated personal attacks on president Zardari. Message from Sharifs to the central government was clear - either put us back in charge of Punjab or we don’t care if this leads to wrapping of the whole political system once more.

The only understandable difference between then and now is that then it was seen by Sharifs as a personal assault and loss and Sharif’s decided to deal with the situation in a fitting manner, with full vigour, determination and had clearly laid outcome measures nothing short of regaining Punjab government. When however it comes to the interest of Pakistani people he has nothing to say.

But he has nothing to say when it is evident that most of the over eight dozen ministers have put the country up for sale, when the country is brought to a stand still by bomb blasts, when a legislation that stipulates all looters and plunderers are free to go and in the future its legal to kill, steal and plunder, when people spend all their day looking for flour and sugar and low wages and joblessness is pushing people to suicides or selling their children. His argument - he has nothing to say because that will endanger the democracy!

He did not say much in his tax returns to the election commission either. He revealed he has five thousand rupees and has property worth 10 million. I am confident Nawaz Sharif will soon be regretting his obsession with restoring the independent judiciary, as well. Rhetoric is one thing and accountability to honest judiciary another thing. He earned relentless praise while on moral high ground at the time but the question is when the judiciary exercise its power before which all are equal. Will Nawaz Sharif regret his endeavours. Why? Because if he was really as reformed as he tried and lead us to believe after his return from exile “I am now not that old Nawaz Sharif” “You will see a lot of difference in me now” he would have thought long and hard about his duty to this nation as a high stature opposition leader of this country in huge trouble.

Similarly his tax return forms would have had different details. You don’t have to be his accountant to tell it’s full of inaccurate information - in fact, lies. It is very naïve of him and his advisors not to realise that it was not going to go unnoticed by our ever enthusiastic media (most of whom luckily are on the public spirited, apart from some “gold diggers” who have rendered their services to Zardari (this name also literally means gold digger)), is active day and night, quite to the expectation of its viewers.

This very irresponsible act of double standards of a supposedly very responsible person should simply lead to rejection of his papers. What this also proves is sadly Nawaz Sharif has learned nothing from his eight years of dishonour including stripping from Prime Ministerial powers, forced exile, confiscation of businesses and properties, forced conditions on the next ten years of his political life, how he is to live and miserable state of mind. His actions are suspect and his explanations fall way beyond any man with an iota of common sense will accept.

He appears to be very much playing double games and posturing which is aimed at grabbing power prematurely rather than ensuring that under all circumstances the current political regime is allowed to complete its term but that he ensures Pakistan is run like Quaid Azam would have liked to run not the way Zardari is running it, like an underworld don. He failed miserably in his duty to the luckless people of Pakistan, yet again.

He should without any doubt pursue his course for seeking punishment for Musharraf in a persistent and determined manner but he has other and more pressing duties as well. Keep the pressure on Musharraf (which he seems to have suddenly turned off since his recent trip to Saudi Arabia) but help build this nation as well.

He doesn’t have indefinite time to come up with a robust policy and clarity of views. I hope he is aware of advice from Nelson Mandela “We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” He needs to establish a shadow cabinet for each major ministry to regularly monitor the performance of ministers and ministries, to voice clearly his views on Taliban.

Pakistani public now believe violence has no place in our society so Taliban either give up their arms or should face the consequences, and he should without any lapse of time speak on all issues of national importance with clarity. He needs to trust his financial managers more and send them on endless rounds to Dubai and UK and needs to spend more time inside the country and support the poor people of Pakistan in these testing times, people who despite his dismal previous performances and bowing before dictator and leaving the country rather than confronting him gave him yet another chance. Don't let them question - did he deserve their loyalty?

Who is the Infidel?

Real price for the war on terrorism is being paid by the ordinary citizens of the North West Pakistan.

Reportedly, while hunting for Taliban terrorists Pakistan army had a village in Swat under siege. There were doubts that there might be Taliban sympathisers in the village. To determine their loyalty the Army commander asked the village elder what he thought about the Pakistan Army.

We respect the Pakistan army and consider you as our defenders, replied the elder.

Don't you consider us invading infidels? asked the commander.

God forbid, Sir! we don't, replied the elder.

So what do you think about the Taliban, then! asked the commander.

The elder hesitated and said that Taliban want imposition of Sharia (that we support) and they oppose the Americans, and they say that they are God's army.

Don't you think Taliban are infidels! asked the commander

My lord! we do not think that they are infidels, just as we don't think that you are, replied the elder.

If Taliban are Muslims and we are Muslims as well, then who are the infidels in this conflict! asked the flustered commander

Sir! infidels are we, the common people of Swat who are getting their asses kicked by both the Taliban and yourselves, replied the elder humbly.

Hamid Mir of Daily Jang Pakistan attributed this story to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, religious leader from North West Pakistan while highlighting alleged mis-treatment of suspected Taliban by the Pakistan Army.

Recently released videos showing torture of suspected Taliban sympathisers at the hand of Pakistan army soldiers have brought home the issue of respect for human rights in a civil war. Just as the videos of public flogging of a young girl at the hands of Taliban enforcers tickled the moral core of Pakistani nation and resulted in mass support for the military operation in Swat, recent videos of torture of bearded elders at the hands of Pakistani soldiers posted on social media sites can sway public opinion in the other direction.

Media is rife with reports of extra judicial killings of alleged (innocent until proven guilty, remember!) Taliban, hanging of their dead bodies from the same poles where they used to hang their opponents, and torture of those arrested. Conflicts like the one in North West Pakistan quite often blur the boundaries of what is legal in the eyes of those who are fighting on the ground.

Just wars should not be fought at the cost human and civil rights. Pakistan has paid a heavy price for not doing that in 1971 resulting in dismemberment of half of the country. We cannot afford another East Pakistan. Over the last one year Pakistan army has worked hard on rehabilitation of its image that was damaged by ten years of General Musharraf's tyranny. It cannot afford losing the public support in this crucial war in which any long lasting victory hinges on public support.

Invading US army in Iraq set the standards by investigating and prosecuting those who were responsible for prisoner abuse in now legendary Abu Gharaib jail. Pakistan army needs to set its own standards that soldiers in the war zone do not forget the values that an Islamic army is supposed to adhere to when dealing with the enemy remembering that the fight is with enemy within.

Giant Pandas and Kailash women

What is common between giant Pandas and Kailash women - both are endangered species now. According to media reports there are around 1590 pandas alive (most of them in China) and there are around 3000 of Kailash people remaining in the world (most of them living in the North West of Pakistan.

While Pandas are one of the most pampered endangered species on earth enjoying massive global funding and support to keep them alive in their natural habitat - there are those who want them dead.

TV wildlife presenter and personality Chris Packham has put forward his opinion that we should "pull the plug" on giant panda conservation, claiming the species "has gone down an evolutionary cul-de-sac" and we should "let them go".

Similarly Kailash people who are a fast disappearing civilisation decreasing in number without any support to maintain their indigenous life style and are now a target of Taliban fundamentalists who do not like their pagan life style and would like to either change them or finish them.

Kailash people believed to be descendants of Alexander the Great's invading army, were shielded from conservative Islam by the steep slopes of their remote valleys.

While Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians were slowly driven out of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province by Muslim militants, the Kalash were free to drink their own distilled spirits and smoke cannabis.

According to daily Telegraph Taliban are now targeting those who are helping build schools, clinics, clean water projects, etc. Why are Taliban rearing for wiping out an endangered civilisation because they are not Muslims? Muqtedar Khan writes that in an Islamic society the objectives of Islamic laws and the way of life are

falah (welfare) and hayat-e-tayyabah (good life) for the members of the community. But when contemporary Islamists operationalize this divine vision of the Islamic state, they define the Islamic state as that which implements the Islamic law.

...in seeking to impose Islamic law and create an Islamic state, Islamists are actually in direct opposition to the spirit and letter of the Quran. The Quran is very explicit when it says “there is no compulsion in religion,” (Quran 2: 256). Elsewhere the Quran exhorts Jews to live by the laws revealed to them in the Torah. In fact The Quran expresses surprise that some Jews sought the arbitration of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) rather than their own legal tradition (5:43).

The Quran also orders Christians to live by their faith; “So let the people of the Gospel judge by that which Allah has revealed therein, for he who judges not by that which Allah has revealed is a sinner,” (Quran 5:47). From these verses it is abundantly clear that an Islamic state must advocate religious pluralism even to the extent of permitting multiple legal systems.

In an Islamic state envisioned by the Prophet (saw) and his companions Kailash people would be enjoying state protection (better than what Pandas get in China) and would be free to practise their religion and their way of life. In a Taliban infested North West Pakistan they are in danger of becoming a lost civilisation soon. Here is another begging bowl for our erst while president to carry on his trips abroad.

Pakistani Clerics speak out against Taliban and in favour of Army action

Finally, showing courage and defiance against the Taliban hegemony a group of leading Pakistani clerics belonging to an association of Sunni Madrassahs [religious schools] have spoken out in favour of the ongoing army campaign against the Taliban in Swat valley. They have declared the army action against Taliban a "Jihad" [holy war].

The news has not been given the due importance by mainstream media that it deserves. Speaking out against Taliban is becoming a risky, often life threatening, business in Pakistan. Unnoticed by the world at large a number of religious leaders have given their lives for the crime of standing up against the Taliban - only until the recent military action in Swat there was no support for those who wanted to stand up to Taliban. Pir Samiullah of Swat was killed by Taliban last December and his body hung in the town square to scare off any further dissent, he is not the only one who paid the price of resistance by his life - rather than help those who opposed Taliban government decided to sign a peace accord with them.

Majority of Pakistani population has sat on the fence when it came to forming an opinion on Taliban enforced Sharia law. Though a majority of the predominantly Muslim society has a deep rooted belief that Sharia should form the basis for the country's legal and justice system - but an even bigger majority doesn't want to go anywhere near the Taliban's version of Sharia. But saying so openly is generally considered to be inappropriate and risky - it has always been so easy to be branded an infidel, with the arrival of Taliban it has become a fatal undertaking.

Ulema (religious clerics) in Pakistan have always decided to stay quiet even when they believed that the Taliban views were wrong. Even religious political parties who believe in and are a part and parcel of the current democratic system have chosen to stay quiet. But recent actions of Taliban movement in Swat have brought the effects of this menace closer to home.

I hope that the group of forty odd Sunni Clerics who have decided to put their lives at risk and have spoken out will be the first among a large number of others who will join. Unless leading Islamic clerics openly, unequivocally and consistently begin to denounce the Taliban and Al-Qaeda's way of imposing Islam and Jihad the war against extremism will be a very long one.

Lal Masjid Islamabad - episode II

Speaking to media from Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad in May 2007 he is on record to have said

• "the suicide attackers are ready to operate anywhere/any time in Pakistan,”
• “We consider suicide attacks are right in Pakistan in few circumstances, while we consider them as absolutely justified in the context of Afghanistan and Iraq,”
• “Our students enjoy the moments when a police or Rangers operation looms, and they get bored when the situation normalises,”
• “We favoured the Taliban not only in the past, we favour them even today.”

These were statements of Mulana Abdul Aziz, cleric of Lal Masjid in Islamabad during the stand off with government in 2007 - times when his religious baton wielding burqa clad girls platoons were terrorising neighbourhoods in Islamabad. Kidnappings, torture and humiliation of alleged infidels was a daily occurance and federal capital was under virtual seige. The operation he so wanted to happen resulted in around 200 deaths at the mosque.

Maulana has been under "house arrest" since and has been released last week on orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The August Court had due reasons to order his release - because the government had the Maulana arrested not for inciting terrorism, or for training suicide bombers, or for being directly responsible for deaths of soldiers and para military personnel who were trying to bring his militants under control, or for indirect responsibility for the deaths of scores of innocent young students who died in the cross fire - but for alleged corruption and land grabbing at Children's library and then failed to provide adequate evidence to convict him. Reminds one of American government trying to get Al Capone on tax evasion.

Maulana is now back at the same Lal Masjid that by early 2007 had become a rallying cry for Taleban style militancy right at the heart of Pakistani capital. General Musharraf's government did not act against the Maulana and his religious Mafia because he was using them as a scare tactic against the western governments to legitimise his continued stay in power and for continued military aid. I wonder what is the present democratically elected government's argument for not prosecuting him for the crimes he committed in 2007.

Maulana still believes in the same philosophy of imposing his own form of Sharia through coercion "the 2007 siege had been a necessary sacrifice", he told those who came to welcome him back. "Hundreds were killed, many were injured. But today the whole country is resounding with cries to implement Islamic law. We will continue with the struggle...now Islam will not remain confined to Swat. It will spread all over Pakistan, then all over the world."

I sympathise with those in Pakistan who would like to see Sharia as the basis of law and justice. This is a democratic right that should be achieved through democractic means. But people who believe in Maulana's teachings are also aware that a relegious hegemony cannot be achieved through democracy because a vast majority of Pakistanis will not vote for them. What's happening in Swat is an example - what Taleban minded groups could not achieve when they rode to electoral victory in North West Frontier Province in 2002 on the wave of anti-American sentiments, they achieved through violent miltant activity in 2009.

Maulana Abdul Aziz is claiming to achieve the same in Islamabad. Like him General Musharraf has blood of over 200 people on his hands because he did not act in time to stop Lal Masjid becoming hub of militancy in Islamabad. I hope that President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani will show the courage to nip this evil in the bud.

A nation in a state of denial

In response to my artcile on "Battlefront Swat" Rashid Chaudhry, a reader from Karachi, sent me a copy of an article from Athar Hashmi, a Pakistani columnist commenting on the barbaric episode of flogging of 17 year old girl in Swat.

Mr. Hashmi is as shocked as any civilised person in the world would be at the atrocious treatment of this young girl while highlighting that the incidence is not only against all Islamic values but does not conform to local Swati traditions or practices as well. Athar's thoery is that this incidence happened three months ago - well before the signing of Swat accord with Taleban and implementation of Nizam-e-Adl ordinance and is an attempt to discredit the peace agreement and to single out and malign the Taleban movement. He points out other examples of mal treatment of women in Paksitan, some of them involving sitting ministers in the current democratic government - see my earlier article on Plight of women in Muslim countries.

Though I respect and agree with some of the views expressed in the article to the extent that problem of defning a very localised form of Sharia as Islamic and the rampant mal-treatment of women right across the uneducated social setup of Pakistan is not simply because of Taleban phenomenon. I do, however, refuse to accept that this is also simply because of international conspiracies against a nuclear Pakistan. I refuse to accept that the American drones and agents of Indian RAW give anyone on the Taleban side the right to begin killing spree against Shia Muslims across the country using the suicide bombers. I do not subscribe to the notion that since the incidence happened three months ago it somehow reduces its significance. Treatment of this young girl is unacceptable whether it happened three month ago or last week. Whether the perpetrators were local Taleban or imported ones (of whom we have many). They did no justice to Islam or people of Swat and should be brought before the established law of the land of Pakistan.

We are a nation in a state of denial. Though we have always been our best critics and can surgically disect the problems we face - but we have also developed a tendency to blame it all on someone from outside. The concept of "Bae-runi Haath" (literally meaning external hands) in everything bad that goes on in Pakistan needs to go for us to get out of this abyss of terrorism.
In the spirit of openness I am reproducing it below for those who can read Urdu:

Battlefront Swat

"For God's sake, stop it ... hang on, hang on," the 17 year old girl cries as the beast continue to flog her. Another voice can be heard giving orders as the girl squirms and whimpers under the blows: "Hold her feet tightly, hold her hands tightly." Most of the world has seen these grainy mobile phone images from Swat and shocked at the brutality. So have these been seen by those in Pakistan who can do something about it and will or might not do anything about it.

I will not go into the details of this incidence as much has been written on conflicting stories that are emerging describing the reasons for public humiliation of this young women - none of them justify her ordeal. She was being punished under the so called sharia law - "what is being presented as sharia [by Taleban and their feudal supporters] is in reality a system that protects the unquestioned power of those who have monopoly over violence and resources in the society."

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa an eminent Pakistani research scholar recently wrote "The application of Sharia is extremely complex as it entails a stringent mechanism for evidence. For instance, a witness has to meet certain conditions. The witness has to be one: (a) who has never been punished for any crime, (b) has always said all his prayers in time, (c) never urinated standing up, (d) never eaten from a market place, (e) never committed any major sin, (f) never committed any minor sin, and (g) never failed to carry out obligations prescribed by Quran and Sunnah. These conditions are so stringent that according to Pakistan's former Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah even he would not qualify to be a witness." Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, ex Chief Justice of Pakistan once said that under Sharia Law even he wouldn't qualify to be a witness in such a case.

Islamic history records that Mulsim armies invaded the Indian Subcontinent in 711 AD when similar cries of help from widows of Muslim traders reached the Islamic Caliphate. Will there be a similar response to cry for help from this desparate girl - difference this time is that perpetrators of crime against women are self appointed representatives of Islam themselves. Who will play the role of Hijaj Bin Yusuf! Who are those who can do something:

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Iftikhar Chaudhry - among those who can do something he is the only one who have moved and done so immediately. "In his suo-moto notice, the CJP said the matter was a serious violation of fundamental rights, guaranteed under the Constitution. The CJP observed that the exact place/venue of the incident and the circumstances under which the punishment by whipping was administered was not known, it certainly constituted a serious violation of law and fundamental rights of the citizens of the country." The victim and the perpetrators of this punishment have been asked to be brought before the apex court. With a crumbling administrative insfrastructure in Swat how these instructions from the CJP will becarried out is a question that will be answered over the coming days.

Government of Pakistan - President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani - are hard core feudal landlords themselves and representatives of the ruling feudal class. They have, in reality, given up the writ of the government to the local Taleban leadership through the promulgation of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation on February 16 2009. By virtue of their feudal heritage it is in their interest to defend feudal traditions and practices of subjugating their people by denying them access to justice.

Government infrastructure appears to be in a state of denial as evident from the satement of the most incompetent Minister of Interior we have ever had. His statement "we are investigating the matter. But sometimes anti-state elements make fake or artificial footage or images to bring disrepute to Pakistan" is a typical of example of the governments state of mind.

Political opposition - is in disarray and in a state of denial like the government and ruling class. I am particularly disappointed by the worldly wise politicians like Imran Khan, a reformed playboy and a leadership hope for right wing intellectuals who try to link everything wrong in Pakistan with the American drone attacks in North West of Pakistan. Rather than take moral stands at what's wrong with Teleban way of life they always try to blame it all on the Americans. I never expected a strong personality like Imran Khan to bury his head in the sand and hope that if the Americans stopped the drone attacks perhaps the Taleban beast will change its colours.

Face of political hypocrisy in Pakistan Leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman who without any shame has sat on the fence at key junctures in our chequered political history and swung whichever way money can be made by political wheeling dealing, has said the protest against flogging of a girl in Swat is legitimate but the people should also recognize the brutalities of drone attacks in which several innocent people including women and children have been brutally killed. How do you justify two totally unrelated brutalities against each other.

People of Pakistan - there in lies the problem. People of Pakistan are sitting on the fence. A vast majority do not want the Taleban style of governance - the way relegious parties were booted out of government from North West Frontier Province in the last elections is clear indicator. Majority also do not want to openly speak out against the Taleban way of life - some out of fear that somehow speaking out against Taleban is equivalent to speaking out against Sharia or Islam, some out of fear for their lives because Taleban way of dealing with dissent is capital punishment. Battle lines for Pakistan are being drawn in the North of Pakistan.